mikey k

So I managed to bag one of the first batch of 04 intakes from Muz. I opted for Black. I reckon this is only the 2ND one to be fitted in the UK so some feedback and tips are probably useful!

Muz's instructions are good and detailed. The finish on the intake is also good. Only thing you will need he has not mentioned is a large dose of patience. It took me two attempts to get it to fit.

Make sure you print the instructions in colour along with the template to cut the air guide and the location of the rub pads.

This air guide is a er to get out and you will get a few cuts doing it! I haven't refitted it yet so I'll come back to you on that one! Though I suspect it will be a pig as well, as the intake takes up the space it is fed out from

Use the cling film to protect the intake whilst installing it, as recommended, it does work but it is a er to get it off once the intake is in place!

You will need to bend one of the air con system pipes out of the way towards the radiator to get the intake down past it. Do this very carefully! You will also need to cut the top of a clip holding the bonnet cable under the front spar as it fouls the bottom of the intake.

The optional clip is way too short for my intake, it needs to be twice its length to bridge this gap



With the intake in place it takes a LOT of force on the air box lid to get all the clips closed. Here's a pic of the intake in place before I put the lid on



Plus the end of the intake going in to the air box is not rectangular leaving triangular gaps on both sides!




You can also see in the first pic the pin in the bracket to the left is pushed right forward. This is because the intake is putting pressure on the top of the radiator and is pushing down and forward.

The bottom end of the intake is also not rectangular but is offset in the opposite direction to the top end I guess this is a moulding problem. This is less of an issue to the top. You can see it here



So having got the rascal in I thought I'd leave cutting the air guide until I'm sure I want to keep it on the car! Skipped that step and moved on to adjusting the bonnet. This also turned out to be a pain

I stuck the tabs on as per the template and added some extra for good measure



After much faffing and changing the way the bonnet stay goes over the intake to this



I managed to get the bonnet to lock down with the latch adjusted right up. Not happy with the fit though. I have a noticeable gap on the intake side



Compared to the passenger side which sits flush



So the jury is out for me on this. If it makes a difference I may leave it on. If not its coming off! Did you notice I did the air box mod at the same time

dreamer

Good info, seeing as mine just shipped (although I have no car to put it on).

If the fit is as bad as all that, and the bonnet won't sit flush, I will not be particularly impressed - it's taken a long time to get this part fitted for the 04, so shouldn't it fit?

Perhaps it was an iffy one, or something?

mikey k

I'm going to fit Lees for him in a couple of weeks so lets wait and see if that one is a bad. At the end of they day it is cosmetic and stops kangarooing in traffic.
I can live with the kangarooing if it means the bonnet fits and there is no strain on the radiator mounts

tebs

My one`s probably gonna be shipped this week but my car aint arrived yet either!

the only reason i opted for the muz intake was that it would fit neatly and i wouldnt have to mod anything.

is there not a post from bigfecker somewhere that described the whole development process they went through?

I`d pm muz. he`s usually pretty quick in replying. it will be interesting to know what he says.

Teb

mikey k

PM'ed Muz and Bifecker as well as patiently trawling all muz's posts for the last 12 months even tried the search engine and I cannot find the thread
Neither of them could give me a link either

WRumbled

Mine is still in the box.

If the fit is that bad then it will stay in there.

I don't suffer too much from the 'kangarooing' and wouldn't be prepared to have my bonnet open that much...

I think I'll wait 'til you've fitted Lee's. See if it's just yours.

Paper Lawyer

Hmmmm, I thought the poor fitment on the original Aus intake had supposedly been addressed by Muz, looks like it has not Glad I bought my Garage Defend cooling plate instead.

dreamer

Waiting anxiously for Lee's fit then to see if it's a one off problem - my understanding was you didn't need to cut anything to fit the Muz, and that it would fit nicely in the 04 (if she ever makes it out of the bodyshop alive) - I wouldn't trust the bonnet sitting proud on one side (and it wouldn't look great) and if there's excessive strain in the engine bay anywhere then definately

Let's hope it's a one off - I seem to remember there being the occasional problem with the pre-04 Muz intakes too, but I'm also pretty sure he sorted them out.

mikey k

BTW - you do need to mod the air box intake (remove the trumpet) and the cut out a section of air guide to get the intake to fit so there are some mods to do! I also removed a plastic rivet holding the bonnet cable under the spar to try and give the intake more room to get down on to the spar.

I have done some extra mods to the air box unrelated to the intake fitment, but identified by Spoon on their pre 04 intake fitting instructions.

I am going to be open minded about this for a couple of weeks.
I don't mind being the mule guys

Muz - when you read this I honestly think there is a bit more development to be done to that mould pattern!

1) The air box end of the intake is to high relative to the front brace
2) The air box end is not rectangular leaving triangular gaps either side
3) There is not enough clearance over the radiator and its left hand upper mount. It is pushing the radiator down and forward
3) The clip on the bottom is way too short and will not reach the intake when attached to the grill.

bigfecker

You dont need to cut anything to fit the intake; apart from two metal rivets that hold the air guide in place (these can easily be be repalce with a nut and bolt) i had very few problems fitting it, getting the plastic covering off the radiator is tricky though, once its off leave it off.

Mine does look square'er where it enters the air box though, if your worried by this just wrap a little bit of draught excluder around it to give a good seal, previous owners for 99-03 gave me this tip.

Strange Muz included the clip as I'm sure I told him you dont need it and its to short, the pressure of the airbox lid holds the CAI in place.

The bonnet does sit up slightly as you have to adjust the catch, this is EXACTLY the same as I had on the AUS instake (i believe Muz bought the rights to sell it?) on my MY00 S2000, for me its not a problem as its about 2mm its hardly noticeable.

Also why the extra sticky back velcro (the long strip) I just slid the foam cover around the bonnet pole along.