I removed my driver's side bulkhead tonight after installing a k&n open "filter on a stick" as us cheapo mini driver's tend to do instead of shelling out for a nice expensive CAI. I'm just concerned about water getting into the engine bay. I know I shouldn't be concerned because people wash their engines all the time, or steam them for that matter. I'm not really worried about water getting into the filter because the amount of water that is needed for hydolock is a pretty good amount all at once. I'm just worried about the ECU, etc. Has anyone had any problems with water after removing the false bulkhead?

 

No problems here.

 

Put a plastic grocery bag over it.

 

thats even ghetto'er then i was going to say................way to win.....

 

Well.... what were you going to say then?

 

Sooo, no one else has anything to say about removal of the rear panel?

 

The MINI-Madness panel cuts a hole in the back. I have been running this for 8 to 9 months now with no problems at all. The Alta CAI totally has you remove the panel.

Bottom line...

I think that you will be fine.

 

Mine's been got for 10,000 miles and it has been known to rain in Alabama no problems.

 

Eventually I will build a aluminum or stainless shield that will isolate the intake from the rest of the engine bay, as well as isolate the rest of the engine bay from the open cowl. But for now, I think I'll leave it open until I can actually get around to fabricating.

 

Considering how Road and Track hydrolocked their stock MCS with the original airbox, it's likely the danger is mostly from the snorkel above the radiator.

Apparently when hitting deep water at speed, water is thrown up and forward from the tires, then the bow wave comes crashing back into the grille thanks to the MINI's super-short overhang (on other cars it would just hit the bottom of the car).

If this is the case, then any HAI arrangement would probably be a lot safer than the stock box even if the bulkhead cowl panel is removed . I mean you'd have to be really going fast to throw that much water onto the windshield and cowl vents, in which case you also wouldn't be able to see so it would kind of be hard to not notice.

If you're really paranoid, plugging the stock snorkel may help when using a HAI setup or even something like a JCW CAI box with the flapper door removed.