I'm flipping through the latest issue of Summitracing and on page 13 there is the add for the AEM bypass valve. There's no foam on it. On mine installed in my car now for 4-5 months and mine was tearing off, so I ripped it all off. Now you see the orange flanges inside there, just as in the photo on pg 13. My question is... the foam only there for when you first open it out of the box? Or is the foam supposed to stay on the bypass valve. Cause I don't think the foam insulates water, as you can tell water can easily pass through the foam. I just think it's weird and this has been bugging the hell outta me for months, scared of a puddle of water.

Also, it seems to be opened easily too on mine, the stress points on the upper pipe are of course from the TB, and the then the lower piping's stress point is bolted where the stock airbox used to be. So, in conclusion, the area where the two ends meet in the middle (ie., where the bypass valve is connected on both sides) the valve can easy be bent around or opened up within 1-2 inches of play. So I am really concerned as to if my valve is fucked up or if this is normal. Thanks. I just hate to waste $50 and convert my CAI and DOWNGRADE it to a short ram or get some sort of spacer and join the two as a CAI with no valve. Let me know ur opiions on this madness.

I think the foam is there strictly as a backup filter. For example, if you went into a puddle, the bypass valve will open to let air into the engine through the bypass valve. I think the foam was there to filter the air that gets in when the bypass valve is working...probably not essential to have the foam though.

Yeah.....it's just a back up filter.

you better put that foam back on man.. cause when that valve is open.. that foam is your cars air-filter.. and I wouldn't want to be sucking shit into my engine with no filter.

Hmmm I said I tore off the rest of the foam though.

And what about the bottom paragraph I stated about the 1-2 inch play in between the two pieces where the valve connects?


Thanks. in advance.

well i dont have a cai, but i understand what is happening on your bypass valve. i doubt the manufacturer of the unit ment for it to flex that much, but they dont think of everything. so i think its something you should fix if you can. maybe make another support to hold both ends of the pipe where it attaches to the bypass valve. but i dont think it is real bad. also the foam as the others have said before is just a airfilter for when the bp valve opens, but since yours opens a whole lot then you are probably sucking some stuff into the engine. you could always find some foam from somthing else and try to put some back over it. just ideas




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Hopefully you'll never ned it but yes get some more foam, it is the air filter when the valve opens. You don' want to suck something into you intake that could do damage. Better to be safe than sorry.

"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein



Michael J. Kulaga
e-mail: Michael_97RS@2gntDSM.zzn.com aol IM: MJKulga
http://highlander.dsmpower.com/

Injen CAI, 55mm TB, Hooker 4-1 Stepped Header, GS-T Muffler, AFX UDP, S-AFC, 8.5mm Magnecor Wires, Crane Fireball HI-6DI2, SS Clutch Line, NRG Susp. Motor Mount Ins., FU/RU/RL STBs, TSW Blade 17x7.5, Bridgestone Potenza RE730 215/45ZR-17. Front KVR Cross-Drilled Rotors & Carbon Fiber Pads

To Be Installed: Ported/Polished Intake Manifold 1/2, Rear disc brake conversion kit w/, Rear KVR Cross Drilled Rotors & Carbon Fiber Kevlar Pads, SS Brake Lines