AEM vs Steeda

[TwinSvts]

I have heard a lot of debate on the AEM intake sucking up water and what not. I know there is at leats one on this forums with the AEM. You got any problems? You get good power gains out of it? What about that greta intake noise? Same for the Steeda if anyone has got it.

[Track Addict]

I have the Steeda short ram intake.

nice power increase from 3k and up.

[JDMHATCH]

i have the aem cold air and i love it good power gain all over band better throttle response a sick sound and under even throttle it gives off a sick little wistle. I love it and i have never had a problem with sucking up water. Sure it is impossible for it not to but small amounts wont hurt anything. The only thin you need to worry about is puddles grater than4 inches deep.

[DaveSVT03]

I have the Steeda and love it. It improves performance and sound.

We had an AutoX where 2 Foci with the Steeda and one with the AEM came - the sound between the 2 seemed the same to me.

[Davan]

I honestly don't understand the whole sucking water issue. If someone has more info on this, please share it.

I can't fathom any intake sucking water... You'd have to drive through a two foot deep puddle of water.

First off, I have personally never encountered any puddles that deep, and secondly, if I did, I would have to be an absolute moron to drive my car through it... I just don't understand. Am I totally overlooking some way the filter could possibly be submerged enough to suck water?

[mchedd]

Davan - A gentleman on one of the Focus Forums has a AEM CAI and claimed he wasn't concerned about hydo-lock. About 6 months after installing it he became real concerned because that's what happened.

The intake mounts just in front of the driver's side front wheel and can be exposed to enough water splash to cause a problem.
(of course ths can be avoided by driving slowly through the deeper puddles)

[deactivated]

essentially when you put a long tube like that on your intake it is turning the thing into a vaccuum cleaner. you stick it in a body of water (deep mud puddle) and it will suck it up.

[Davan]

Originally posted by inteller
you stick it in a body of water (deep mud puddle) and it will suck it up.

But that's exactly my point. Who hates thier car enough to drive it through a puddle deep enough to reach even the bottom of the bumper?

I honestly haven't taken a good look at the bumper on my car yet, but I'm not seeing how, even in hard rain, enough water can splash into that area to cause the intake to suck up water... I guess I'll stick my head under there tonight and have a look.

[deactivated]

No one WANTS to do that, but **** happens and you can get stuck out in a flash flood you never anticipated. I wish I could wake up every day and decide not to go to work or not based on weather, but it just doesn't happen.

[TwinSvts]

I dont drive much in the rain unless I get caught so the aem is probably a good choice vs the steeda right.

[deactivated]

i dunno, unless the AEM can give you the 7-8 hp that the Steeda short ram consistently gives...

oh and the SSR is $135 after SVTOA discount.