I have a 2006 Mazda 3 2.3 GT. A few months ago I installed a CAI. Everytime I go come out of a car wash my check engine light comes on. Also the car will tend to stall, and when I give the car some gas it wants to stall, it sputters and almost feels as if its running out of gas (but its not). Is this because water is coming in through the CAI and getting into my engine? If that is the case if I stop going through car washes will everything be OK, or has it already done irreparable damage? HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM PLEASE HELP!!

 

Water is going into the engine....its called hydrolocking. Don't use car washes...and when you wash the car by hand, leave it for a second so the filter can dry. Also you can buy a hydroshield to help prevent this.

You should have to much of a problem cause it seems only a little water has gotten in.

 

Thanks for the input... what is Hydroshield? and where can i get it? is this a common problem with cold air intakes?

 

Does your CAI have a U shape bend that would allow water to build up in pipe. Had a 3 in several months ago when we were in the monsoon season that was doing the same thing that yours was. Bogging down badly on accel and CEL on. Took off the CAI and there was a little over a quart of water in the pipe in the bend area that was severly cutting off intake air flow. Also had moisture all over the MAF sensor which was causing a system too lean at idle CEL. After everythiing was all dried up and CEL cleared, engine ran just like new. Dry the MAF just by air drying. Don't try to wipe it off or could cause damage.

 

and plz...dont go through car washes, its so much better to do it by hand anyway

 

Hydroshield is a little net like bag that goes around the filter....i would contact whatever manufacturer your CAI is.

 

I just bought a Hydro shield to cover the filter of my CAI. YES my CAI does have a "U" bend in it would you recommend taking to whole stainless steel tubing out to make sure it doesnt have any water in it? because that would be quite a chore, it was a pain in the butt to install.... is it common for water to build up in the tubing? is there a way to know if there is water in it without taking the whole thing off? please help...

 

You can buy a hydro shield or take or drill a pin hole and the bottom of the u-bend. this will allow the water to leak out but its a small enough hole that it wont fu*k with your airflow The olny problem i had with my CAI is that after install it and reconnect the battery i have very crappy idle for about 30 miles and when i leave it in drive and slowly come to a stop sign or light my idle goes crazy like it seriously jumps from 2k all the way down to 400 or less and when i drops that low you can feel it kinda surge. Like once it hits 400 it shoots straight up again and it will bounce like 3 or 4 times and then go back to normal or sometimes it will straight up die. but its like after thoes 30 miles car runs smoothe as ever i dunno.

 

this is also after the snow we just got so i go through water and snow all the time. This is also because missouri has the worst roads and highways in the nation we get hella standing water that i go through and i never have a problem after drilling that pinhole.

 

i've been in car washes anddrived in rain storms.i never had a problem with my cold air intake. it is so hard for water to get to the filter. you must have a leak somewhere.