*Warning* AEM CAI + Flooded Road + A***hole Van Driver = Hydrolock :(

[jimborae]

Driving my JRSC Type-R home from Southampton a couple of weeks ago and the road was flooding at the sides so I was driving in the middle to avoid the water. White van man comes bombing down the road the other way so I pull over in a not so flooded bit to let him pass. He didn't slow down and sent a large wave of water under my car. It immeadiately cut out so I left it half an hour and then tried to restart but the engine was seized 2 hours later the car is being towed home by the AA and his prognosis was hydralock which I had already guessed.

So now the insurers want to write the car off as the repair billed is estimated at over £6000. Thankfully CPL say they can do it for less as they have a 2nd hand engine with less miles on it than mine.

Moral of the story either switch the engine off when in standing water or change the AEM to something else. (If you can with a JRSC)

Eitherway my insurance will certainly be going up next September and all this after I'd just shelled out the best part of £4000 on a Stage 3 clutch, Quaife LSD and 36000 mile service. Tits !!!! :smt013

 

[colinjy]

or you could of bought a hydrolock kit for the aem then this wouldn't of happened

 

[Fire_2]

i disagree colinjy, hydrolock kit anit gona stop sucking in water

there really for summer use only...

most of the RSX club in the us replace the aem with stock box over winter / wet months

 

[colinjy]

it worked for me when the filter was submerged the flaps on the kit opened to suck in engine bay air instead of water

 

[solidsquare]

I think this winter im going to use the standard air box

 

[jimborae]

or you could of bought a hydrolock kit for the aem then this wouldn't of happened

If I had known about it I would have mate, you got a link so I can check it out or would fitting a Gruppe M be the way to go.

I'm not sure refitting the standard box is an option as it's supercharged, can anybody confirm this as I certainly don't want this happening again.

 

[colinjy]

http://www.sumopower.com/aemintake.htm

near the bottom it's the air bypass valve

 

[jimborae]

http://www.sumopower.com/aemintake.htm

near the bottom it's the air bypass valve

Thanks for that but unfortunately it clearly states "not to be used on forced induction vehicles".

So any other ideas that will stop this happening and can be used on a supercharged ctr or is shelling out for a Gruppe M kit the only way to go?

 

[Chris.]

Gruppe M mate I would think.

Sorry about the news though.

 

[jimborae]

Gruppe M mate I would think.

Sorry about the news though.

Cheers, at least I'm getting an engine with 10000 miles less on the clock but I don't think Guy will be to happy about me putting a Gruppe M on it. He seems rather down on them when I mentioned Gruppe M's the last time I spoke to him. Still it's my car and my money (or lack there of) and I can't afford for this to happen again.

 

[startrack]

Mate, tbh that he's down on it isn't much of a worry to you. I've been told not to do all sort to my supercharged engine by various people and still did it and enjoyed my car more than before.
Guy will still work on your car even though you arent running the air intake he prefers. and tbh if he isn't other tuners (who reckon that their isn't much between the GruppeM and the AEM) will do!

Still, shame about the engine. I run a modified Injen kit with my Rotrex and like you I avoid puddles like the black death. It's always stressful knowing that driving in 30cm of water would land you a new engine ...

 

[Happy_2008]

They same reason why i ended up selling my AEM on my old CTR. I drove throught a big puddle and the car seemed to slug a little, not sure whether it was just me but i certainly didnt like that feeling. Replaced it with a Gruppe M Straight after that incident!

 

[solidsquare]

So does everyone think i should get rid of my AEM CAI?

 

[Chris.]

He seems rather down on them when I mentioned Gruppe M's the last time I spoke to him

Probably because he doesn't make any money off them as he's not a Gruppe M dealer?

 

[startrack]

Probably because he doesn't make any money off them as he's not a Gruppe M dealer?

would this be another Quaife diff vs Spoon diff situation then ???

 

[Chris.]

I'll say no more.

 

[TJ]

That's bad news mate, alway's a risk running a CAI kit

 

[zeffania]

I had similar problems when we had the flash floods but switched my engine off straight away so that no water got to the engine. I still have the AEM and wont change, but I wont be going through any deep water. Its just really unlucky.

Am sorry to hear of the problem at such an expense it must be really annoying. I know I felt bad when it first happened, it knocks you sick.

 

[G]

I am getting rid of the AEM for the same reasons, often the filter just gets covered in water and stays wet for a time, it does make the car hesitate and not rev, bad times.

As you may or may not know mate my engine went pop as well, though I think there was a few factors, lots of miles on a JRSC, going through a foot of water with AEM, and well who knows. either way Paul at TDI built me engine for me, and I am sticking with N/A for the moment. I may go gruppe m as they are the best, no question whatever Guy says.

Or I may just go back to the stock air box and drop in filter. i will be doing extensive tests with a few new bits (cams, inlet manifold, swapping induction and all sorts). I will of course do a full feature in the magazine covering the build and work (again with Pauls help).

I hope you get sorted fella, I feel your pain as I know what it is like, having stood in the rain on the M4 of a winters night after my conrod snapped punching a hole in my block... messy

 

[solidsquare]

Ive taken mine off now, put standard back on and it just seems to feel alot better . Think im gonna save and get myself a Gruppe M just to be on the safe side.