So I'm in the market for an intake for my R56 S... But I don't want to run in to issues where I can't drive through a car wash or even in the rain just because my intake will suck up water and ruin the motor. Are there any good options out there?

 

Unless you find a way to have an extended intake, you should not have a problem. The aftermarket intakes are pretty close in size to the stock intake. It sits right under the hood in front of the driver.

 

DoS and Alta both look like they would take in a lot more water than the factory one though... Especially DoS.

 

Stock intake is a CAI by design, won't suck in water, and won't cost you a dime (beyond your purchase of the car, of course). Aftermarket intakes are a VERY poor bang-for-the-buck "upgrade". Definitely be wary of cheesy aftermarket "lifetime" filters - a smart fly could find his way through some of those things.

There was an aftermarket intake for the Mk4 GTI a few years ago that went down into the front fender well and wound up VERY close to the ground. More than a few drivers in Florida wound up hydro-locking their motors after driving through deep puddles. Why anybody would install something so low to the ground, in a state where it rains like it does in Florida, is beyond me.

 

Stock intake is the best, don't waste your money on a "CAI"

 

Love my DoS! I live in Savannah where it rains almost every summer afternoon... No problems.

 

I like my K&N typhoon. No problems. Daily driver. I would bet my life on it

 

I've had my Defender of Speed (DOS) real cold air intake for over a year now and been through a few really heavy downpours without a single problem at 65 mph and around town. I wash my vehicle without worry......

 

+1 for the DoS intake .

I did a lot of research and I feel like it is one of the best mods I have done, both for sound and performance.

I have only installed a DoS intake and NM exhaust, but there is a noticable improvement in performance. I have not done any dyno tests, but I have driven my car and stock R56 and the "Butt dyno" is very telling.

My wife has a 2011 Clubman S and when ever I drive her car I can feel the difference, and I'm not referring to the extra weight of the clubby.

I have much crisper throttle response and stronger pull from 3000-5000 RPMs.

 

For those who are really concerned, DoS offers its, "Hyrdrophobic Filter Wrap"



http://defendersofspeed.com/store/pr...?id_product=16

To reiterate though, I've had nary a problem.


Larry, I DO love how the Whistler name stuck! What are the October dates?

 

Interesting, care to elaborate? ~10hp for $200 does not seem like a waste of money to me... But if that's the case what would you recommend as the first mod to the car then (after tune, I already have an AP)?

 

Do you actually take it through a car wash, or wash it yourself with a hose and soap? I'm not all that concerned about the rain or even washing with a hose, I'm concerned with sending the car through a car wash...

Also, for those who have the DoS... How hard is it to install the bulkhead yourself?

Lastly, it looks like popping this on quickly before a car wash might be a good option: http://defendersofspeed.com/store/pr...?id_product=32

 

Plain and simply buy it for looks/build quality and sound. Dont expect gains***. The hydrolock while exagerated by many, to be accomplished you need to have a full stroke of water sucked in to the engine(meaning intake opening fully submerged for however many RPM's it takes to get to the engine) which is rather hard when the filters are above the headlights. I drive the terrential downpours and the water that gets sucked in to the intake will atomize/evaporate. You can not hydrolock your car driving through the rain like normal.


If your that worried about it you can also just turn your car off during car washes... i pray your only using touchless ones !

 

UT EVO,

That plug you posted the link to is more for silencing the intake so you dont hear as much sucking and whooshing in the cockpit. It was made to appease wives and girlfriends, so I was told by DoS. I dont think the plug is an easy "pop in and out" add on since the hole is down in the bulkhead.

I never go through a car wash, so its not a big deal to me. I foam my car at home and I am actually putting the finishing touches on a "Touchfree" car wash bar I built just off my driveway.

We live on a dirt road and often just need a rinse off. I have 1" main lines at my barn so I just tapped into one of those. ( I'll probly post pics when done on Sat)

Cutting the bulkhead is easy and the directions were simple to follow. I love driving my car with the DoS intake and all the sounds it makes.

I would buy it again even if it added zero HP.

Melengall---The oct dates are the thurs,fri, sun the weekend before Halloween.....I think sat is the 22nd?

 

I've had the bulkhead with the DoS intake and have not had a single problem at car washes or washing myself. The bulkhead panel is not difficult to install at all and if you have someone to help you its much easier.

 

They made it sound like it was on their site (please the significant other, then take it out for a track day). But I figured it probably wasn't.

How is removing and reinstalling the bulkhead though? That's the part I can see being an issue for me.

I'm not one for buying stuff for a car just for "sound," especially not something that costs $300. I'm in it for boosting the performance especially for hitting the local track.

The car wash you're building yourself sounds awesome, please do post pics when you are done!

Also, from Clint at DoS:
The DoS CAI is very protected via the apron panels at the bottom of the windshield. You are not going to get water in your motor -- even if you send your MINI through the car wash.

 

UT Evo, Like Whistler NC, I have noticed a slight difference in butt performance after installing my DoS but it's not a huge difference. I bought mine because it is truly the only real aftermarket CAI (yes, the factory airbox is a CAI of sorts but the DoS offers greater volume while keeping the factory intake airway). My plan is to make the Dread Pirate "better" and colder air to the engine is always better. I will be installing a bigger intercooler next week. Will it give me the 10-15hp gain that is claimed? Maybe. maybe not... It WILL however cure heat soak AND make my engine operate better. Concerning the sound, Whistler and I both went with the silencer to keep low RPM noise down but I took mine off and love it even more. Hell, the woman likes it!

 

10 hp? Good luck with that. Find some REAL tests of power gains - not the numbers claimed by the makers of the things. Some tests on some cars have actually shown power LOSSES with aftermarket intakes.

As for the whole concept of the "whooshing" noises and other whistles, grunts and groans that might emanate from a CAI-equipped car... if that floats your boat, by all means go for it. But who actually thinks that's cool? The ricer in the green Honda with yellow tape all over it who's revving his engine frantically as he sits next to you at a stop light? Maybe. Any true enthusiast, or average Joe, or typical wife/girlfriend/significant other? Highly unlikely. A pretty fair percentage of the population will in fact be snickering at you (I'm using "you" in the general sense here - not directing this at you personally!).

My suggested mods, in order of priority, would look something like this:

Runflats - banished within 48 hours of picking up the car

Suspension - losing the 4x4 stance and crappy shocks/springs

Wheels - mostly a cosmetic decision, but if you spring for some good forged stuff, you can lose significant weight (especially when combined with non-RFT tires) and that can provide real, noticeable gains in handling, ride comfort, and even acceleration

Things that are a lousy bang for the buck and don't interest me - CAI's, aftermarket exhausts, aftermarket blowoff valves, short shifters, etc.

Lots of people get into the whole modding thing and go hog wild, because it's fun and can highly personalize your car. To those people I say go for it! If you can afford it and enjoy doing it, by all means go hog wild. Just don't expect extraordinary performance gains, because they probably aren't going to happen. Rock on!

 

We sell several different intakes for the R56
http://www.waymotorworks.com/07-10-c...mance/intakes/
I have never seen any of them have any problems with getting water in them, you would have to open the hood and run a garden hose on them for it to get too much water.
But in reality your not going to get 10hp from an intake, if you want performance put your money into a FMIC, tuning, BOV, DP,and pipes those will all get you more than an intake.