This mod is the first step in a progression of mods that will ultimately result in the fabrication of a fully custom cold air intake on the MR2 Spyder. The factory intake makes a 90 degree bend after the throttle body and attaches to an intake box. After the box, a long, 2 piece set of plastic tubing snakes around the driver’s side rear fender well and attaches to a hole just behind the driver’s side inlet vent. This hole is meant to draw fresh air into the intake box as the air enters the engine compartment. Fortunately, this whole process can be accomplished in a much more direct and efficient manner through the construction of a cold air intake. This part deals strictly with the plumbing after the intake box for those that wish to retain the factory filter. By removing this plumbing, throttle response will be slightly improved, however, inlet temps may rise as well. Also, a net weight reduction of 2 lbs is achieved.
The Procedure
This is a pretty quick process but you first need to gain access to a few areas of the rear. With the trunk open, locate the intake box and note the plastic pipe that runs under the driver’s taillight. To remove the first pipe, remove the 2 bolts that hold the taillight in place and then tilt the right edge of the light towards the rear while pulling back and the taillight will slide out. (place the taillight to the side as shown in the pics below) Now loosen any plastic screws that hold the pipe to the frame and pull the tabs away from the mounts. Pull the pipe toward the passenger’s side and it will slide out from the second pipe. Then pull rearward and it will slide from the box and out of the engine bay.
Remove the 2 bolts (at arrows) from the taillight and then snake the taillight away from the body.
Remove the mounting tabs from the body mounts by loosening the plastic screws (arrow). Note that the taillight will rest easily above the work area.
The removal of the second pipe is a little more involved. The second pipe mounts to the body in four places, three of which are found under the rear quarter panel. To access this area, you will need to remove or loosen the wheel well trim from the rear driver’s side. This trim is held to the car by a combination of 10mm bolts and pop rivets. Starting from the lower edge of the rear bumper, begin to remove the the bolts and rivets on the trim until you have enough flexibility to pull the trim away from the wheel well. (If you don’t mind “seeing with your hands” on the next step, you won’t have to fully remove the trim.) With the trim loose, pull the inner edge of the trim down until your hand can go under the trim. At this point, you are searching for two 10 mm bolts that hold the pipe to the chassis. (They are roughly highlighted below) I removed just enough of the bolts and rivets on the wheel well trim to allow a single hand with a wrench to snake under this area to remove the two bolts. Once these bolts are removed, loosen and peel back the front portion of the driver’s side rear wheel trim and look upwards towards the driver’s side vent. You will notice an area where the tube terminates and it is held to this point by two plastic, flat-head screws. Remove these screws and then proceed back to the rear and loosen the last plastic screw / tab and the second tube will snake out from under the quarter panel. At this point, reconnect the wheel well trim and the taillight and you are done.
The two arrows towards the top of the image point to the locations of the bolts (located under the rear quarter panel) that hold the tube to the body. The lower arrow shows another plastic screw that needs to be loosened.
This image shows the intakes termination point. Locate this area by pulling back the front edge of the driver’s side rear wheel well trim.
Alternately, you can access the intake termination from the engine bay if you remove the battery and set the fuse box to the side. You can simply cut the plastic ends off of the screws from the inside.
This is what the area looks like with the two pipes removed. Note that the black area is the trim that was loosened from the bottom during the removal of the second pipe.
The pipes removed from the car.
