AEM CAI question - Honda Prelude Forum

VangTEC · 08-03-2011, 10:46 PM

Hey so I hear people have problems with their CAI messing up their engines when they hit a puddle or something. Have any of you had this problem occur to you? any tips? Should I get a SRI for the winter? Thanks alot! Im still young and learning!

indylude18 · 08-03-2011, 10:57 PM

Don't hit big puddles. Problem solved.

Kronn 98SH · 08-04-2011, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by indylude18

Don't drive through lakes. Problem solved.

Corrected.

PreludeNmphs · 08-06-2011, 03:38 PM

Come on guys now that you had fun lets hear from your experience. I live in Memphis and with temps hovering around 100 for the past 2 months, I'd love to get cooler air into my engine without fear of f'ing something up too.

TypeT · 08-06-2011, 04:35 PM

have one, till this day no problems

Kronn 98SH · 08-06-2011, 08:32 PM

I'm pretty sure our "fun" answered your question.

PreludeNmphs · 08-06-2011, 08:45 PM

^so you are saying that you shouldn't drive in heavy rain where there could be flooding similar to a "lake"? what size "lake" exactly?

indylude18 · 08-06-2011, 09:42 PM

Don't completely submerge the filter and you'll be fine. The filter is in the front bumper on a CAI, so as long as most of your bumper isn't underwater you won't hydrolock.

I've had 1 close call where I was unsure how deep a puddle was before I hit it and I couldn't turn around, so I killed the engine and tried to roll through it. As it turned out, the puddle was way too deep. I stopped rolling at about the deepest point in the middle of the puddle, where the water level was just barely below the bottom of my door. Had I not shut off the engine, I probably would've hydrolocked with or without a CAI. Aside from some heavy smoke for an hour or so afterward from soaking my cat, no damage was done. Pushing my car out of nearly a foot of water sucked balls though. I won't be doing that again.

So, as I said before, don't drive through big puddles.

PreludeNmphs · 08-07-2011, 10:11 AM

Thanks indylude18. That answer cleared up where the filter is actually located.

I read on AEM's website that the Dual chamber short ram does a better overall job than their cold air induction units.

Any comments on their claim?

TypeT · 08-07-2011, 12:03 PM

^ your best choice is to get cheap ebay CAI-pipe and then buy Injen filter to it
by doing this you save money

and what I would do if I didnt have that AEM CAI... I would buy Type S intake, but theres no point doing it now, when I have that AEM CAI

indylude18 · 08-07-2011, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PreludeNmphs

I read on AEM's website that the Dual chamber short ram does a better overall job than their cold air induction units.

Any comments on their claim?

The truth is the performance difference between any intake on a Prelude is basically insignificant. 1-2hp, tops. Just get one with a good filter so you aren't sucking gravel sized pieces of junk into your engine. K&N and AEM both make top of the line lifetime air filters. The AEM filter doesn't require oil after being cleaned and the K&N does.

TypeT · 08-07-2011, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by indylude18

K&N and AEM both make top of the line lifetime air filters.

I had to throw AEM filter away on this summer because you could see the sunlight through it, so check your air filters condition every year!

indylude18 · 08-07-2011, 03:35 PM

My AEM filter is 3+ years old, looks fine. Also, they are "guaranteed to last the lifetime of your vehicle" by AEM, so you should have just contacted them to get a new one.

TypeT · 08-08-2011, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by indylude18

My AEM filter is 3+ years old, looks fine. Also, they are "guaranteed to last the lifetime of your vehicle" by AEM, so you should have just contacted them to get a new one.

not that easy thing when its US company

dont know how that would work... anyway, now I check that condition more often.. next spring maybe I get Injen filter

Asianpoet · 08-10-2011, 08:37 AM

get an aem bypass vavle. this way, for some reason you hit a lake/puddle ... you will not have to worry about hydrolocking your motor

MisledYouth bb6 · 08-10-2011, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asianpoet

get an aem bypass vavle. this way, for some reason you hit a lake/puddle ... you will not have to worry about hydrolocking your motor

^^This is another good investment. Depending on where you put the bypass at, you can run your CAI as a short ram during rainy times.

indylude18 · 08-10-2011, 11:20 AM

If you are going to use a bypass value, you might as well just get a SRI. The bypass valve pretty much defeats the whole point of the CAI.

VangTEC · 08-10-2011, 11:53 AM

Thanks Guys, This was really helpful. Im probably just gonna sell my CAI and get a SRI. Because here in WI, its a pain in the winter and spring, too many puddles, don't want to risk it. THANKS.