Un-CAI-ing my car...

Ifixyawata · Post by **Ifixyawata** » Sun May 14, 2006 6:14 pm

On two separate occasions when it's been wet outside, my car has refused to stay running when I started it, since I've put this CAI on. It was as if the filter got damp and it couldn't pull enough air in. Plus, I'm really not sure I wanna risk the whole hydrolocking thing for a $40 piece of aluminum.

So, my question is, can I reinstall the stock airbox and filter without using the big resonator piece that goes down into the fender? I'd just use the stock box, filter, and elbow (minus resonator box). This would probably greatly decrease any risk of pulling up water, etc, correct?

fireantz · Post by **fireantz** » Sun May 14, 2006 6:24 pm

Yes you can do that and it will eliminate chances of water. You could also just take out the part of your CAI that goes into the fender and just put the filter right on the TB.

Ifixyawata · Post by **Ifixyawata** » Sun May 14, 2006 6:35 pm

The filter that came with the CAI is of a very cheap quality, plus, I just recently bought a new stock filter, so I may just put the box back in it's place. This should eliminate any potential dealership-warranty work problems, too.

EmersonHart13 · Post by **EmersonHart13** » Sun May 14, 2006 9:26 pm

The dealership cannot deny work because of an intake, there is a law about that...

John

J-Villa · Post by **J-Villa** » Sun May 14, 2006 9:33 pm

i have my stock intake system back in without the fender resonator bull crap...works fine

tamadrumr88 · Post by **tamadrumr88** » Sun May 14, 2006 10:16 pm

if thats the route you go though, id suggest getting (or making) a hard bellows pipe replacement, and putting the k&n filter in place.... and maybe mod the airbox to use with a 60mm t/b.... i was considering this but i like the sound of the intake way too much to silence it

J-Villa · Post by **J-Villa** » Sun May 14, 2006 10:22 pm

you don't need to mod the box for a 60mm tb....fits right in...just needs to tap the holes in the tb and then it just bolts up like stock

Ifixyawata · Post by **Ifixyawata** » Mon May 15, 2006 12:37 am

I have a couple left over exhaust pieces from my t-bird's duals I can use (2.5") to make a hard bellows tube. BUT... when the engine 'torques' back and forth, where is the flexibility that the tube once provided? Might the ridgidity of the pipe and the movement of the engine cause the couplers on the solid short tube to come loose?

I'm definitely thinking of getting this CAI taken off tommorow. It rained like a bitch today and the car did the start-stall thing for me about 5 times. Hell, for a while it wouldn't even start up, I had to hold the throttle down a bit like I was driving an old truck.

bigbird · Post by **bigbird** » Mon May 15, 2006 7:16 am

I was thinking of using something along the lines of a big radiator hose instead of a hard tube. This would allow flex and still flow better!

lolelectricbluesxt · Post by **lolelectricbluesxt** » Mon May 15, 2006 9:48 am

Ifixyawata wrote: It rained like a bitch today and the car did the start-stall thing for me about 5 times. Hell, for a while it wouldn't even start up, I had to hold the throttle down a bit like I was driving an old truck.

I have this problem about every two weeks. I kid you not. Dosnt matter what the weather is like. Super dry outside, or wet. It first started with about less then 100 miles on the engine, and it's been doing it about every two weeks for the last half year.

When it happens, it's like the fuel injection system isnt working, and i have to give it gas just to start up. Kinda weird. I took it to the dealership, they said since there isnt a code in the computer, and since they cant replicate the problem, there is nothing they can do.

dinetuner · Post by **dinetuner** » Mon May 15, 2006 7:49 pm

swap your horn relay with the starter relay...lolEB

SolarYNeon · Post by **SolarYNeon** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 3:25 pm

Just get a bypass valve. If that doesn't solve the problem, I guess you're SOL and it could be something else.

To answer anyones question on what a bypass valve is, its exactly that. Sure on a nasty rainy day like Ifixyawata had, the filter is bound to suck up some water (only really if you drive in a puddle) especially if it's a fender wall CAI. But its nothing to really worry about because the bypass will get rid of the water before it can get into your engine and unfortunatley cause it to hydrolock (not fun.) It's basically a sponge... just look at the picture.

They aren't to expensive either.

$40 bucks from this place,

http://www.doctorimport.com/aem_air_bypass_valve.html

$60 bucks directly from AEM

http://www.aempower.com/product_intake_app.asp

Apparently they only work with AEM CAIs, but thats never stopped anyone from jerry rigging anything before...

Hope this helps

Knoxville_R/T · Post by **Knoxville_R/T** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 5:03 pm

Just don't be stupid. If the puddle is high enough for your CAI to suck up water, you should drive through it anyways. Just remember that the filter is about even with the corner light.

MyNeonSaysHi · Post by **MyNeonSaysHi** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 11:47 pm

Should of gotten a brand name intake.

MoxHair · Post by **MoxHair** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 11:48 pm

I live in one of the Wettest area's in the country and I've never had any trouble with my AEM. I just avoid the Large puddles.

