AEM CAI owners, question for yoos

ever throw a p0103 CEL with the CAI inplace? Seems like it might be water/moisture getting into the intake and onto the MAF according to my tuner Jorge. He tells me its a pretty common problem with the WRX platform and their CAI's. Anyone...

Haven't had those issues here, then again, water .. what's that ?!

No issues here.

 

We might want to log a few things, are the other problems persisting?

I run the AEM here in seattle metro.....no problems....then again, I dont take it swimming.

I run the AEM here in seattle metro.....no problems....then again, I dont take it swimming.

Valid point. Let me say that I have not driven through any major puddles nor downpours biblical in nature. Though, it has been wet here recently.

 

Might tear off the bumper to inspect the filter element. A plastic flower pot mod is coming to mid.

No codes here... I live just outside of Seattle so it's always wet around here.

 

Robsontuning said he had problem with moisture.

Haven't gotten that yet, and I've got an air feed from under the bumper to right up next to the cone filter.

 

http://culturekitchen.com/files/images/crossed_fingers_0.thumbnail.jpg

Haven't gotten that yet, and I've got an air feed from under the bumper to right up next to the cone filter.

 

Starting to think the moisture might be coming in from the top and following the intake pipe down to the filter. I see a lot of water stains on the intake pipe itself and on the heatsheild. Wondering if its coming in through the gap where the OEM snorkel used to be, or perhaps through the hood scoop and leak down off the side of the engine cover.

 

I would think if it were coming in from below, you, Rich, and everyone in Seattle:lol: would have wet filters by now.

 

Just found a prefilter product from Outerwears that is water repellent... only $15.

Watch it with the pre-filter stuff, the sock type ones can really limit airflow and that makes the whole setup counter-productive

Hey guys, I've had an AEM CAI on my 05 LGT for about 2 years now and have never had ANY issues. I put a surround heatsheild on when I installed it and didn't cut an holes in the tire well. I have driven it through some wicked rain storms, but try to avoid the outside(curb) lane and the small rivers as much as possible when driving in the rain. The heatsheild is just a standard 3/4 wrap that connects with the filter.

did you try to clean the maf yet?

nope, and my car car been thru some harsh rain...

I live up in WA also and have had quite a few cars with CAI and never gotten it wet enough to throw any kind of code. Side note, I really want the AEM for my car, but have no way of tuning it due to owning an 07', should I just wait on it?

People with 05 and 06 cars have used the AEM on the stock ROM. I think you'll be fine if you stick with the stock ROM. The stock ROM fueling tables are very rich so even if you lean it out by 7%, it won't matter. You'll probably make more power but it shouldn't knock.

 

Another thing to note is that long term fuel trims will adjust for the AEM a little bit. If you cruise at high speed for a while, that should set it. Basically, you want to cruise in closed loop with the load as high as possible. the LTFT does affect open loop fueling.

the LTFT does affect open loop fueling.

 

Sure does.

I threw a P0103 code a few weeks ago one very rainy night. I mashed the gas from a stop and the car roared to life, however my CEL started blinking at me toward the end of the rpm gauge. My heart immediately sank about as far as it could possibly go while still remaining inside me. I limped home and found this code staring at me .. after reading about it on here I just cleared it and haven't worried about it since.

 

I can only assume that a small bit of water got on my MAF that night.. it's entirely possible, as the roads were absolutely soaked, and I'd driven through quite a few puddles and small streams running over the roads.

I threw a P0103 code a few weeks ago one very rainy night. I mashed the gas from a stop and the car roared to life, however my CEL started blinking at me toward the end of the rpm gauge.

I addition to the CEL sometimes showing up in my situation, the car fell flat on its face when boost kicked in. Still not convinced its a moisture issue especially after hearing the Seattle guys chime in.

ive got both the aem cai and the kn short ram. i like the short ram better. i was scared of getting the cai wet sence the roads in ma suck. and you dont need a tune for the intakes the stock ecu has the ability to make mild chages to fuel and air thanks to having an O2 sensor. any mods past a cai you need a tune. and im getting a dry filter to replace the oil one the kn comes with. any one else have the kn intake you just need to find a filter with a 5in opening with a 6in tappered con filter. ive never had a cel ever with either intake

knn is waaay too loud for me tho

just went through a ginormous puddle today (actually more like a mini pond) and no hydrolock thank god. get an AEM its badass, you will get addicted to the "whoosh" sound

I'll look into getting one then if I can go without a tune.

Back on topic boys. I don't care what you had for breakfast, just report if you've thrown the p0103 CEL while using an AEM CAI.

I'll look into getting one then if I can go without a tune.

 

I ran the AEM CAI on my 05 LGT MT for about 18 months with no tune. I just got my AP in Feb of this year. The only negative effect that I have seen from the intake is that the car stutters just a bit on take off when the A/C is on; but you get used to giving it a little more throttle out of the hole, but I have never had it throw a code.

As far as performance without a tune; it helped a little with spool up and increased pull through the entire gear and cut a fraction of a second of my 1/8th mile ET. When I installed mine; the tire well appeared to be fairly well sealed and didn't have many places where water could just flood in and be sucked up. Again, I have a heatshield that wraps around 3/4 of the air filter.

While you are trying to decide on an intake; you may want to just try taking the resonator(bottom bubble) of the stock intake to allow air to come in from the bottom instead of just through that little opening above the grill.

Yea, I've done the silencer removal already, it does sound better, but at some point I'll be buying a CAI anyways, I just have heard you should tune if you get one, if you don't need a tune, I'm going to pick one up soon. I hate all the plastic in the engine bay, looks cheap IMO, so bolt ons and whatnot look more appealing to me, plus the added performance.

 

Sorry for taking it off topic, I've made threads and no one responds to me.

If it's any consolation, I ran my car through a touchless wash with the AVO (which is shorter than the AEM) and experienced no probs. So the path you are predicting the water traveled, probably would have F'ed mine up if that was the case.