Water in my Cold Air Intake!!!

hippo · 09-02-2003

Its been raining in New York lately, and today as i was driving i could feel these weird vibrations under the seat, and then i rolled down my windows and heard like this popping noise. It sounded like i was making pop corn down there, and i got scared thinking that i got water into my throttlebody. According to my mechanic, when water hits the filter or is absorbed by the filter, it kind of sufficates your car, which makes the popping noise, and raises the loudness of your exhaust. I have a greddy evo, and the thing is loud enuff, and while this was happening it was like i had a straight pipe bolted on. Anyways, my question to you people who have a cold air is, did you make a custom shield to put under the filter? or do you have the same problem? When my mechanic put my car on the lift i could see there was nothing between the ground and the filter. I knew that from the begining, but didn't think anything of it. Well i'll stop talking, and help me out. Thanks

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4bangin · 09-02-2003

thats your mid pipe rattling hitting the under side of your car. nothing to do with your intake. and it doesnt soffocate your engine getting water in there, it hydrolocks it.

pheaton · 09-02-2003

5 posts? we already played that game with another member earlier. . hehe

hippo · 09-02-2003

sorry about the 5 extra posts, "the specified server could not be found" kept appearing. Anyway, I really doubt that it is the midpipe rattling, because it was not a rattling noise, it was like a continuous stream of back pressure, and if it was rattling, then why would my exhaust become significantly louder? I don't know, hopefully more of you will reply to this post. The rain will remain in New York, and i think im going to make a budget shield, and place it under my filter somehow...

Jeff · 09-03-2003

Do what I did get a short ram for winter =)

Tshroom · 09-03-2003

I live in South east texas.. it rains non stop here.. I have a CAI and No bypass valve.. I never have had a problem with water getting in it even in the thickest of storms.. I do hear it backfire throught the intake every so often though.. weird.. but yeah my CAI sits a little higher than the AEM CAI though.. about an inch or 2.. so its not that close to the ground..

JayJay · 09-03-2003

hippo,

I was driving on the LIE last night in the rain, and I heard the same popping noises that you mentioned. The noises that I heard were coming from under the shifter. It freaks me out everytime I hear them. I step on the clutch right away.

A shield sounds like a good idea.

ak · 09-03-2003

Deleted the other 5-6 threads.

lowriding619 · 09-03-2003

there was a post awile back acually sometime ago

but anyway it was on the same subject, that sound is pretty familiar to greddy users and only happens when wet -on the intake part of your post i dought it is that because if water did get in your engine it would probly try to stall on you -but if you really think its that get a cai like injen that goes in fender well or aem and get a by pass on it---one post about this metioned they fixed the problem by welding a extra bracket on the exhaust some were, sorry don't remember 2 much of it but they said that fixed that noise.... hope i helped a little sorry about not knowing the exact posts >>> bad memory......good luck & peace

steve_civic03 · 09-03-2003

Ya, the best thing to do in that case is get a by-pass valve. Its this saturn looking thing. I bought one when i bought my cai, but i changed my mind and returned it. The only thing i heard is that the by-pass valve cuts the noise your cai makes at highet rpm's.

robbclark1 · 09-03-2003

Your intake is NOT sucking up water. Your engine would seize if it did. What you are hearing, like was explained is your Mid-pipe rattling. mine does it too. In fact, alot of people's do. It is something we have to deal with. the bypass will work, but is not necessary.
the noise will go away when you hit the clutch? but may or may not pick back up when you hit the gas again?? If so it is your exhaust not your intake.

4bangin · 09-03-2003

Quote:

Originally posted by robbclark1
Your intake is NOT sucking up water. Your engine would seize if it did. What you are hearing, like was explained is your Mid-pipe rattling. mine does it too. In fact, alot of people's do. It is something we have to deal with. the bypass will work, but is not necessary.
the noise will go away when you hit the clutch? but may or may not pick back up when you hit the gas again?? If so it is your exhaust not your intake.

yes, thats exactly what i was trying to explain. thats what it is. if you had stock exhaust, you could take it in and get it replace, it is on TSB at honda. but you have an aftermarket exhaust, so just live with it.

2k1civic · 09-03-2003

i just installed a water bypass vavle on my cai

Optix · 09-03-2003

I have driven mine in some heavy rains and never sucked in water. But just to make sure i didn't I put a bypass valve on so I have no worries now.

TonySTiX · 09-03-2003

I have an AEM CAI and im basically scared shitless when i drive in the rain...especially through very deep puddles and stuff. Whats funny is that i have the bypass valve sitting in my garage lol

But i need suggestions on where to actually put the friggin thing. The instruction manual says to put it along the upper inlet pipe on the same axis as the throttle body. Has ne1 put the valve anywhere else on their intake and why??

injencivic · 09-03-2003

IMO Bypass valves are B.S.

Injen

Dark_Shadow_w · 09-03-2003

I must also agree that the problem is not caused by the intake but the mid pipe.

It could be that the pipe is hot and with the water contacting the surface makes the metal expand and contract therefor making those noises.

I hear it alot on newer cars and newer pipes too.

hippo · 09-03-2003

I understand what you guys are saying, but if it is the midpipe, then why does my exhaust change it's sound? When the rattling starts the exhaust gets louder, and why does it only happen in the rain? Does everyone have this problem with the greddy evo? I really need to know what this strange phenomenon is because hearing that crap while driving is not comfortable. Is there any way to fix it?

4bangin · 09-03-2003

Quote:

Originally posted by hippo
I understand what you guys are saying, but if it is the midpipe, then why does my exhaust change it's sound? When the rattling starts the exhaust gets louder, and why does it only happen in the rain? Does everyone have this problem with the greddy evo? I really need to know what this strange phenomenon is because hearing that crap while driving is not comfortable. Is there any way to fix it?

dude, read the post right above you. it explains why it only happens in rain/snow and why it is louder. the pipe is expanding due to the cold rain/snow coming in contact with the hot pipe. that explains why you really only feel it when u press on the throttle, because you are forcing hot gases through the pipe heating up it more. thats why it is louder because the pipe is getting larger, just like someone with 2.5" piping is going to be louder than someone with 2" piping. thats also why you feel the vibrations in the pedals and under the shifter, and the passenger can feel it on there feet, because it is basically right under the passenger/ shifter and it causes the pedals to vibrate a little.

it is the mid pipe, the mid pipe, the mid pipe. i get it all the time. no big deal. nothing you can really do about it. just ignore it, and expect it when it rains hard. i am acctually suprised when it DOESNT happen anymore. and warn people before it happens so they dont wonder what it is. it happens so often to me i can almost feel when it is coming on anymore.

robbclark1 · 09-04-2003

It is not just the greddy evo that has the problem. It is even the stock exhausts too. I have the TCS and mine does it. In fact, it did it this morning in the rain. Sometimes it can be a slow hum other times is it loud ass knocking under the car. And yes, you can feel it on the manual shifter. It is NOT your intake!!! Water in intake = seized engine. trust me, you will know when you get water in there.