S/C'd daily driver... intake question

[geoffsgt]

What are the dangers of putting the filter in the fender on a daily driven supercharged car? I have a fender-well CAI right now and never had any problems, but it wasn't until I actually went to order a s/c that it was suggested it might not be such a good idea, because it might suck in water.

I thought there were a lot of people on here with supercharged daily drivers with fender-well CAI's, but maybe I just never paid attention and just assumed. I was browsing the tech section at KB's website and they talk about how exposed filters in the engine bay are worthless and bad for your boosted engine and blah blah. Anyway, what do yall think?

PS. It rains a lot in Louisiana.

 

[DropTopPony]

I've had my filter in the fender for over 8 years and it rains alot here too...common sense tells me not to drive through deep puddles

 

['03GTinFLA]

I'm asking myself this question lately too. I just installed my KB and the bottom of my filter is right at the bottom of the fender. We are having a tropical storm here right now and there is no way that I am going to drive my car. Trouble is, that's my only mode of transportation beside the feet. So I was thinking of taking the splash guard out and mounting the filter up above the wheel in the fender but I'm not sure how much cool airflow it will get up there. The KB does make my engine bay really hot. I can tell when I get out of my car and walk by my front wheel. So I hope some others with experience in this issue chime in with some suggestions.

 

[JBushman73]

...common sense tells me not to drive through deep puddles

Diddo here.

 

[geoffsgt]

I'm asking myself this question lately too. I just installed my KB and the bottom of my filter is right at the bottom of the fender.

Wow that's really low. I have a MAC kit and the filter is way up there. Like if I stand under the car on the lift (just high enough that I can stand straight up under it), and stick my hand up there, it's a reach to completely grab it.

 

[geoffsgt]

common sense tells me not to drive through deep puddles

Well yeah, I don't mess with flooded streets. But heavy rain + dips/holes/****ty draining on ****ty Louisiana streets = some unavoidable splashes.

We had a rain a month or so ago, on the last day of classes I think at LSU, that stranded atleast 20 morons on some seriously flooded streets just outside of campus. On days like that, I have the option of hijacking my girlfriend's landcruiser. But I still need to be able to drive in pretty much anything but flash-flood warnings.

Looking at my MAC CAI, I don't see how I could get water in there without putting like half the car under water... or maybe speeding through puddles in reverse.

So are you saying I shouldn't worry about it? It was kind of a well-known, highly respected guy that made the suggestion, so I'm putting a lot of thought into this. But I don't want hot engine air keeping me from my goal of 400rwhp.

 

[K'Dash]

You could use those off road filter covers. I forgot who sells them but they fit over the filter like a condom.

 

[the98stang]

My filter hangs below the bumper, less than 6 inches off the ground. I'll have to be careful though. I think they make something you can install so your car won't hyrdalock if the intake sucks in water.