Rain + CAI = Meh!

[Odinist]

So it's raining here, because that's usually the closest thing Oklahoma gets to snow around Christmas, heh.

Driving to my girl's house last night, my car was doing fine, until a few blocks from her house, I guess my filter finally got wet enough (never submerged in water, mind you, just wet) that the car sputtered and died. I was able to get it started again, and kept the revs up to get rid of some of the water, which was a site to see (yay for steam out of the exhaust). I got the filter dried at her house, and the can ran and idled fine.

This morning on my way to work, about a mile or so from my job (it's about 20 miles from her house), the car started acting like the filter was really wet again, but I made it to work okay, and got the filter off. I brought it in with me, and it's now sitting on my desk to dry.

One of my buddies is running a filter cleaning/oiling kit up to me. I figure with fresh oil, it'll help it from getting so water soaked (it's been probably a year and a half to two years since it was most likely cleaned, so I'm sure the oil was dry, which is probably part of the reason it was getting so wet). Thankfully, the rain's supposed to be gone by the time I get off work.

But so yeah, lowered car + CAI + rain = sucky.

What do you guys do to avoid stuff like this?

[Red Pyramid]

Short ram intake :gap:

[04TrdCeli]

:werd:

[03gts6speed]

definately get a short ram if you keep having a problem. not worth ruining your engine.

[ninjadrummer89]

id say bypass valve but i heard it doesnt help on our cars because of the short length of piping or something... just try not to drive through puddles is what i do

[JSPITZ]

I live in VA it rains all the time never had a problem, just keep your RPM's down in the rain and you should not have a problem. Man there are people here in DCM 7th gen That have CAI and no engine plastics and never have a problem even with snow.

[Curt705]

I've never had a problem...even in downpores or flooding.

[JOHN_B]

Never had a problem here. The only time my car shut off is when I got out the Touchles car wash. The filter was soaked but it turned on right back. This happen with the filter that came with the CAI from ebay. If you have that, I suggest you replace with a better one AEM, fujita etc..

[TRDcorollaXRS]

i know i have a corolla but i have the TRD intake and it sits pretty low but its protected pretty good.

i have been in some hard rain before and nothing yet. "crosses fingers"

[SilvrGTS]

Short ram intake :gap:

or my favorite, stock air box.

[SickCelica696]

Nothing. I've driven down 95S in tysons corner area multiple times and it'll just suck up water and misfire a couple times then keep going. Life goes on. Your only screwed if you fully submerge it

[Blue Bomber]

Short ram intake :gap:

or my favorite, stock air box.
What's the difference? :eatpop:

[TRD_Celica00]

What's the difference? :eatpop:
yay for both!

[imp]

Short ram intake :gap:

yup

[billzster]

What's the difference? :eatpop:




a little better on the gas with sri, i may go back to stock just to be sure. not much boost that i've noticed and i still have all my stock stuff.

[Pulsar1]

This is why you tape up the wheel plastic behind the filter.
<--30,000 miles with a CAI no problems.

[detasemen88]

id say bypass valve but i heard it doesnt help on our cars because of the short length of piping or something... just try not to drive through puddles is what i do

That's what i heard too. i got the by-pass valve installed on my CAI, but nevertheless, i would not test it out.

[Beast]

This is why you tape up the wheel plastic behind the filter.
<--30,000 miles with a CAI no problems.


^^^ this.

I just used black duct tape on both sides, and surprisingly, it has held together for quite some time now.

I also have the metal spash guard/heatshield thing. I have the "hydro-sock" thing sitting in my house. Figure that would be restrictive and overkill at this point. :D

[Blue Bomber]

What's the difference? :eatpop:




a little better on the gas with sri,Most likely, since you're just sucking up hot radiator air. :thumbdown

[Tikked Again]

Check your MAF sensor it probably needs cleaning.

[TRDoug]

Check your MAF sensor it probably needs cleaning.


IAC as well?? I'm cleanin mine today, while I put in a new Green Filter, clean my MAF and put new screws and oring along with the MAF, I hope, gotta go grab some TB cleaner, what's the best kind? Or is it all the same?

[Odinist]

Okay, so driving home from work yesterday, the car ran fine while driving, but would idle from 1,500 to 2,000 rpm at a stop. When I got home, I cleaned the MAF (which was actually fairly clean when I pulled it off), and then reset the ECU, but the idle was still wicked high. Me and my friend Dave (the guy I bought the car from, btw), were trying to figure out what to do next.

