Love for trucks and engines is a never ending romance. There’s always an innate desire to improve a truck’s look and performance in any way possible. The cold air intake is one such improvement that can boost the efficiency of your engine.
As far as a cold air intake goes, its filter is a very important part of it. The filter prevents harmful debris and particles from entering the intake and thus circulating in your engine. Some people ask, though, if it can get wet and still function properly.
Yes, a cold air intake filter can get wet but only at a mildly damp level. If the filter gets wet enough, it can be detrimental to your engine by hindering appropriate air flow or causing hydrolock. It would behoove you dry the filter or replace it as soon as possible no water how wet.
A filter can get wet if your truck’s engine has been submerged under water for any period of time due to a flood or deep body of water. Also, if you’re the type to clean your engine bay with sprayed water (and I suggest you better know what you’re doing before you do), the filter make indirectly take on water.
How does a cold air intake work?
Before we discuss the effects of a wet cold air intake filter on your engine, let’s quickly review how a properly functioning cold air intake works:
A cold air intake is usually installed away from the heat produced by the engine. Its purpose is to bring in colder air to the engine in order to improve its performance.
Cold air is much denser than warm air, so in order to improve the efficiency of the engine you need to provide colder air. It will provide a higher volume of air and oxygen to the engine.
A higher volume of air in the engine means more horsepower from the engine due to improved internal combustion.
With this information, you can safely conclude that your vehicle will normally run more efficiently in cooler weather.
What happens to the cold air intake if the filter gets wet?
The cold air intake filter can get wet mostly due to encountering too much water on the road, negligent water exposure, or rain falling through a vented hood.
The filter, if wet, will not allow for the proper flow of air to circulate within your engine.
A wet filter may not cause any permanent damage to your cold air intake system other than prevent it from working at its top efficiency. The same cannot be said, however, about your engine.
Poor air flow means less oxygen to the combustion chamber which ultimately leads to less engine power.
How to dry a cold intake filter
You can clean and dry a cold intake air filter in a few steps:
Apply cleaning spray
You should apply the cleaning spray on all sides of filter and leave it for few minutes.
Do not let cleaning spray dry on filter and rinse it
Before the cleaning spray dries, rinse it with water. Avoid using higher pressured water. Continue to rinse the filter until the running water turns clear.
Dry your filter naturally
After a good rinse, shake the extra water off and allow your filter to air dry.
Apply filter oil
Make sure that your filter is absolutely dry before applying filter oil. Be sure to apply the oil cleanly and not excessively.
You may not be required to apply filter oil for all cold air intake filters. You should consult your manufacturer’s instruction manual to know whether or not your filter needs an oil application.
How to prevent a cold air intake filter from getting wet
The obvious answer to this question is to make sure your engine is never submerged in water. If you live in an area that tends to flood, learn to “turn around and don’t drown.”
If you’re performing any engine maintenance that requires the use of water, make sure to cover your intake filter with a towel or protective cover before doing anything else.
Finally, on the auto parts market, they sell a pre-filter that acts like a filter for your filter. The best thing about these pre-filters is that they are water resistant and provide an additional barrier against dust and other small particles. You can also wash these under your faucet.
When to change your cold air intake filter
It may take a few years before you need to change your cold air intake filter. It all depends on the amount of driving done and the air condition your truck normally drives in.
There are some signs that indicate it is time to replace your cold air intake filter:
Loss of performance and poor fuel efficiency
When the filter gets dirty enough, your engine will have a loss in power. If it continues like that, eventually the filter will be clogged and fuel efficiency will suffer.
As the filter starts clogging, it will affect engine power because of less air availability for combustion. This occurs because of the inability of low vacuum pressure to pull enough cool air in.
If you feel that your truck is not performing well and has poor fuel economy, it may be an indication to clean your cold air intake filter. If cleaning does not resolve your issues, it may be time to totally replace the filter.
What happens if you drive with a damp cold air intake filter?
Once the air intake filter is wet, it will effect the engine performance to some degree.
Filters can trap a small amount of moisture at any time, but due to its large surface area, a filter can also dry on its own.
If it is just a few water droplets, you can still drive with a slightly less efficient engine. However, if the amount of water becomes overwhelming, it will lead to a choked out engine.
When the filter is exposed to a high amount of water, the water can be sucked into the intake and hydrolock your engine. Water may also get mixed with oil lubricant, which may result in damaging engine.
Engine performance with no cold air intake filter
I highly recommend that you DO NOT drive without a filter on your cold air intake. You are just inviting all sort of debris to wreak havoc on your engine. This would be the same as playing football without a helmet.
If your intake filter is too wet or damaged, hold off before driving your vehicle. Have someone bring you to the auto parts store for a replacement or have one shipped to you from the internet.
Different materials for a cold air intake filter
A filter can assure the healthy running of your truck. It can provide good clean air for combustion. There are many types of filters available in the market with advantages and disadvantages.
Paper filters
Paper filters are one of the most common filters and it is widely used. The paper used for these filters is not as light-weight as you may think it is.
The paper used here is actually a heavily compacted wood pulp which is bonded and folded like an accordian.
Advantages
- Cheap
Disadvantages
- With the accumulation of dirt over a period of time, the air flow will be more restricted.
- It is not reusable and once the efficiency of the engine declines, you are required to change it.
- You may be required to change the filter after only a few thousand miles.
Cotton filters
Cotton air filters are made up of cotton layers between aluminium mesh.
Advantages
- It is less denser than paper, so it allows more fresh air to pass through leading to more engine power.
- Cotton filters are good to last for the lifetime of your truck but they require cleaning and re-oiling periodically.
Disadvantages
- Cotton filters can be more expensive than paper filters.
- Careful handling is required while lubricating the filter as over-lubrication may draw the oil onto the mass airflow sensor.
Foam filters
Foam filters are made up of multiple layers of foam having different densities with the ability to stop contaminants.
Advantages
- Comes in different sizes and shapes according to your needs.
Disadvantages
- Not as effective as other filter types due to a less restrictive barrier.
Conclusion
A cold air intake filter can help improve the performance of your engine but it can get wet due to water or surrounding moisture. Always inspect it for wetness or any damages.
You can drive with a wet cold air intake filter but it can only be mildly damp. If it is too wet, you risk low air circulation into your engine or even permanent engine damage.
If you’re thinking of different ways to accessorize your truck or make it more functional, consider checking out my recommended accessories page. I spent a good amount of time picking out mods that can be useful for most pickup trucks.