That's a myth. Before the ITR, I had a 2001 Eclipse GT in which I installed an AEM cold-air intake. I lucked out in that AEM had made the Eclipse's intake as two pieces for warm-air conversion or you could put a bypass filter in between. I thank God for that design as otherwise I might have been reluctant to cut the pipe to install the bypass valve. But I didn't so I went ahead and installed one.
Anyways, last May we had a downpour in Irving, TX where I live and I hit a section of street that normally isn't known for much standing water, but today it was raining *hard* and that left about 3 or 4 inches of standing water. My lowered Eclipse (only 1.5" mind you) hit that submerged section and halfway through it, my engine started sputtering and then she died. I was
SCARED! I went ahead and let the water flow back down my intake and started the car again. She died one more time at the next intersection but luckily it was a red light and I left my engine off until it turned green. Car started back up and I didn't have any more problems with her the rest of the day up until the day I traded her in for the ITR. Bypass valve saved my engine.
And before you say my filter was completely snorkeled, that's not true. I wouldn't have been able to start the car and drive out of the standing water otherwise. I've learned my lesson since then
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)