While we were thinking of idle fixes, we had my CAI apart, and while that was off, I cleaned out the throttle body (which was nasty), thinking maybe it was dirty enough to be keeping the butterfly from closing all the way. That didn't help, but I'm glad it's clean now, lol. Also, while the CAI was off, I took off the bottom peice of the intake, effectively turning it into a SRI, so the filter is up in the engine bay now, and I'll be keeping it that way until it's spring time.

After that, we came in the house for a few beers, and I did some research on here about the IAC. I didn't have time to take apart the TB to get to it and clean it last night, but did come up with the hypothesis that perhaps some water/moisture got in the IAC. Me and Dave figured I should drive it for another day and see if the problems clears itself up (that is, if there is indeed water in the IAC, it would eventually dry out, and things would be back to normal).

I drove down to my girlfriend's house after running Dave home (about 20 miles, highway), and then from her house to work this morning (about another 20 miles, all highway), and when I came to a stop at work, my idle is back down to where it should be, w00t!

I'll most likely be pulling the IAC off this weekend for a thorough cleaning anyway though, because if the state of the throttle body is any indication, I'm sure the IAC is filthy too.

[mr johnson]

with as much water problems you've had you'd better take some precautions. the wheel well does have some slots that do need to be blocked. for your poor filter, injen offers a hydroshield, which is a mesh sock that goes over the filter to prevent water from entering intake. also a heat shield could also deflect spraying water, if you could ascertain the direction of the source...

[JOHN_B]

Okay, so driving home from work yesterday, the car ran fine while driving, but would idle from 1,500 to 2,000 rpm at a stop. When I got home, I cleaned the MAF (which was actually fairly clean when I pulled it off), and then reset the ECU, but the idle was still wicked high. Me and my friend Dave (the guy I bought the car from, btw), were trying to figure out what to do next.

While we were thinking of idle fixes, we had my CAI apart, and while that was off, I cleaned out the throttle body (which was nasty), thinking maybe it was dirty enough to be keeping the butterfly from closing all the way. That didn't help, but I'm glad it's clean now, lol. Also, while the CAI was off, I took off the bottom peice of the intake, effectively turning it into a SRI, so the filter is up in the engine bay now, and I'll be keeping it that way until it's spring time.

After that, we came in the house for a few beers, and I did some research on here about the IAC. I didn't have time to take apart the TB to get to it and clean it last night, but did come up with the hypothesis that perhaps some water/moisture got in the IAC. Me and Dave figured I should drive it for another day and see if the problems clears itself up (that is, if there is indeed water in the IAC, it would eventually dry out, and things would be back to normal).

I drove down to my girlfriend's house after running Dave home (about 20 miles, highway), and then from her house to work this morning (about another 20 miles, all highway), and when I came to a stop at work, my idle is back down to where it should be, w00t!

I'll most likely be pulling the IAC off this weekend for a thorough cleaning anyway though, because if the state of the throttle body is any indication, I'm sure the IAC is filthy too.


First try cleaning it w/o removing the IAC. Just take the intake tube out of the way and spray it a Brake cleaner (Its in a green can). Use a brush if its really dirty. You will see a small rectangular hole spray a bunch of it there.

[SilvrGTS]

stock air box ftw!

[TRDoug]

I thought you used brake cleaner on the MAF, shouldn't you use TB cleaner on the IAC???? Forget who told me that but it was on this site

[GTsRasta]

Double check to make sure there isn't any water sitting down in the CAI.

[hombredelassrta]

What's the difference? :eatpop:
[/QUOTE]

makes more noise and looks spiffier :)

[JonGTSVegas]

I live in the desert--what's rain?

[Blue Bomber]

Definitely a dirty IAC. Wouldn't be caused by water, though. Just the gradual buildup from the PCV system.

[Odinist]

Definitely a dirty IAC. Wouldn't be caused by water, though. Just the gradual buildup from the PCV system.


Well, it was idling fine before I had the issue with the water. Now that everything's dry though, it's idling fine.

But, even as such, I still plan on cleaning the IAC out probably this weekend.


Oh, and I dunno how dirty the PCV system would make things, because I'm running a breather filter off of the valve cover.

[Blue Bomber]

I'm running a breather filter off of the valve cover.
Might wanna put the hose back onto the throttle body. The PCV system is made to operate under a vacuum, not open to the atmosphere.

[Odinist]

I didn't set it up, I bought it like this...

But, doesn't running a breather filter keep your motor from sucking back in all that nasty crap?

I'm new to Toyotas, and before this, my only personal import experience was with my Sentra. I come from domestics, and using breather filters is pretty common. Is this something that isn't good on imports?

