Do I need a Bypass Valve

[DIYaccord]

I just got my CAI and I am wondering if I need a bypass valve for it. Is it necessary? WIll it kill my performance or will it work ok and actually give me some safety with the rain. Also, there are some cheap ones on ebay for like $8. Do these work the same as the AEM kind? thanks in advance.

[MRX]

not sure about the ebay knock off's but yes u do need a bypass valve if it rains in ur area (thats so vague lol) anyways if ur filter sucks up water then goodbye engine. U will lose about 3hp off the intake tho but its really not that bad seeing as you get to keep your motor.

[ChIoVnIdCa]

3HP seems high

[91accord4door]

no you should get it even if theres little water,my friend fucked up his civic just driving in light rain,it sucked in too much water and it was just drizziling out.maybe your ok just driving short distances but be careful.

[mrhonda]

Yes definately get a bypass valve, its cheap insurance. It doesn't matter how much it may rain in your region, all it takes is one puddle. Also, I'm not sure that it takes away any power at all. I mean, it stays closed all the time anyway.

[91accord4door]

ya exactly my point water is water it does not matter how much that intake is gonna suck it right out of the air,never mind just hitting puddles.

[91accord4door]

i get your point fizz,but my boy has a 98 civic with cold air intake and he was driving in light rain and it fucked up his engine.it could of been the puddles on the road but i'm just trying to say that the bypass is well worth the insurence.

[91accord4door]

could it be that his aftermarket bumper held water right in front of the fitler?it had a constant puddle?since then he has removd it.but could it be that it was constantly sucking water?i mean itwas almost in the water at all times?this was last spring.he had a body kit and the back of the kit wear the grill goes had a spot that held water.maybe that was it?hhmmm stranage could be that plus the rain??who knows.fuck it.

[akkordlayinkit]

Heres my personal opinion about the Bypass valves, from my own experience: It rains probably about 2-3 days outta the week, and good hard t-storms alot of times, and if you have ever noticed my filter is right behind a cut-out hole in my s/f front bumper, so it is highly exposed to everthing. I do NOT have the bypass valve, and have had no problem with water, probably because like FIZZ stated, you basically have to have the filter submerged in water for it to do damage. After a good rain, I can grab my filter and its soaked, but have never had a problem, even though I was kinda worried at first. So IMO I say dont waste the money.

Jay

[MRX]

if even a couple of droplets got into the combustion chamber the engine would be done. Its getting past the sheer heat of the engine thats saving you. If the water evaporates before the chamber then of course your fine. But please remember that water CANNOT be compressed...go head and try to compress water…its not gonna happen. So what happens is the piston travels up to compress the air and meets this substance that can’t be compressed. The force that the piston traveled up with is now reversed towards the piston while its still traveling upwards…most engines that hydrolock will even snap a rod or 2 because of that scenario. So now its just up to you…if you trust the other guys opinions and believe that ur engine will be fine then please have the money saved to buy a new engine in case shit goes wrong. Because if stuff does go wrong and u come back to the same guys who said you’d be fine without the bypass…don’t expect them to say I’m sorry and I’ll pay for your engine. It’s your call DIYaccord. It may have been 1-2 hp loss but i think it may hit 3 sometimes...not through out the entire powerband tho

[PRIMOCB7]

...just make sure your fender lining is on there. i lost my built f22a6 coz i was driving around w/ no fender lining for years w/ the aem cai, and then finally hit some deep water on the GCP highway.. no more f22a6

[91accord4door]

i know what your saying because the civic i was talking about,that things engine went because of the light rain,(drizzle) literally.i dont know about anyone else but even my reguler ractive intake has a shit load of suction.if i put my hand over the filter it sucks my hand onto the cone,so i believe even in light rain eventually a CAI is gonna suck in water(cai).i'm glad someone agrees. by the way it only sucks my hand onto thecone while i give it gas!lol

[91accord4door]

so your saying that even when the filter is completely soaked it water,(stil driving in the rain) that it cant happen.well it did happen.i wasnt there so maybe he pulled over and poored water in his oil filler cap to ruin his engine.i have seen it happen many times actually(all civics too thats weird).anyways my point is i have seen it happen many times,thats why no one around here buys them anymore,also because of the extreme cold in the winter.by the way around here we get rain about 4 days week during spring. diyaccord i would get the bypass because it will keep your engine safe.weather or not you use one or not just seeing us argue should make you go get one because oviously theres mixed thoughts.good luck.

[MRX]

Originally posted by fizzbob7
now you're just being a dick man

i'm not even being a dick man, i'm just saying that if your theories do not hold correct for him...then who will pay for his engine if it hydrolocks? Its just a matter of keep a little hp and save like $20-40 or run the risk...and it is still a risk do you not agree? Hell i even plug up my diy ram air when it starts to rain, i'd have to be going over 80mph for the rain to track its way up the piping, into the engine bay, onto the filter, and so on. But i still block the air path regardless because nobody else is gonna pay for my engine if something happens to it.

[MRX]

I saw a test that AEM did on their bypass valve. They got a NSX…yes that’s right a NSX, a bucket full of water, attached the CAI and bypass onto the car and completely submerged the filter in the water. They were that confident with their product that they risked a $90K+ car on it. Your filters may never encounter that much water but are you as confident with your theories on this man’s engine as you think? In any case, DIYaccord let us know what you decide and whatever you pick I’m by ur side. Once again I’m not trying to be a dick at all