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fswerks cai and hydrolock ..anyone have issues with this?

7K views 35 replies 14 participants last post by  sam fisher 
#1 ·
i need to know before i buy , iv heard bad things about short ram and heat soak also ...
 
#4 ·
A good heat shield will keep engine heat away. As for hydrolock, I've never heard anyone with a Sri ha e that issue.
And even with a CAI it's hard to suck water in unless u drove through a lake and submerged the filter.
I don't have the fswerks but I had no issues through the summer heat with my CAI. I have no heat shield and never had heat soak issues. It hit 120 w/ heat index here in MN for almost two weeks straight.
Also, I've drove through heavy rain for over 30 miles work to home with no issues.
 
#31 ·
I was caught in monsoon-like rains five years ago on a back road outside Rockville, MD... I'd never noticed that this particular tract of land all sloped down and converged at this little creek that wasn't even big enough to warrant a little bridge over it: until the monsoon came! It was Friday traffic (200-300 cars tailgating home) and I STILL don't know what possessed me to attempt going through it... It locked up and I was able to get it running after traffic died down and other motorist's wake stopped re-covering the CAI filter and putted 30-40ft up to the next driveway. "Cappuccino" colored crap in the engine! Ruined the original block/internals.

I was gambling that week, my insurance had just lapsed and I was waiting on a paycheck, when I got downed in the roadway: I was freaking out hoping the cops didn't need to come rescue my ass! So I got AAA to pick me up after I managed to get off the road! (the next engine grenaded after I failed to notice the cracked welds on the header and the lean condition took it out on I270 one morning... THAT block only had 2700 miles on it when it was installed!)

Long story short: get the bypass if you get one and make sure you have some sort of splash shield or cover under the front of the car... also if you have the means I highly suggest getting a $100 beater car for crap-weather-days! The bypass will get old and brittle as I found out recently, so now I'm rockin' a straw for an intake again, but I have that aforementioned $100 honda (a.k.a. Dirt).
 
#5 ·
I have a K&N CAI and I havent had any hydrolock issues, drove it through the whole rainy season, puddles and everything.
 
#9 ·
CAI results in gains throughout the rpm band regardless of engine bay heat. I recommend it over a short ram
 
#11 ·
Live in NE NY, heavy rains. CAI still hasnt pulled water however it does require cleaning of the dust from the filter
 
#12 ·
I had the coolflo, never had a problem. Just put a prefilter on it. To hydrolock an engine you literally need to submerge the filter in water. Torrential downpour with no driver foglight will do it too.

As for cfm's "copy." Its not really a copy, just a better design, in my opinion at least. That's what I have now and I think its better than the coolflo I had. I don't have the aem bypass valve, just the prefilter.
 
#14 ·
Either or is lot better than the oem 100,000 mile filter. both have their advantage & disavantage. I live in the Seattle area= rain So I went w/ Steeda's sri over a cai. Its also easier to clean the filter too.
 
#15 ·
It fits on like a coupler I the middle of the two pieces of the intake, if water gets sucked up it hits the valve and gets released out the sides of it. Its actually pretty sweet.

And saying you live in a rainy area so you didn't get a cai is like saying your roads are too shitty to be slammed, its just not an excuse. Anyone anywhere can have one. Hydrolocking is not the devil everyone makes it out to be. It doesn't happen from driving through a two inch puddle, otherwise i'd be hydrolocked. As long as you keep the splash shield on the bottom and get a prefilter you'll be fine.
 
#24 ·
If you have the skill you can build your own....and the time. Its not something you want to botch
 
#29 ·
Your year model must not have the splash guard under the engine like ours does.
On the 08-11 you would have to be in deep water (not just a splash) to hydrolock.
the fswerks air filter sits inside the front bumper cover on our gen and it covered by a rigid splash guard.
 
#32 ·
You should look at our CFM cold air intake. It is complete 3 inch made out of aluminum. It also have options for aem bypass and outerwears filter cover if you concern about sucking in water. The Fswerks does not have option for the bypass. The CFM one also have the ability to make more hp down the road than the Fswerks one. The Fswerks cold air intake uses heavy steel piping.

We do offer both air intakes and stock both. We do tend to sell more of CFM air intakes.
 
#34 ·
no splash guard on mine , i could have sworn there was but the busted ass collision shop i went to must not have orered that part when i got a new bumper , i wonder what i could fab to stick under there ? maybe ill cut apart a recycle bin or somethin and just fit a piece under there
 
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