Newest Update on the Hydro-Locked Issue *6/5/2008*
State Farm sent an insurance estimator to the Nissan dealership and took a look at the car. Looks like insurance is covering it, YAY! It seems that they are however now discussing the options with Nissan about getting a salvaged engine, short block or a long block. I called Nissan and expressed my concerns with anything other than a long block, and it seems that State Farm is waiting for the research of estimates from Nissan and go from there. Thankfully my stupid trip to Starbucks did not make me the dumbest guy to pay like 6 thousand for a caramel frap cuz I had to just drive in the rain. I'm hoping they won't find an salvage engine with only 25k miles on it, and hopefully not consider a short block either since I'm most worried about long run issues that might come up, but long block might be a big pricey comparatively. I will have to wait till Nissan finalize their estimates before I can talk to State Farm about what is probably the best choice for me (hopefully the long block).

Thanks a lot to all for the advice and stories to somewhat reassure my concern with the after-market CAI. Now I know, I should get a by-pass valve or maybe just change to another intake instead. Is it "less fun" to have the stock intake and not a CAI? I don't remember how it sounded with stock versus the CAI. Any opinions on such would be nice.


*NEW UPDATE* 5/31/2008 on Hydro-Locked Issue

Just got a call from the Nissan dealership saying that they got all the water out, the car started but there was noise so most likely internal engine damage. So it seems I ran into a hydro-locked situation from a trip to a Starbucks yesterday. Anyone know of any similar cases and how the insurance company dealt with it especially with an aftermarket CAI (in Injen to be exact) installed? I have State Farm insurance for the car with I think everything covered but also GM Major Guard warranty (long story how i ended up with a GM plan and not the Infiniti one), but any sort of insight or stories of others having to deal with this would be greatly appreciated.

 

My Brother in Laws 350Z got the engine replace at the dealership recently... We where installing a Kenitix V plenum and some how a Bolt/Nut fell into the Intake and ended up in one of the cylinders....We where compleatly unaware untill we started the car and heard a Horrible rattle...Too make a long story short, He took it to the dealer and after weeks of working with warranty claims with Nissan he got a BRAND NEW engine in his Z....

 

change the intake to a short ram and look the other way and whistle when the adjuster looks at it.

 

out of curiosity, how deep was the water you were driving in?

 

The car is at the nissan dealership now so I don't think I'll be able to change anything on it unfortunately. Could I change it if it is a Injen CAI? cuz there are two tubes, so one comes from I'm guessing the intake...to the MAF sensor thingy and then a tube goes down towards the lower right of the bumper. I could just attach the filter to the end of the MAF?

 

It was maybe 4-5 inches of water at most. It rained insanely for about a full 20 minutes, but there was huge puddles everywhere but it just happened the right turn before I go straight to my place was the killer spot. However, I don't believe the intake was submerged under the water or anything, which interesting enough was that most claim that the filter has to be pretty much submerged to suck up enough water to do that. If anything, I don't think the Injen CAI played a significant part in the problem if the idea that it has to be submerged to suck up water is true but then again although insurance people do like to save as much as they can.

 

probably not a good idea since it's very unlikely to get a significant amount of water in the engine with a short ram and the underbody paneling. insurance adjusters and inspectors will look for things like this. then you'd be looking at insurance fraud. i think it's just time to man-up and tell them it was an accident (if that really was the case). keep us posted.

 

AEM 3" water bypass valve FTW!

 

haha yeah it was definitely an accident. I was actually planning on just driving for about a month or two and then selling it to leave the country to go home, but guess I'll have to stick around for a while.

 

+1 ....i just installed mine yesterday!

I would have just put the OEM intake back on before you got it towed to the dealership.

 

Good luck with the repairs.

 

The filter has to be completely submerged to create a vacuum and pull a column of water. The intake cannot suck in water otherwise. You obviously did drive through a large enough puddle that either created a wave of water or something deep enough to entirely immerse the air filter.

 

attach a JWT popcharger to the top part of the injen intake. they fit together and you should be able to fool the insurance. a friend of mine did this

 

I had to have my engine replaced in my '99 C5 Vette about 5 years ago. I had a Halltech cold air intake installed and went through maybe 5-6" of water. I had Progressive Ins at the time and they paid me for a used motor. I was able to go out and buy a brand new longblock Z06 motor for less than they were going to pay for a used Ls1 longblock. Bottom line they will have to pay but it doesnnt mean they will buy you a new motor. They might try and replace it with a used engine. If they do take the cash and replace it yourself or have a trusted mech replace it for you. You might aven make enough to add a new exhaust or something.

 

Thank god insurance is covering it. Now what to do with the options of the engine and the post-engine-fixing situation with the intake? Any opinions??