I'm planning to get a Vararam glass intake. The air ducts go down by the front bumper.What I'm concerned about is water. Here in Washington State we get slot of rain, so is it safe to let water seep up those tubes? Is their a way to prevent this without sacrificing performance???

 

This is the reason I don't have one. Would love the added boost that a TRUE CAI would give me, but I can't chance a hydrolocked engine. The possibility certainly exists if you find yourself in high standing water.

You could hack the thing up and re-route the intake tubes higher, or more inside the engine bay. But if you were gonna do that, you might just as well go buy $25 in PVC and accessories and build your own.

 

A lot of guys have this as a concern and is the reason they do not have one either

 

I wouldn't think rain would be an issue. The tubes are corrugated giving the rain a place to "hide" from the air stream. Also being split into two tubes lessens the amount of force inside the tubes to push/pull water up.

Also, puddles while driving shouldn't be an issue either. The splash would be created by the wheels and shouldn't make it up to the front of the bumper.

Wading in a large puddle/off roading would be another story. You could force water up the tubes or you could introduce a large amount of water into the tubes that could be sucked up.

After all is said and done, I can't see it being just a fair weather intake. Taking it off road into standing water would be the hairy part.

 

A splash might not be an issue but what about a good rain and another vehicle in front of you throwing water directly onto you and in your grill and bumper?

 

WRONG......I GET A LOT OF RAIN ANNUALLY, and have had my Vararam for almost 4 years I drive 95 alot even following a semi I hve no adverse affects from the spray or the rain at all. but I agree if your going to be driving into deep puddles or offroading find another CAI if not you will have no issues with it at all

 

LOL.....ok ok ok.....calm down....sheesh!!

 

I don't think rain in general will cause a problem, you are not gonna get the volume that would make it thru the filter and into the TB.

Now in my case, I may go 6-8 months where it wouldn't be an issue and then fish or hunt where it's lowlands (swamps) and it may be real wet/deep during certain times of the year. Not uncommon for me to be at the bottom of my doors in water. No good.

Some areas will have monsoon type rains at certain times. My ex and I had a house in Florida in an area where population growth far exceeded the original drainage plans the city put forth. Was NOT uncommon for a torrential summer storm that would back the streets up enough that I've done the canoe thing down the middle of the road and forget it after a hurricane or tropical storm. I had a corner/raised lot, highest in the neighborhood and there were times I was thinkin' it was gonna come in the front and garage doors. NO GOOD for a Vararam. But in most places, IF you are mostly a pavement queen or off-roading is confined to dry trails, you shouldn't have an issue and will see nice gains from a Vararam...