This might be an issue for those with Alta CAI or with Randy's air box mod where additional air intake from the vent below the windshield. When I was upgrading to the Alta CAI, I had concerns regarding water from the vent getting into the air box during the rain and possibly into the engine. Last night, when I was working on the throttle body, I noticed a puddle of water sitting at the bottom of the air box. Ironically, the car hasn't seen the rain in over a month.

Will there be any perceivable problem in the future? Has anyone experience the same issue? Is there any mechanism within the air intake system that can prevent the water from getting into the engine?

 

I have the air box mod and have no issues with rain water or any other water getting into the air box and puddling.
If you have not had rain in a month then the source of the water is in question and may have come from the car itself or from condensation.

Clean everything up and dry all airbox things off then place a paper into the puddle area and then run the car and park it and check for more moisture and trace where the source is.

I'd suspect air conditioning or any other source of water. Most times we do not worry about water entering from the cowl scoop area and flooding that firewall area. If the MINI is in very deep water then water can splash up high and get into the airbox that way whether you have the airbox mod or not.

Are we talking about less than an ounce of water or quite a bit of water?

 

Thanks for the suggestions, MINIhune!

I'm also puzzled by the delima since the car hasn't seen rain in a while. I'll wait for a few days to see if the problem reoccurs, meanwhile check for any possible leakage. The heat from the engine compartment should be hot enough to evaporate any water. I wonder by drilling a small hole at the bottom of the box can help in draining the water coming into the airbox?

 

Upon closer examination, the puddle of liquid is actually oil, which is why it doesn't evaporate. The oil is presumably from the oil-saturated Alta intake. That's a relief!

 

Yeh, thats common with the Alta filter when its new. I had the same thing happen. Just wiped up the old oil with a paper towel and haven't noticed any since. Guess the really oil down the filter from the factory.

 

Here's some box oil from my Alta intake: