Shiyi Xia

iTrader: (5)

Just had my AEM intake installed yesterday, sounds GREAT with RB exhaust. Just little concern that dont have a bypass go with the intake. Is it necessary to buy one>? The mechanic who installed my intake told me that iz dangerous w/o the bypass, easily suck in water(washing your car or dirving under rain)! SO ANYONE CAN GIVE ME SOME IDEA WOULD BE GREAT!~ THANX!~

Trekk

Bypass only works if the filter is 100% under water.
It might help if the filter is totaly soaked not sure but most after market filters are thin and wont hold much if any water. Air is gonna take the more easy way and will go around the water if it has room. Water is heavy and harder to move then air so its harder for a car to suck it into the motor.
Little bits of water are said to not hurt a rotor motor like a piston motor. Some people use little bits of water to clean the inside of the motor.

Anyways if it gets wet or its raining, dont floor your car just drive normal and you shouldn't have a problem.

ddub

No not necessary, and your mechanic is a little dramatic. Water does not like to travel uphill, so the only way water will travel up the piping into the engine is if the filter is COMPLETELY submerged in water. If you are able to do this while driving, you deserve what you get because you shouldn't be driving an rx8 in that deep of water anyways.

If the filter is wet from washing your car it doesn't matter. Airflow will dry it off very quickly if it isn't dry already.

Furthermore, rotaries do not have as big of an issue with hydrolocking as pistons do, so don't worry.

Shiyi Xia

iTrader: (5)

Thanks for the comments. btw...Does anyone here had a AEM intake w/o bypass that mess up the engine?