Mazdaspeed 3 CAI water issues

[bendog07]

Had to post this as some have said that hydrolock is not a concern with the Mazdaspeed CAI. For 5 years I've never had a problem. I can attest that water issues can arise. In Maine we've had some serious rain and flooding issues over the last couple of days. While driving home last night water did get into the engine. It started to sputter so I shut it off and pushed the car to the side of the road and my buddy who owns a garage towed it to his place. I pulled the plugs, flushed the engine, changed the oil and the plugs, took off the CAI, cleaned it and the MAF and cleaned everything. My buddy put the car with the hood open under a huge air dryer. Dried everything out, checked everything over. Cranked the car and it started right up, but the car had a ticking noise. Bent valve! I now have to pull the head and have a new valve put in. Luckily I have insurance coverage and will be covered. I'll be back on the road in a few days but the experience sucked.

 

[5port]

Sorry to hear about the damage man. I'm curious once you get the bent valve replaced are you going with the CAI again?

 

[bendog07]

Insurance company didn't want the garage to continue tearing down the motor and finding issues. A remanufactured engine is going in. Total cost
is $5,200. Yes, I'm keeping the CAI, the Speed3 was always a summer, fair weather vehicle, this was one of those rare occasions that I wasn't driving my truck.