This is actually the reason I retained the factory airbox and simply augmented it with the Airaid MIT and their dry filter element. Whichever filter you choose to run, you will be more unprotected against wet weather when you run a system designed to pick up cold air close to the ground. Yes, you have a big truck, but at that point your intake system is just as likely to get flooded as any performance car's. Now, as far as Volant goes, they could have merely pouted out that there are inherent risks in placing an air inlet that low to the ground when one expects to encounter inclement weather; their decision to instead nitpick about whether or not your vehicle was supported by their system was not only in bad taste but unnecessary.

 

Call me and ***, but what exactly did you want them to do about it? The offered to replace the only damaged item, for free. You took that offer and then decided to still talk trash about them on all of these forums...doesnt really seem right. Im glad you didnt damage your truck, but this shouldve just been a lesson not to use ram-air style intakes without a prefilter, or in severe weather of any kind meaning just take off the extra tube, take the new filter, and go on about your way.

 

You drove through 6 hours of a tropical storm and expected your aftermarket filter to get wet and still work??

 

 

That sucks to hear, but Volant is sending you a new filter for free. You might be better off with a snorkel if you will be doing more 6 hour tropical storm trips (not trying to be a dick, but seriously, you are asking a lot of a ram air intake).

And on top of that, you have been emailing with the COO/VP of the company, not some lowly customer service rep. This shows that your satisfaction is important enough for a company executive to reach out and try to resolve your issue.

My customer service experience with Volant has been great. One of their nuts holding the lid of the CAI started rotating in the plastic housing preventing me from backing out the screw, and all Volant asked for was a picture. I had a brand new box at my door a few days later for free, plus they sold me a ram air scoop for $50 (retail around $120) for my inconvenience. I didn't even have to mail the damaged one back.

 

Ya right, even the COO wanted to smack me around over the "installation".

I wonder why your platform is supported and the Av isn't...... Same exact mounting procedure. LOL

Anyways....good luck with it. Watch out for water!

 

Ya, OK...I see your point...I would have accepted the prefilter and filter had they not trashed me on the install accusations. I mean ...REALLY....my fault...Hmmmm

The only reason I'm trashing them is for the accusations that "I MISS INSTALLED THE SCOOP."

AND

I'm also peeved that the filter was originally advertised when I bought it as being OK to get wet. It is not. It's supposed to be good for 100,000miles.

By using Donaldson's® PowerCore® Filtration Technology submicron contaminants load on the surface rather than collecting in the depth of the filter. This boosts efficiency and increases performance on your aftermarket air intake system. The filter media won't deteriorate as easily as traditional cotton/gauze filters. Plus, it's water resistant, so getting wet won't ruin your air flow or cause a decrease in performance. This is why we warranty our replacement air-filters for 4 years or 100,000 miles in urban conditions, whichever comes first.

It's not.

It never even had a "prefilter" offered when I bought this.

 

Yes, I did. Don't off road vehicles often get exposed to a lot water. This was rain and not some river I was 4x4ing through.

Yes. your right. I should have known. But to be honest, it never even dawned on me until it was too late. I didn't even know what was wrong until I read the DTC.

 

Somewhwere along the line we have to take some fault when adding performance modifications. If it looks unsafe, or a 'possible' trap for water, I dont install it. My AEM Brute Force has been on for 3+ years and no issues. but a snorkel down where water can be brought into the system, nah, will stick with under the hood application.

Good luck, sounds like Volant tried to rectify.

 

Well, Volant did try to make it up to me. They sent a new PowerCore which I recieved yesterday.

I'm just too darn chicken to swap out the factory and try it again. Guess, I'm the "white chicken" instead of white buffalo.

I do feel like a jerk for not thinking about the intake sucking up all that water. It never even crossed my mind until it was too late!

I have noticed this weeks MPG has dropped from 17 to 15MPG...