AEm CAI Bypass valve: trash or treasure?

[latinsl2]

i just recently got a true CAI and i'm paranoid of engine seize thru water getting sucked up. a friend of mines maxima seized after going thru a puddle under a small bride. i read a [imo] a good tech article on the aem bypass valve ( http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/tech/0104scc_tested/ ) and its seems like a really good, well-wort-it purchase for around 40 bucks or so. then i read other personal reviews online and people were saying its a waste of money. is it worth it just for the peace of mind? the tech article tested it on a NSX at WOT on a 3rd gear pull with the main filter submerged in a fishtank full or water and no water going all the way to the engine. they even had clear piping to see how far the water would rise. let me know what you think.

dave

[post edit: its also been said that this valve decreases hp. any input?]

[ProjectSW1]

they're worth it...

take it from sumone who didn't use one and hydrolocked his engine

[Anonymous]

neither trash nor treasure...just something nice to hold on to

[djgeo05]

i think it has to be completly submerged in water for it to work.

[aeroblu22]

that article was funny.

[funkymonkey]

its just a point of if your filter gets submerged on accidnet for some reason, you have a safe gaurd for youe engine. more of a peice of mind for when you drive around in the rain.

[Plastic Fury]

I would say it's probably not a bad idea. I sold a customer a ION quad that had alot of aftermarket stuff on it, including a AEM cai. It did not have the bypass vavle, and I recommended he pick one up.

Two weeks after purchase he drove into a DEEP body of water (aka puddles in Florida, they tend to get big down here lol) and hydrolocked his engine. There is nothing like having to call your insurance company to see if they will cover a new engine on a two week old car because the warranty sure does not.

It's worth it for piece of mind, but that's just my opinion.

[scooter]

Blah Blah Blah....just don't drive through water that's deeper than 6 inches, it's that simple. I have a AEM CAI and I just simply don't drive though standing water. The windows in our cars have this neat option, they can roll down and you can look out the window and see how deep the water is.

One time in 2004 it rained really bad (at night) and there wasn't a road that didn't have standing water and I could tell it was more than 6 inches. I simply picked up my cell (another neat piece of technology) and called work and told them I would be late. I would rather be late for work than buy a new engine.


But yes, if you like to drive through water, then by all means, get one.

[TurboSL1]

The windows in our cars have this neat option, they can roll down and you can look out the window and see how deep the water is.
.

My car SERIOUSLY dosn't do that [img]{SMILIES_PATH}/sad.gif[/img]

[djgeo05]

haha it takes me 8 seconds to roll my windows down, if im hyper it will take only 5 [img]{SMILIES_PATH}/biggrin.gif[/img] lol manual windows sucks!

[d3ad1ysp0rk]

[quote="djgeo05"]haha it takes me 8 seconds to roll my windows down, if im hyper it will take only 5

Stupid window regulators and such..

[aeroblu22]

i've gone through plenty of puddles, some probly up to 4 or 5 inches deep with my CAI and not had any problems. course the CAI in the ion's doesn't sit that low...

[esca]

I agree with ace there. Also, the wheel liner covers up most of that area anyways. you'd have to actually sit still in the water for it to get in long enough to be sucked into your engine.

I've got mine and I drive through California rainy weather just fine. I just don't park on the area near the drainage ducks on rainy days. Once saw a car with water up halfway to its wheels with part of the front quarter panel submerged. lol

[paintballmaniac]

ya Ive had mine like this....

Cold Air intake were the filter sits

and no problems. I even bought an AEM bypass valve, and was astonished that the growl of my new intake disappeared.. sounded like i had a stock air box on. well that was no good, and the valve made my intake rub hella against my car engine bay, so i said F it - If im gonna drive through rain season ill just put my AEM short ram back on whenever i want to.