I want to buy a cold air intake but do not want to suck up water and lock my engine. Could i buy the cold air intake and run it during the summer and during winter just run the short tube and use it as a short ram intake?

you could, but thats no garientee, you still have rain and floods in summer. i personially avoid the whole issue and just use a short ram intake all year around. you can also buy a water bypass valve(i think thats the name) it will give you some protection.

i have 92 sc under the front bumper there is a black plastic piece that hangs down as some sort of guard or something if i route the intake to sit behind that will that protect it from the elements and will it recieve enough air flow behind there

i have the gaurd too, i think.. is it like a grate?

on my car, i took off that grate, made my intake, and as of now, my intake sits where the fog lights would be if i had a SW2. its under the lip of the bumper a bit, and prety well conceiled.. then, i put that grate back on(altho, i had to cut some of it apart, since the pipe for the CAI was int he way)

im not TOOOOO worried about water getting into it, but, for safety's sake, im going to try my best not to drive in the rain, or, thru big puddles

www.turbosaturns.net is down right now, but there was a very recent post (within 4 days) of someone who did a CAI and took nice pictures. Head to the search section and search "cai" . you can find his job he did

you are ether talking about the splash guard, air dam, or bumper grill insert. removing anyone of the three will negitivily affect your vehicle in one way or another, (i have hands on expercience with two of the three)

what negative effects would removing the splash guard or the grill insert present?? I wasnt planning on removing either of these but rather just put the cai behind the splash guard. i need some opinions on this

the front bumper acts simular to a spoiler, providing downforce. the insert reinforces the bumper, without it the bumper "flaps" at highway speed. negitivily affecting downforce and aerodynamics. i personially noticed this when i removed the grill to mount my foglights. at hightway speeds i noticed the light reflecting off of road signs shaking. i trimmed the grill to fit, and no more shaking.

the airdam and splash sheild are designed to provide airflow to the engine compartment, without them you will overheat.

ok i understand they are to direct air but i would be putting the cai behind the splash gaurd doing nothing to alter either. thus possibly protecting the filter from water and dirt.

personally i wouldn't put it there, its not as well protected as in the bumper, its to close to the ground and to close the hot exhaust and oil pan.

how is it exposed to the exhaust and oil pan in the front bumper? The black plastic piece is hanging down right behind the front bumper

if you and me are thinking about the same place, the oil pan and downpipe are no more then 6-9 inches away. not to mention its behind the radiator and condenser. and anything mounted at or below the level of the splash guard risk road damage(think speed bumps, the air dam gets damaged enought as it is.

i'm not saying a CAI is a bad idea, i'm just saying there is a better spot for mounting.

I understand what ur saying but the cai will be mounted behind the slash guard not below it..... Where is another possible location for it i want to use cutting the inner fender liner as a last resort.

it doesn't look like its trimed to much
http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/14337
http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/19559

or keep is at the stock location
http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/17013
http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/18351/