Thanks, but what about the bypass valve...it doesn't come with one does it? I live in Arkansas and sometimes it rains pretty hard but no deep puddles or anything. If i'm driving in some heavy rain (no puddles) will it hydrolock or is it hard to say?

 

as far as i know and from what i've experienced , hydrolocking only occurs when you fully submerse your filter in water , thats the only time it will suck up any real water , if you have half the filter under and the rest open it should still suck the air and not any water as air is lighter it will pull before the water will , if any of my info is innaccurate please some one correct me

 

I've read pretty much what everyone had to say about all the different types of intakes. Yes Injens does make a couple more ponies but isn't the easiest to install due to thelarger diameter piping. The TRD and the AEM are the same intake. TRD may be the in house toyota performance company but the do not make most od their parts, they sub that out. The AEM and TRD are the excat same intake. If you are asking which intake is the best, there is no clear answer as everyone has a different idea as to what best means. Best as in horsepower gain? Best as in the easiest to install? My take on this is that the best intake wouldbe the AEM intake for one main reason. All the new AEM intakes come with the dry filter system now. Even thought the TRD is the same intake as you can see in the picture it uses a K&N style filter which means you need to oil it. That's where dealerships like to get you. Cotton filters that need to be oiled sometimes leak their oil onto your MAF. With the AEM intake there can be no problems with the MAF due to oil getting on or in it. Makes getting out of a warranty issue much harder for the dealership. Like I said that's just what I think. Hope this helps someone out there in choosing an intake.

 

Only the TRD intake comes with a bypass valve (they're only real selling point besides the TRD badging). AEM, who actually makes that intake, sells the bypass valve seperately for around $40. Just make sure you get the same size diameter to mate correctly if you were to go with AEM.

 

You can get a bypass valve for any intake that they make but beware when installing it. A lot of people think if they have a two piece intake that the just install it where the piping connects to each other. All Aem products come with full instructions. You are going to have to cut your intake to install it properly. Most intakes are coming with a pre filter now. It's basically a mesh that goes over the filter itself and is water repellant. I wouldn't worry so much about water lock right now. As long as you have your fender linings and bumper linings in place still that will prevent most water from getting up into where your filter resides. Just don't go driving through and 3 foot deep puddles now!! I had and AEM colr on my focus before I got my TC and the filter on that sits even lower than on the TC and I never had any problems until I put my body kit on and my linings under my front bumper didn't fit anymore leaving the filter exposed. That's the only time I had any problems with water.

 

I drove through probably the hardest rainstorm of my life w/ my newly installed Injen CAI and didn't have a problem at all. Your only worry would be going through 1-2+ foot puddles (the filter being submerged)

 

Yeah, from all the stories and response I've heard, an intakte bypass valve is probably only necessary in A) a flood basin, or B) Rally racing, where there could be BIG puddles/small streams. We don't have rally cars and most of us don't live in a repeatedly flooding area so most of us wouldn't ever need the bypass valve. Perhaps TRD thought it would be a marketing feature ('show' factor), extra insurance for the warranty (if they install), or a bit of both?

Anyway, many of us want the TRD badge, but our brains overrule our instincts and go for the AEM, because it is the same intake and is much less espensive. Come on TRD; don't rip off your fans. Honestly, what is their true justification for upcharging that product?!?!?

 

also since the intake is located on the driver side of the car, there is less likely hood of there being a large puddle on that side of the road. Roads are designed so that the water runs off to either side, so that hopefully water in your areas dispences properly.

 

the trd intake was a joint agreement with aem. Aem built the intake for toyota, and that was the reasoning for aem not producing one for the longest time, or so i have been told by the aem reps.

 

I finally bought the Injen CAI online, $245 shipped!! Will update with pics/review once installed for whoever's interested

 

Hey guys, I've been looking into getting an INJEN for a while. Now i wanna know if a cop pulls me over and tells me to pop the hood. Will i get in trouble for it or not?

i live in california, i think they're strict.

Same goes for a turbo, because i might go turbo and i was wondering if they would tell me to TAKE IT OFF! or something

 

of course your gonna get a ticket... you gotta have the CARB exempt sticker. any intake that is not CARB legal is going to get a ticket. unless the cop is cool ( which doesnt happen often) there is NO CARB exempt intakes out there for the tC ( to the best of my knowledge) Thats why Im running a TRD high flow air box filter.

Although I was wondering the same thing... how can companys make a CARB exempt turbo kit... but NO ONE can make a CARB exempt intake??? WTF is that?

 

yeah that is pretty retarded. But turbo's are CARB exempt in Cali now? thats cool

 

companies don't make intakes and decide if it's goingto be carb exempt or not. Companies like AEM, Injen, and Fujita first build the intakes for the vehicle and put them on the market. While this is going on they also send out intakes for testing to carb. California Air Resourses Board to be tested by them and then have a C.A.R.B number issued. This process does not take a day or two. They will eventually give carb numbers to the ntakes..it just takes a bit. Keep checking the intake companies websites and when you see that they have been issued a carb number all you have to do is call them and they will tell you what steps to take so they will mail a carb sticker for your intake out to you.

What turbo kit is carb legal for the TC? Most turbo kits out there remove the cat from the car for the turbo. That would not be carb legal by a long shot.

 

A friend & I installed my intake in a lil' over a hour. The instructions that came with the TRD are very detailed!

 

Just a few more days and my Injen intake will be here! I'm excited.. will post updates over the weekend

 

i just got my injen intake installed and i think it's great! it really lets out a wale once you step on it

 

Awesome, I'm real pumped, I hope mine arrived today.. did you use any certain DIY from the forums / take off the bumper / etc? Thanks bud

 

Oh there are NOT CARB exempt turbo kits? so everyone thats running turbo kits are messing with being pulled over? I didnt know that... I hope they all have the hook-ups for the smog stuff. stupid CARB.. smog is smog.. its everywhere, and the air of Cali. doesnt stay in cali.. like theres an invisible wall that it cannot escape.

its pointless... we gotta have air-friendly cars.. but huge factorys that dump pollution everywhere are OK! makes sense to me.

 

Just Installed my brand new TRD intake today. I love the black chrome, the setup, and the easy installation. Took me about an hour to install and the sound is great right out the box. Im sure it'll sound even better in a few weeks. Oh yeah i even took out the lil grill piece on the bumper for more air flow. Here's some piks