VOLANT - RAIN - and WATER in my AIRBOX!!!

[Hemirrhage]

*GULP*

Here's the deal.

I have had the Volant installed for several months now. Today it rained really good and we had a pretty heavy downpour for about an hour or so. I drove through this hard rain to get home from work.

Now I didn't hit ANY deep water areas. In fact, where I live it is really flat for the most part and all the roads (Interstate mostly) are crowned fairly well, so the roads stay pretty clear. There was no "flooding" that I could see. I did have to stop at a store and there was 1-2 inches pooled up in places, but I did my best to avoid those areas and went about my business and got home.

Anyway, I get home and on a lark I decide to open up the airbox and see how dry it was (remove the chrome cover) and what do I find inside but water droplets! There was several droplets near the intake hole on the bottom which feeds the ram tube, as well as some droplets clinging to the chrome lid itself.

WTF? I had never checked before after other rainstorms, but this has me worried about continuing with the Volant system. I have the lower inlet tube installed correctly (I think?) and I don't feel that I have any leaks anywhere (at least it doesn't sound like it when the car is running even at WOT).

All I can figure is that as the rain hits the front of the car, some still manages to make it UP the tube and sit inside the airbox. I felt the filter and it felt "dry" to me - nt wet at all.

I am kinda paranoid now and want yoru guys opinion on this. Is a few water droplets to be expected and "normal" with this system when it is raining out. Or no matter how hard it is raining - the airbox should always be BONE DRY??

Which is it? Do I have to pull out my Volant and go back to stock?

Am I gonna get hydrolock? The car seemed to run just fine all the way home. I didn't notice ANY difference in it at all performance wise.

Please share your thoughts. And maybe you guys should try this experiment yourself next time it rains where you are and report back here with your findings.

Thanks!!

hemirrhage

[HEMEEE]

Welcome Hemi!
Here is a quote from one of our well-respected and knowledgeable members, which should help to put your mind at ease:

Quoted from Northern Rider:

Moisture is going to go in any intake that is directed to the front of the car, including hood scoops. The cone filter has a film of oil and will prevent moisture from going into the engine.

If you actually submerge the lower intake in water, here's what happens. the Volant has a secondary opening on the front side of the box. This will pull air in at top grille level, if resistance is met from the lower opening.

In other words, if the lower opening was under water, the air would pull in from the top. The water wouldn't pull up from the bottom.

The engineering on the Volant is very good.

[VIPness]

no need to worry dude..a little water will find its place almost anywhere in your car. especially when its foggy outside. relax and i've never seen you post before so welcome to the forum!
-chris-

[marlinspike]

While I agree with NR about why you are OK, I disagree that any intake directed to the front of the car will get moisture. MB was having scoops going from the air filter housing to the front of the car (in front of the radiator, just behind the grill) since the 1960's, and they never get moisture in them.

[Hemirrhage]

HEMEEE,

Thanks for the quote by NR, but I honstly can't say my mind is fully at ease yet.

NR said

In other words, if the lower opening was under water, the air would pull in from the top. The water wouldn't pull up from the bottom.

I understand the engineering behind the topside opening. In fact that is why I felt comfortable with the unit when I purchased it. My understanding was that the opening would allow for enough air pressure topside so that NO water would enter the box if it were to make it into the lower tube.

But then if my understanding and what NR says is true....then why was there water IN the box at all and even on the bottom of the chrome cover. Seems to me that a serious splashing may have occured in there.

I know that the oil film on the cone "should" prevent (trap) any water that may try to enter the inlet.

But ideally you don't want water in the box to begin with, right?? Shouldn't the engineered toside cutout opening have prevented ANY water from making it into the airbox?

And just to be clear, the "lower opening" was NEVER under water. All it saw was rain as it hit the front of the car wihile driving.

Thanks again for the welcome everyone and thanks for the input. Keep it coming and if anybody else checks their Volant airbox after driving in a rainstorm - I'd sure like to hear about what you find.

hemirrhage

[chasb]

Hope you find the site helpful and enjoyable.

[Northern Rider]

100% humidity, lots of air pulling through = condensation in the box.

Car owners in England put up with this all the time.

It will go away on its own. Once the humidity goes below 60% and you drive for a few minutes, it will be dry as a bone.

We used to run those small chrome boxes with a foam filter bolted right to big carbs - with the air fed through hood scoops. Water would come right in but we kept the foam lightly oiled. Never saw any water get into the carb.

Hemirrhage, your engine will be fine. Just remember to clean and oil your filter from time to time. Info is on the Volant site. You can use the K&N kit for this purpose instead of ordering the one from Volant.

[Hemirrhage]

NR,

How often do you suggest doing the clean/oil procedure on the filter?

Thanks for your input on this. This is my first car with a CAI and I guess that seeing that water in there kinda got me worked up a little. Hehehe.

If you guys are saying that it is to be expected and "normal", then I will seriously consider your opinions.

hemirrhage

[II kings 9:20]

Well this is all very interesting, we have had this discussion in theory before but TMK this is the first with H2o in the box, I have never checked. The stock intake is well located behind in the front fender recess near the headlight, no chance of water getting in there unless driving in waist deep water.

I have been thinking about going back to stock b/c the "fun" of the intake noise is getting a little long in the tooth. Now that you have seen water this gives me pause though I agree with others this should cause no harm, Mr. Murphy notwithstanding.

I think I will probably slap the stocker back on this weekend, if you remember I was the weak link that was first to nix the Zoomers exhaust and go back to stock b/c of excessive noise (I am only 44 not 84) but as much as I loved the Volant initially, to quote BB King, "the thrill is gone".

[Northern Rider]

Originally Posted by Hemirrhage

NR,

How often do you suggest doing the clean/oil procedure on the filter?

Thanks for your input on this. This is my first car with a CAI and I guess that seeing that water in there kinda got me worked up a little. Hehehe.

If you guys are saying that it is to be expected and "normal", then I will seriously consider your opinions.

hemirrhage

This is from the K&N site:

20. How do I know when to clean the filter?

The general rule of thumb is that the filter needs to be cleaned when the dirt build up gets as thick as the wire mesh. The usual interval is 30,000 - 50,000 miles depending on driving conditions. We recommend that you check your filter about once a year in normal usage.