I never thought about it till today, but with my CAI filter being exposed what if water and/or mud gets up under the hood and on the filter? Does it ruin it and/or affect the jeep performance while wet?

 

A little water - No Problem

If water get to the engine via the air intake, you have big problems.

IMHO - CAI is great in the desert but if you have a chance of putting the nose under water, do not go CAI.

 

I installed an Airaid CAI on mine soon after I bought it. Then I came to the same realization that you just did. Everywhere that I wheel has a lot of mud and water, and that really started to worry me. Soon after my epiphany, I had a really close call with a deep water hole and decided to switch to a snorkel. During the switch-over, I found evidence that water had indeed gotten past my filter and into the throttle body itself. But, like the post before me said, if you only wheel in the desert or rocks, a CAI should be OK.

 

Well poo all I plan for wheeling is mud and water.... Great more money for a snorkel now. Now I get it. (J.E.E.P. Just empty every pocket).

 

The Airaid prefilter will repel splashing water.

 

Not this much!!!

 

I would call that more than splashing water.

 

Yea, you're right. This was my scare. Somehow the engine stayed running and nothing bad happened, but I was pretty much petrified to drive through any deep water from then on. I counted my blessing and switched over to a snorkel. I couldn't be happier.

 

X2.... Get a snorkel and be done with it. I run a custom snorkel/CAI and it cost me $215... If you have not done so already, relocate your front/rear diff breathers and transfer case (kind of pointless if you don't have a snorkel) if you enjoy water and mud. It's the best $20 mod I've done yet and will save you $$$$$ in the long run if you get water in your diff's.....

 

Damn phone! Meaning, if you don't do the relocates and you get water in the diff's, it's going to cost you $$$$$....