cold air intake

[nathan]

I was thinking of getting a cold air intake and I wondered if anybody else has done so... i was also wondering if i would kill my engine due to water.

[Jayman]

The main issue wuth cold air intakes is that the entire filter is exposed to anything that splashed up into the engine bay. There is no protection at all, as it's an open air filter.

Deep water crossings are not a good idea considering the above. You CAN build a baffle or a surround that protects the filter, but you are still risking intaking water into the motor because of how exposed the filter is.

Now, having said that, I have a JWT pop charger (basically a cold air intake without the fancy tube), and I wheel with it. I am VERY paranoid about going through water crossings, but haven't had any problems as of yet. the main reason I got it was for fue efficiency, although I don't know that it really did anything in that respect.

One of the things that is on my list of mods to complete on my truck, is a Volant CAI, comined with a snorkel. That's really the only way to really make sure that you aren't going to get any water in the engine, because if you are flooding the engine with a snorkel, you need to buy a submarine or something!

[Nissanboy97]

Ive got a home made one in my pathy, and after the halloween run it got muddy but didnt suck anything in. I have added a homemade shield made out of a rubbermaid garbage can which stops alot of spash water and mud. I havent had any problems so far, but i depends on how "in to it" you get i guess. Ill post some pictures up later when i take 'em of what it looks like

[Shepherd]

With an Xterra, your stock air intake is already a better cool air intake than most aftermarket bolt on ones. The only one that actually delivers better cool air performance is the Volant Ice Box, and both it and the stock intake suck out of the fender. Short ram intakes, shielded or not, suck hot air in from the engine compartment. The only advantage to them is less intake restriction.

In my opinion (and experience) you'll be just as well off removing your resonators and fender-baffle, and getting a drop-in high flow air filter. You can optimize your stock intake this way for about a half-hour's work, and $65 worth of parts.

Ultimately, if you want your intake air any colder than it already is, a snorkel is your only practical option.

[steelcityslicker]

Hey man,

If you don't want to spend the money on a snorkel then it makes huge sense to do a mod like New4x4'r did on his R50. The airbox is slightly different but you could do the same type of thing for very little money,10-20 bucks? Plus you could upgrade the stock air box filter with a K&N (jury still out on these or what?). Regardless, what is a true cold air intake going to give you at the end of the day in performance? My snorkel has definitely made a (little) difference in performance and huge difference in being able to submarine the damn thing!!!!

Since Rod hasn't spoken up this was his mod:
http://www.cntc.ca/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2087" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And the results:

without a drop of water inside the box!!!

[HotWod]

hahaha Yeah, I was a little gun shy going into my first Lake after the hydrolock. But when I got out of this one, checked the air box (mainly the intake portion), saw it was Bone dry, I figured there wasn't much worse I could go through. So the half an hour, 20 bux worth of pipe, and 5 bux of silicone turned out to be worth it in the end

[Nissanboy97]

I think any change to the R50 intake is an improvement. Im thinkin of making something so that when i go mudding i can easily change the col air intake into something like Rod's and then back again after 4x4ing.