mx5cartalk.com

As i have recently purchased an MX5 Factory CAI which i am extremely happy with, i have become aware of the roadworthy issues when having this installed. The MX% Factory intake is great, and seems much better than the mania one in terms of filter and housing, however it would be much better as a single unit rather than filter and housing plus het tubing, this is where manias carbon fibre tube piece comes in handy however i wasnt going to wait 'a couple of months' for it to be made up. It is quite sad that such a great mod can have such permanent repercussions so i wanted to hear some advice and stories from people who have done this in terms or roadworthy legalities. Things like overcoming this issue, if there has been issues with police, how to get around the issue if the car needed to be roadworthy, if people have copped canaries etc etc.

Much appreciated, thanks guys.

that's strange. I've always thought that for the intake to be legal, it must be encased in something. IIRC, the mx5 has a aluminium casing so it should be ok? unless of course legislation has changed.

crzymx wrote:As i have recently purchased an MX5 Factory CAI which i am extremely happy with, i have become aware of the roadworthy issues when having this installed. The MX% Factory intake is great, and seems much better than the mania one in terms of filter and housing, however it would be much better as a single unit rather than filter and housing plus het tubing, this is where manias carbon fibre tube piece comes in handy however i wasnt going to wait 'a couple of months' for it to be made up. It is quite sad that such a great mod can have such permanent repercussions so i wanted to hear some advice and stories from people who have done this in terms or roadworthy legalities. Things like overcoming this issue, if there has been issues with police, how to get around the issue if the car needed to be roadworthy, if people have copped canaries etc etc.

what exactly are these rwc issues you have become aware of?
Apart from one possible structural issue, I didn't think there was any hassle?
and the big question is, WHO made you aware of these "roadworthy issues"? ie. is it someone with a current rwc license?

If you go back through past posts on the suject you will find that as long as the cai is sealed from the engine bay, there is not a problem. i.e with a tube that goes through the fire wall or a shield that seals on the bonnet.

Well yes infact, someone with a roadworthy licence, a mechanic of 40 something years. And many others aswell. In victoria, and in terms of a roadworthy car, there must be no alterations to any structural points of the car without an engineering cert. E.g parcel shelf holes for speakers, and firewall hole for the CAI. Because the firewall is a structural piece, any alteration to it, like a 76mm hole makes the car unroadworthy, this is a fact and not debatable, i was just wondering if anyone was equally aware and had a way to get around it. For example a friend of mine had holes cut out in his parcel shelf for speakers and upon being inspected he lost his roadworthy, and had to sell the car because he couldn't get it roadworthied again.

Dick does roadworthy inspections, do you think that he would sell such an intake if it were to make the car unroadworthy? If so, go get it engineered... Or.. Take it out.

IMO mania cai pwns the mx5 factory unit (both do the same job anyway), looks cooler too.

crzymx wrote:Well yes infact, someone with a roadworthy licence, a mechanic of 40 something years. And many others aswell. In victoria, and in terms of a roadworthy car, there must be no alterations to any structural points of the car without an engineering cert. E.g parcel shelf holes for speakers, and firewall hole for the CAI. Because the firewall is a structural piece, any alteration to it, like a 76mm hole makes the car unroadworthy, this is a fact and not debatable, i was just wondering if anyone was equally aware and had a way to get around it. For example a friend of mine had holes cut out in his parcel shelf for speakers and upon being inspected he lost his roadworthy, and had to sell the car because he couldn't get it roadworthied again.

well since "this is a fact and not debatable" then we are all screwed. and there is no point debating this any further. DO NOT DO IT!!!
And yes, it is something we are aware of as I alluded to in my original post

fastfreddygassit wrote:Apart from one possible structural issue, I didn't think there was any hassle?

Your OP stated roadworthy issues so I was originally asking what the issues (plural) where?
If it is just the structural point then its basically up to you to assess the risk/danger/issues and go on from there.
Your mate with the rear parcel shelf speakers was unlucky. I dare say he probably copped (pardon the pun) a canary for having other mods or being a dick and the rozzers
decided to go over his car with a fine tooth comb. I could be wrong but I cannot think of any other reason for his car to be RWC inspected whilst it was his car (ie. he wasn't buying it nor selling it).
If you want to keep your car legal to the letter of the law, then do not modify it.
Otherwise, be sensible and discreet with what you choose to do with mods.
For example, if you are a P plater and you have a lowered car, fruity exhaust, drive like a wanker and have subs blaring like some muzza then you are cop bait.
The rozzers WILL go over your car very carefully and get you for stuff like having your windscreen washer reservoir empty etc.
I guess my point is that there is a very defined, if narrow, line between hoon/wanker/muzza and enthusiast.
You will find the law is (unofficially) inclined to be partial to an enthusiast.

