Cai: Dangerous Or Not? - BMW Forum

kyle_baker · 05-18-2005, 12:50 PM

I'm getting ready to take out a loan and buy a load mods and what not for my ride, 1995 325is. I have the conforti chip on my list and i wanted to upgrade the intake and i was thinking a CAI would do. The only thing stopping me is that i'm kind of afraid of water getting up in it.

I'm wanting to get the cosmos CAI w/k&n filter from ebay for like $130 but first i want to see what you all think. Please, only if you have a CAI currently or in the past had one on an e36.

I'm just wondering about how bad water gets in them, i do ride around alot when it is pouring the rain too so tell me what you think i should do.

FruityOne · 05-18-2005, 03:42 PM

if it rains a lot near where you live i would stay away from the intakes that go down to your bumper...

and 2nd i think its a pretty bad idea to take out a loan to buy mods...

Avlany · 05-18-2005, 04:20 PM

I have the one CAI you are talking about. It doesnt go ALL the way down to bumper but a little lower than left headlight. I love it.

vincentwashere · 05-18-2005, 04:41 PM

you can always buy a bypass valve. but not enough water gets into the filter to mess with your engine anyways

Rooz · 05-18-2005, 04:43 PM

I have had the CosmoSracing CAI for a few months now and it's been great, no problems from it whatsoever, it's all great.

kyle_baker · 05-18-2005, 05:01 PM

why is a loan for mods a bad idea?

e30driver · 05-18-2005, 05:28 PM

dont worry bout it water cant go all the way up the "cold" air in take tube. hmm...lets see the water will have to go through the first bend in the tube then go up then another bend then a slightly up then in to the engin. it will not go all the way up the tube its impossible the hole filter will have to be submerged in water in order to get a vacume strong enough to get water in there. plus it doesnt rain very much in socal i my self live in anaheim. just get it and try not to submerge you hole front end in water!!!!!!!

94BMW325i · 05-18-2005, 05:31 PM

Isn't the intake $130 from the official cosmos site anyway?

Rooz · 05-18-2005, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 94BMW325i@May 18 2005, 05:31 PM
Isn't the intake $130 from the official cosmos site anyway?

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Yeah, but I think he wants to buy more stuff... lol

FruityOne · 05-18-2005, 06:09 PM

ok well first off if you get a loan...that means your paying interest on your mods...seems a bit stupid imo.

2nd of all...water CAN'T BE COMPRESSED...so if enough water gets in you CAN hydrolock your motor. the filter doesnt need to be completely under water for that to happen. i had a friend with a 328i in so cal that hydrolocked his motor due to an intake that went down to his bumper.

Avlany · 05-18-2005, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fruityone@May 18 2005, 04:09 PM
ok well first off if you get a loan...that means your paying interest on your mods...seems a bit stupid imo.

2nd of all...water CAN'T BE COMPRESSED...so if enough water gets in you CAN hydrolock your motor. the filter doesnt need to be completely under water for that to happen. i had a friend with a 328i in so cal that hydrolocked his motor due to an intake that went down to his bumper.

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The CAI that he is talking about (Cosmos Racing) is not that deep . So in order to get water in your CAI system, you have to drown your car by headlights.

kyle_baker · 05-18-2005, 07:03 PM

ok, well sounds like the cai is on my list now also.

Fruityone, i'm not talking about just a few hundred dollars loan here, i'm talking about $4000 to $4500 loan. i'm going to do suspension, wheels, etc.... if you still think its dumb then ok, but i just don't have $4500 in my pocket right now. but i do have enough for $150 a month to pay it off no problem, best off i can pay it off as soon as i want and pay less interest. as soon as i get a decent job (current one sucks) then i'll be paying it off faster. but that is why i'm going with a loan.

jshearer · 05-18-2005, 08:19 PM

Fruityone is right you can hydrolock your car. It is not unheard of but can be uncommon. I know the Dinan intake that goes down to the bumper like the cosmos you can get a little thing to go over the air filter to keep water out. I personally looked at all the intakes and decided that I did not even want to worry about htat happening, seeing as they all get similar performance. I figure if I am worried before I have it not to take the chance and always be a little bit worried about it. I went with an engine bay one from ECISbmw.com and it is already shipped and should be here tomorrow or Friday. I will post a review of it and a clip of the sound(someone requested that) and let you know what i think, but I have only heard really good stuff so far.

You said you were going to get the Cosmosracing one from ebay but you listed the same price as the site is selling them for, I would skip ebay and go to the site if that intake is what you decide you really want.

kyle_baker · 05-18-2005, 11:02 PM

ok, what is the link exactly, don't have time to look it up now but i will try to later tomorrow

///M Power · 05-18-2005, 11:09 PM

Watch out for hydrolocking defintely. My friend recently bought a AEm CAI for his rsx that went down to his bumper. Oddly enough it rained while we were bowling and hsi car was in a puddle. He feared hydrolocking it so he left it in nuetral and we rolled his car out of the deep puddle. Be careful if u get one.