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 9:27 am

^^^
Smart man, but there are those cases where you might get blocked in and cant avoid it. Last August that happened to me and the water got into my engine and hydrolocked it. But at that time I had just a filter on the TB, the water was so deep it went into the engine compartment and got sucked in..

2k2patriotblueneon · Post by **2k2patriotblueneon** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 10:55 am

Knoxville_R/T wrote:Just don't be stupid. If the puddle is high enough for your CAI to suck up water, you should drive through it anyways. Just remember that the filter is about even with the corner light.

Agreed.....I have driven through some damn big puddles with no problems...something else must be wrong so I doubt bringing it back to stock will help. Check your plugs and wires.....

It takes a small lake to hydrolock a neon....the filter needs to get completely submerged. In which case your block will probably crack from cooling too rapidly so hydrolock will be the least of your problems.

Granted there are a mysterious few who have supposedly hydrolocked their car from a small puddle....I suspecta fibber.

Also check to make your your AIT or air intake temp sensor is plugged in and inserted in the CAI correctly....

MoxHair · Post by **MoxHair** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 1:55 pm

BlackRoseRacing wrote:^^^
Smart man, but there are those cases where you might get blocked in and cant avoid it. Last August that happened to me and the water got into my engine and hydrolocked it. But at that time I had just a filter on the TB, the water was so deep it went into the engine compartment and got sucked in..

I live in the middle of the City and I've never had that problem. Only place that floods is the Quizno's Parking lot. So I just go to another Quizno's on the otherside of town. There werent even large lake like puddles after Hurricane's Charley or Wilma.

They run commercials around here about going through flooded roads "When in Doubt, Turn Around" lol

atom · Post by **atom** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 2:57 pm

I had to take off my CAI myself just recently. Pittsburgh is nothing but hills and the roads kinda hold the water nicely when you get a good downpour. I was driving on 65 if anyone knows what that is and it was juts filled with deep puddles in both lanes. I had a semi truck on my ass and drove through two of the puddles. Both times the car took a good little gulp and made a god awful noise... I am very lucky it still runs fine. Funny thing is, when I went to take off my intake... my filter was gone! AHH! Lol

Post by **jonnymopar** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 3:05 pm

Knoxville_R/T wrote:Just don't be stupid..... the filter is about even with the corner light.

You have to go through some REALLY deep puddles to get water up that high. Next time you go out to your car, see how high that actually is. I bet it's more than a foot.

Anybody that lives anywhere near the northeast knows how much it rained this past week. I drove through at least 4 deep (probably 4+ inch) puddles trying to get home from work and I had no problems with my Iceman/K&N setup. Whenever I have to go through a really deep one, I just put my hazards on and barely crawl through it. No problems so far.

Another thing I do just to be extra careful, if I see a deep one coming up that I can't get around, I take it out of gear and let off the gas. That way, the AIS aperture is the only place it could possibly get in.

dp · Post by dp » Wed Jul 26, 2006 8:41 pm

I considered taking the CAI out because the whistling noise it makes is pretty loud and I don't know how normal that is. What scares me is not exactly the noise, it's two other things:

1. The whistling noise is low, but as soon as I set the car in Reverse or Drive, it instantly becomes much louder. Is that supposed to be normal? I can't understand why when I give the car gas in Parking I barely hear the damn whistling, but when it's in Drive, its loud as shit. And also, when I accelerate in Drive theres a high pitched whistle that goes away once I pass the 2000 RPM mark. Is that normal?
2. The engine is louder (expected) but sometimes it's not a smooth *vroom*. It starts to sound like its vibrating, sorta like if I were playing with the gas pedal instead of just leaving it steady in one spot. It's slight, but it worries me... I'm very obsessive over shit like this... should I be worried?

dp · Post by dp » Thu Jul 27, 2006 2:14 pm

Anyone?

jRanck03RT · Post by **jRanck03RT** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 10:02 pm

the whistle is common and i like it on my r/t

Post by **jonnymopar** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 11:32 pm

dp, sounds like that whistle could be your idle air control. The engine is under a small load when you put the car in reverse or drive, and since you're not stepping on the gas, the idle air control pintle opens up. The hole where the air goes through is pretty small. I'd consider that noise normal.

Are you using an aftermarket throttle body?

nofrills05 · Post by **nofrills05** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 12:39 pm

tamadrumr88 wrote:if thats the route you go though, id suggest getting (or making) a hard bellows pipe replacement, and putting the k&n filter in place.... and maybe mod the airbox to use with a 60mm t/b.... i was considering this but i like the sound of the intake way too much to silence it

Thats the combo I have. I have an aluminum tube bellows, 60mm TB and the mopar filter in the stock airbox w/the resoinator removed. Works great and no need to worry about water. This set up may change though once I get the magnum manifold on, the bellows is going to have to be modifed to fit the different angle of the manifold inlet.

Panhead · Post by **Panhead** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 1:45 pm

if you ever decide to run without the resonator, invest in a 6in long, 3in wide tube. the 90 degree elbow is too short and wont go pass the fender well. therefore, sucking hot air. ever since i put the tube in, ive been gettin better gas milage. just my 02.

2GN.ORG

Un-CAI-ing my car...

Un-CAI-ing my car...

Bypass Valve