Its your call.

fastfreddygassit wrote:well since "this is a fact and not debatable" then we are all screwed. and there is no point debating this any further. DO NOT DO IT!!!
And yes, it is something we are aware of as I alluded to in my original post

fastfreddygassit wrote:Apart from one possible structural issue, I didn't think there was any hassle?

Your OP stated roadworthy issues so I was originally asking what the issues (plural) where?
If it is just the structural point then its basically up to you to assess the risk/danger/issues and go on from there.
Your mate with the rear parcel shelf speakers was unlucky. I dare say he probably copped (pardon the pun) a canary for having other mods or being a dick and the rozzers
decided to go over his car with a fine tooth comb. I could be wrong but I cannot think of any other reason for his car to be RWC inspected whilst it was his car (ie. he wasn't buying it nor selling it).
If you want to keep your car legal to the letter of the law, then do not modify it.
Otherwise, be sensible and discreet with what you choose to do with mods.
For example, if you are a P plater and you have a lowered car, fruity exhaust, drive like a wanker and have subs blaring like some muzza then you are cop bait.
The rozzers WILL go over your car very carefully and get you for stuff like having your windscreen washer reservoir empty etc.
I guess my point is that there is a very defined, if narrow, line between hoon/wanker/muzza and enthusiast.
You will find the law is (unofficially) inclined to be partial to an enthusiast.

Its your call.

I agree with FFG, drive responsibly and you will be fine.

Being in an mx5 you are not likely to get pulled over, if you were in a "fully sick" Commonwhore or skyline it would be a different story. Police know that the mx5 is an underpowered car, therefore they are not as much of a threat on the road, i may be wrong about this but i am speaking purely from experience.

I have only ever been pulled over once, i had the roof down, p plate was taped to the back of the seat headrest and managed to flap down so it was not visible. I was asked nicely to remount it in a more stable manner and that was it (cop was actually looking at buying an mx5 for his wife ) Nice fellow .

Good Luck.

Agree 100% with what FFG and Cheyne have said. Although I haven't fitted one as I didn't want to put a hole in my firewall.

And you dont need to drill a hole for a good intake either , i would love one like yours FFG

I dare say the hole in the fire wall won't alter the stuctural integrity of the car, as it is above the top stiffener. As mentioned in other replies, if you are worried about it don't do it .
Just don't leap in and buy things and then ask questions later. do you research and then make an imformed decision. thats what this forum is about. Using collective knowledge to answer peoples questions. you asked about all this in a previous post, and have read other posts on the same subject. So why are you asking these questions now?

By the sound of it, i think he may have installed it already.

Crazymx the comments about holes in structural areas I also heard repeated by a local guy who does rwc's He has failed a number of vehicles for modified parcel shelves which effect structural integrity. The info that you are quoting may be correct - I simply am not over the legislation. I would however be confident that you must be able to get a ruling on this from the relevant govt office. Perhaps the RWC mechanic can assist in getting more info. The comment that a business person would not sell anything that is not legal is not a cast iron guarantee. You can buy a variety of products which are not legal and that does not seem to be discouraging businesses nor those seeking to modify vehicles.

Snap on Mr. Morlock, Someone of Dick Richey's Calibur would not sell something that would make your car unsafe or unroadworthy.

I spoke to him yesterday while i was visiting my car and he said you were hell bent on fitting it yourself. If you let him fit it for you, he probably would have done a great job and made it legal too(As he does roadworthy inspections).

Also on a side note, your new king springs have arrived there. Should look good on with your Mad Awesome NB8B wheels

Does a firewall protect the occupant incase of a fire? Cutting a hole in it would be dangerous wouldnt it?

Dont worry the cops who put their lives on the line to ensure our safety will hopefully perform their duties and give you a yello sticker; in order to keep you from harms way.

By any chance would you happen to know how many degrees cooler the intake air has to be in order to gain 1 kilowat of power?