It seems to me that a pipe is a pipe is a pipe and that an bypass valve is an expensive drilled hole in the pipe. WOuldn't the bypass valve pull in hot air just like a drilled hole which would equate into just a slightly better version of a short ram air intake? To me, paying 200 bucks for 5 bucks worth of bent pipe and a good air filter does not make any sense. It seems like people are paying around a 150 bucks so they can tell there buddy I got a AEM intake or I got an ingen intake or whatever. I give less than a shit if my buddy gets off on seeing me blow a bunch of cash on a name. So is there some kind of crazy spirals built into the AEM pipes or is it just a pipe? I know there is some difference in filter designs. So what is the best filter K an N or is there a difference there either?

 

y0 i took my resonator out and im gona get an oem replacement K&N filter
approximate cost $35

 

Yeah if you say intake is a waste of money you dont know much about cars. Check out Js Racing carbon intake.

 

OR you can always get ITB'S

 

I smell Uncle Ben's with the front mount -> turbo wannabe

 

ur not getting the pt of the bypass valve...it'll only open up if the water hits up to that point...the valve isn't open all the time...so ur not sucking in hot air all the time...only in order to stop water from getting in...however i think it jacks up ur air flow and slightly (maybe 1-3 hp) reduces gains

as for those pics that u put up...the 2 piece cai should get worse gains than a 1 piece like the aem...just like why the aem cai w/ bypass gets worse gains...cuz if u got 2 pieces and a joint in between...that joint isn't as clean as having just 1 single piece...so u disturb the air flow

 

bump

 

Get the AEM cold air intake!!!! Since u want the best quality/performance and price is not the biggest issue. With the bypass valve its up to u. I Had a AEM cold air on my civic with out a valve and then I bought one but was too lazy to install it and its sitting in my garage. I recked the civic before any water could have killed it.

When they mean submerge in water, they are talking about just the entire filter that will be in ur front bumper. When this happens there is naturally a larger "sucktion" effect in the intake and the bypass valve opens up.