Driving in rain

**dmc14** · 06-29-2011, 12:27 PM

Hello,

New to the forum and created this account to ask this question. I have a 1999 Trans am that has some modifications and a K&N filter on it. The problem is when driving in the rain the car has a terrible time running. It will spit and sputter and sometimes die out. It doesnt even have to be raining hard at all. Is it normal that these do this? or am I looking at a more serious problem?
Since I live in Florida and summer time is rolling around I really need to figure this out since it rains almost every afternoon.

Thanks for any feedback.

**BRANDON** · 06-29-2011, 12:31 PM

doesnt sound normal unless the car is taking in water somehow,i have a debaffled hood and it rains here in ga. alot also and i dont have anything like that happening, so it only does this when its raining?

***SMWS6TA*** · 06-29-2011, 12:38 PM

do you have the cold air kit form slp? or like previous post a debaffled hood?

**Knight** · 06-29-2011, 12:41 PM

It's not normal. Do you get any codes -SES light come on - when this happens? It could be a number of things. Water can affect many different componants. It's possible you may have water affecting the O2 sensor wiring, the spark plug wiring or coils, MAF wiring, ect. I would also get rid of the K&N filter and switch to a paper one. Pick up a can of CRC cleaner and clean the MAF too.

**AfterYou** · 06-29-2011, 01:01 PM

check for water seeping inside of your coils and spark plugs and having it eat away at them, thats what happened to mine, 3 coils, and new plugs later, its all fixed

**dmc14** · 06-29-2011, 01:09 PM

I hate to say it but I have no idea what a debaffled hood is. But its not an SLP kit, it just has the Filter sitting out plain as day when you pop the hood open. And it has the regular firebird hood. Also my dad said before that he had the car running and swiped a wet paper towel over the filter and it started missing.

**jrbonds** · 06-29-2011, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by dmc14

I hate to say it but I have no idea what a debaffled hood is. But its not an SLP kit, it just has the Filter sitting out plain as day when you pop the hood open. And it has the regular firebird hood. Also my dad said before that he had the car running and swiped a wet paper towel over the filter and it started missing.

Sounds like your air box is missing. Can you take a pic and post it up real quick?

**dmc14** · 06-29-2011, 01:24 PM

I will when I can but right now, to no surprise its raining. lol

**jrbonds** · 06-29-2011, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by dmc14

I will when I can but right now, to no surprise its raining. lol

Ok, well does it look like either one of these pictures below? Or are you straight up seeing air filter?

**1998 T/A** · 06-29-2011, 01:30 PM

judging by this comment "But its not an SLP kit, it just has the Filter sitting out plain as day when you pop the hood open." neither of them

**jrbonds** · 06-29-2011, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by 1998 T/A

judging by this comment "But its not an SLP kit, it just has the Filter sitting out plain as day when you pop the hood open." neither of them

I know, and understand. But Im starting to learn to make yourself as CLEAR as possible around here. Just never know.

***SMWS6TA*** · 06-29-2011, 01:38 PM

jr shows a good point, if he has a stock hood the op should have something that looks like the 2 pics she posted. If not I highly doubt it is the Volant system (Twin filters)

Either way with a non ram air box he should have a lid of some type.

**67CamaroRSSS** · 06-29-2011, 01:48 PM

If no box then he's probably sucking in water off of the front of the car through the nose...

One of my friends had this problem with his Z28 when it would rain. He had a ram air box (not SLP but similar) that went down the front of the radiator to catch cold air. Rain and it would suck up water, soak the filter and start sputtering.

**jrbonds** · 06-29-2011, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by 67CamaroRSSS

If no box then he's probably sucking in water off of the front of the car through the nose...

One of my friends had this problem with his Z28 when it would rain. He had a ram air box (not SLP but similar) that went down the front of the radiator to catch cold air. Rain and it would suck up water, soak the filter and start sputtering.

Mine does sometimes after a hard rain or a certain type of car wash. I have the SLP box. I think my hood is debaffled though. Always clears right up, never worried about it.

**Ant71130** · 06-30-2011, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by 67CamaroRSSS

If no box then he's probably sucking in water off of the front of the car through the nose...

One of my friends had this problem with his Z28 when it would rain. He had a ram air box (not SLP but similar) that went down the front of the radiator to catch cold air. Rain and it would suck up water, soak the filter and start sputtering.

+1
By the wording he must not have a lid at all. Plenty of places water could get in there bypassing the filter obviously.

**BRANDON** · 07-01-2011, 03:58 AM

Originally Posted by dmc14

Hello,

New to the forum and created this account to ask this question. I have a 1999 Trans am that has some modifications and a K&N filter on it. The problem is when driving in the rain the car has a terrible time running. It will spit and sputter and sometimes die out. It doesnt even have to be raining hard at all. Is it normal that these do this? or am I looking at a more serious problem?
Since I live in Florida and summer time is rolling around I really need to figure this out since it rains almost every afternoon.

Thanks for any feedback.

we will need some pictures of your setup to give you a better answer to your question

**huggerls1** · 07-01-2011, 12:24 PM

Sounds like he has the kn fipk like what I have

Heres what it looks like

That's not mine by the way just a pic off the net

**RyanJM** · 07-01-2011, 09:45 PM

Sound like water is getting in somewhere but even with an exposed k&n like about you should be fine in rain. A debaffled or gutted you could say. Cut out all the restriction so you can see my twin Volant though each openings and I have driven it in Houston in pouring rain though several inches of staning water and at high speed on the highway on rain has never affected my car. You.filter shouldn't let rain in if properly oiled and installed. I would check the filers and couplers for any leaks then other parts that people have stated about just start it and use a spray bottle to simulate light rain around each spot till you find the cause. Least that's how I would check I did that to my car to make.sure my.filters wouldn't let water in after cutting up the RAM air hood. Hell I even used a garben hose on low with a mist spray just to be sure after the spray bottle but sounds like your car is sensitive enough to react to just a spray bottle.

**35th-ANV-SS** · 07-02-2011, 01:33 AM

Sucking up water into the intake is not good and if it's happened to anyone in this thread, I'd be looking at getting that fixed ASAP.

**dmc14** · 07-02-2011, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by huggerls1

Sounds like he has the kn fipk like what I have

Heres what it looks like

That's not mine by the way just a pic off the net

Sorry for not replying in a while guys.
This looks exactly like what I have.
And from what im gathering I need a new induction system. Or I could just build some kind of plate that i can slide infront the filter for when it rains.

Thanks for all the help guys. Allot better than most forums.