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Monthly Archives: October 2017

  1. Hot-Hatch Renaissance - 2007-2013 Mazdaspeed 3 Direct Fit Catch Can R&D Part 1 - Stock Review

    Hot-Hatch Renaissance - 2007-2013 Mazdaspeed 3 Direct Fit Catch Can R&D Part 1 - Stock Review

    The Europeans have dominated the hot-hatchback market for decades. In fact, the term "hot hatchback" was coined to describe Volkswagen's Mk1 Golf GTI, which was responsible for the leadup to the hot-hatch fever throughout Europe and Asia. Just about every manufacturer began producing hatchbacks with stiff suspensions and a few extra horses under the hood. Even our very own Ford produced cars like the Escort Cosworth, and previous generations of the Focus ST and RS, but then left us here in the States, out to dry, when it came to having fun in a sub-compact. That was up until Mazda had their say.

    The combination of comfort, practicality, and speed help the popularity of Mazda's newest fast hatch.
    The combination of comfort, practicality, and speed
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  2. Bring a Jacket- 2016+ Honda Civic 1.5T Performance Intercooler R&D Part 3 - Production Sample

    Bring a Jacket- 2016+ Honda Civic 1.5T Performance Intercooler R&D Part 3 - Production Sample

    It's autumn and, more importantly, it's the start of prime boosting season.  The cool, dense air that's characteristic of the changing seasons is much easier to compress and cram into the cylinders, while the lower ambient temperatures help the intercooler. Even with the stock set up, your tenth generation Civic has a little extra pep in its step. But there's no reason to settle for just a little pep when you can get more.

    Dan's new intercooler design brought to life, and fresh our of the box from our factory.
    Our new intercooler design brought to life, and fresh out of the box from our factory.

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  3. Cool Under the Blue Collar - Radiator R&D, Part 2: Prototype & Production

    Cool Under the Blue Collar - Radiator R&D, Part 2: Prototype & Production

    As the threads of the last bolt spun their way out, Jason hoisted the stock radiator out of the Ram's engine bay, over his head, and set it on the ground next to his workbench. With the radiator laying next to the truck, it was easy to see why we're making a replacement. The chiseled fenders and snarling grill of the 2017 Ram portray a truck built for power. The anemic core and plastic end tanks of the Ram's radiator, on the other hand, look like they come from a truck built to meet a budget.

    Dodge's most popular truck is not just a vehicle to get from point A to point B; it's a tool built to do what any tool does best: work. Like any good tool, much of the Ram's design focuses on reliability and its ability to take abuse day after day. You'd be hard pressed to find an engine more durable than the 6.7L Cummins turbo-diesel found in the 4th generation Ram 2500 and 3500. But despite its legendary reliability, the 6.7 Cummins still relies on some less than bullet-proof support to get

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  4. Old Dog, New Tricks - Intercooler R&D, Part 2: Plans & Prototypes

    Old Dog, New Tricks - Intercooler R&D, Part 2: Plans & Prototypes

    Tucked between the battery and the radiator, buried beneath a tangle of coolant hoses, lies the heart of the Ford Powerstroke 6.7L charge air cooling system.  This chunk of aluminum, the air-to-water intercooler, is responsible for keeping your workhorse breathing easy.

    A freshly cut, $500 intercooler. Not a bad Tuesday
    A freshly cut, $500 intercooler. Not a bad Tuesday

    When we looked at this project last, we outlined what makes air-to-water intercoolers different from your typical air-to-air intercooler and why they're used in heavy-duty applications.  We also took our waterjet cutter to our brand-new OEM intercooler to see what was going on beyond the bland exterior.  Once we had evaluated the stock intercooler's strong

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