I just wanted to bring this to the attention to my fellow tc owners, you do not need a Bypass valve for the CAI, and do not have to worry about it getting wet, unless your car is submerged in a flood, then it wouldnt matter anyway as the car would suffer major damage as is. The filter for the CAI i covered by the splash shield under the bumper, and also the Wheel cover. Unlike for instance a VW GTI where there is not wheel cover to conceal the Filter of the intake. So please people, do not worry about you CAI sucking up water, cuz its almost impossible!

 

just be careful at car washes where they have the really powerfull underbody sprayers.

I've heard of 1 person on here who had a problem with the filter getting wet and his car stuttered.

 

I whent to one of does car washes that have the underbody sprayer, and my cai didn't get wet.

 

it all depends where you go. mine got a little wet, but didn't blog it down to bad.

I just don't want people to not be careful driving their cars with a CAI in the rain or going through a car wash and they kill their car because a post on SL said "Don't Worry."

 

which CAI come with the shields. or are you talkin about the actual splash shield on the car now? cuz i wanna get the TRD just cuz it has the bypass. i know like the SRT-4 mopar intake comes with and actual metal piece that goes directly under the filter to make sure no water gets near it. who gives u a shild with the CAI..curious cuz i want an injen, just scared of puddles and stuff. i dodge now but still theres that 1 time

 

I'd let people make up their own mind about it... I think one is unnecessary given the tC's design... but if someone wants the piece of mind for "just in case" situations, who are we to stop them?

 

it's a bit bold to say that the tC definately doesnt need 1. Occasionally ppl on here do post a "I hydrolocked my motor" thread... it does happen. This plastic piece inside the fender does protect the car and filter from some elements but it doesnt entirely protect from water. Water can travel just about anywhere.

 

I still say , with at least the Injen CAI, and where its located, its nearly impossible. The shield i am talking about comes with the Scion, at least mine did, but i have the ground effects kit, so it might come with that. The reason why i say this is because the filter sits high up in the fender, so for water to travel through all that plastic, and Upwards, is nearly impossible. GRAVITY is on our side my friends!!!!!!! lol

 

Water doesnt have to travel that far.. you submerge the car in it. That area is not watertight, and if you drive into water that deep, it will submerge the filter. There is a guy right now on another forum with a hydrolocked tC. Granted, you do have to drive into really deep water, but the splash gaurds dont do much at all in the case that you do.

 

Must say that I'm going to disagree with you on this one man. I just cleaned my filter on my Injen CAI this past weekend and the inside the pipe has water spots and trails in it. I know its water b/c I take it to the DIY washes to rinse it off, then do my own washing and rinse the soap off. They use pressure washers and the water finds its way in from the grilles and from the sides of the hood. The water gets on the filter and then as the car pulls more air and creates a vacuum the water that is sitting in the grooves of the filter gets sucked in through the small holes in it. However, it is harder to hydrolock a tC than it is on other cars b/c of the position it is at.

 

i removed my bumper sealed around wheel gap(was verry open) put a heat shield and sealed from any water running from above. water ran down from my hood onto filter now it rolls right off my splash shield.

 

quik question-so whats the reported nubmer of hydrolocked tc's-ive heard of 3..

i havent drove my car through any serious water, no more then 4-inches, and ive NEVERhad any problems, including any stuttereing, stalling and whatever else

small drops of water will vaporize in the combustion chamber, and go right out the exhaust

side note-if you are stupid and drive you tc through a creek/swamp/river/pond/lake, then yes it will hydrolock

and he's right aobut the plastic under the car doing a pretty good job of blocking the intake, i have never had any problems from any car washes around here, and one of them has like super high pressure-almost thinking about not going to it, might be a little too high

 

me im not worrid about the bottom, i saw when i washed the car water would run down onto my cai from the top. im not trying to find out the hard way.

 

less than an inch of water, injen intake with hydroshield and a bypass and my engine still hydrolocked. Feel as secure as you want, it can always happen.

 

That sucks man!!!!

That's like wearing 2 condoms and still getting the drip...

 

THAT IS GREAT!

 

exactly the way i felt.. just lucky that hasnt happend...

 

Well i might add that if your car is lowered from stock than that might also increase your chances. I have not lowered mine. I have never seen water drip in through there. there are a few wires which i believe is for the headlights also near the filter. I dont think its that easy for water to go down there. My friend had a 20th anniversary VW GTI, and i could see his filter clearly through his rims, just like you would see a cars rotors, the exact same thing. And HE never even hydrolocked, even though he put 60,000 mile son it. I mean im just saying the chances are very very small. I also used a rubber hose that i cut and used some super strong glue to wrap around the fender area to protect the piping of the intake.

 

I know one person on this board a long time ago hydrolocked during some heavy rain in Texas. I do not think it was even that deep just too fast through a big puddle. I would never say that we would never need it, just that it does not happen too often. I would hate to tell someone not to get one then have them hydrolock their engine.

 

I remember your post on a similar thread, how the truck threw a wave of water over your hood and douched either your filter or bypass. In fact I have bookmarked it and linked other posters to that thread. Hopefully folks will live and learn from your experience.

People still believe that you have to fully submerge the filter to hydrolock it. Dr. Isotope says it only takes 4 tablespoons of water to push a rod out the side of the block.

Bypasses aren't going to open until the filter is fully submerged and that's way too late. Hydroshields won't protect you from waves and underbody washers, and in good weather they likely restrict your air intake flow which defeats the purpose of buying a CAI/SRI.

The only device I think is worth buying is a splash guard which is actually marketed as a "heat shield" - it's metal so probably makes heat soak worse - but will deflect water off your filter coming in from the hood gap, grille, or wherever it can come surfing into your engine bay. Injen makes one and I believe Weapon-R makes one too.

And you should also put it on your Short Ram because of its proximity to the hood gap.