BTW, my friend that I got the car from used to come on here, and he told me about a few people to pay attention to, you (Blue Bomber) being one of them, so I'm all ears bro.

[Blue Bomber]

It's necessary on all modern cars, import or domestic, to have a vacuum on the PCV system. Some combustion gasses will go past the piston rings and end up in the crankcase, like gas and even water. You don't really want those going into the oil, since they can contribute to the creation of sludge, so the PCV system sucks them out along with excess oil vapors. The vacuum also stops pressure buildup in the crankcase which can cause leaks. If you don't want the gasses going back into your intake system, get an oil catch can and attach it to the PCV hose from the valve cover to the throttle body. It will separate the gasses from the air before they reach the intake.

[Odinist]

Makes sense.

Looks like building an oil catch can just might be my weekend project. =)

[drewd]

I say stock airbox with k&n drop in -BFV FTW!!!

[JOHN_B]

I thought you used brake cleaner on the MAF, shouldn't you use TB cleaner on the IAC???? Forget who told me that but it was on this site


You can. I haven't tried the TB cleaner. I 've been using non residue brake cleaner on my TB. People said its bad to use Brake cleaner on your MAF on the long run. But I use them anyway. There is a MAF cleaner. CRC Cleaner (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EGH57G/qid=1149210337/sr=8-1/ref=sr_1_1?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=15684181&tag2=yamahabooks-20)

[FLiGGaH82]

I'm from nor-cal and it rains here during winter time, and i have a bypass valve, and my intake works fine... but when i changed the filter though i guess i had some debris inside and it got the MAF sensor dirty and my car was jerkin to the max... but i got it cleaned with soft bristle brush and some alcohol and its workin fine now...

[JOHN_B]

^^ FYI Bypass valve doesn't work on our car. The tube design is too short, the water will just jet pass the valve.

[SocalTRDgt]

your car looks like mine..

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/andy9093/Photo-0165eJtp.jpg

im going back to stock airbox soon... dont want to take a chance

[Odinist]

your car looks like mine..

Hahaha, except yours is nice and shiny. ^_^

[SocalTRDgt]

trust me veilside kit is the hardest kit to drive with... and plus a drop....

[Torqued]

Just to add to this thread, I have a TRD drop and roll through a lot of rain - no problems at all. I've used black duct tape to tape off the ventilation holes in the plastic which others have mentioned and have added a rubber seal around the inside plastic, which the CAI fits through. Lastly, I use a K&N drycharger. Water beads off this and it doesn't seem to hurt performance.

[Swing Fixer]

I have TRD Kit, all wheel well plastics in tact (underbody plastics removed), with CAI in Houston and haven't had a single problem in 3 years. If you don't know anything about Houston....it rains like a MO-FO here. A buddy of mine had the same kit as you with CAI with a heat sheild installed as a water deflector.....no problems for him either. Do you have all of your wheel well plastics and underbody plastics on the car?

I think your kit creates more of a hole on the underside of where the filter would sit....get a heat sheild and you should be good to go.

[wnanna]

Does most of the water come from the front tires through the holes in the wheel well plastic? I have my wheel plastics and underbody plastics but there is an opening towards the front of the bumper where the filter sits. I just don't want any water spraying up from underneath that area. I'm installing my CAI on Saturday with a friend and will duct tape the wheel well vents.

Any other tips on reducing chance of hydrolock and installing the ebay CAI in general?

[Curt705]

I have a CAI and I took a piece of tin and screwed it onto the backside of the wheel well plastic. I have had NO problems at all driving through downpores of rain....flooded streets..etc. But I am also very cautious when driving around in flooded streets (if i absolutely have to) or puddles.

[po9i]

ive driven my car through a hurricane with a CAI and its been fine

[Swing Fixer]

Any other tips on reducing chance of hydrolock and installing the ebay CAI in general?

Basically just watch out for big puddles where you could totally submerge your CAI. Submerging it is the main way people hydrolock. Also, if you submerge it....do NOT hit the gas as that sucks up more water...turn the car off and have it towed to a dealership or somewhere else to have the oil changes and intake manifold taken off to get the water out of it. Lots of times water ends up collecting in the intake manifold after submersion.

[SilvrGTS]

trust me veilside kit is the hardest kit to drive with... and plus a drop....

i think its pretty easy.

[The_Mongoose]

i been thinkin about makin my own cai, but wat r all the macro hoses for? Im lookin at kits off ebay and its got macro hoses?

[bunnarith]

have had same problem, bought a filter cover plus heat shield (used it for a splash guard). that solved the problem completely. my wheel well plastics are nonexistant. so filter is exposed but well protected. :monkey: