Monthly Archives: June 2019

Rival Nature's Power - Intercooler Pipe R&D, Part 2: Measure Twice

Posted: June 28, 2019

Categories: Jeep Wrangler JL 2.0T Intercooler Pipe 2018+

No matter how powerful Mother Nature becomes, humans try to control, contain, or harness her. We hold back rivers with dams, suppress ocean waves with dunes, and leash the wind to power our sails and our cities. But even when we think we can control her power, we're often left in awe of Mother Nature's ability to break that control. Nature's strength and freedom are qualities we often admire and try to imitate. We mimic them in our art, our hobbies, and even the cars and trucks we drive.

At Mishimoto, we're not immune to the awe of Mother Nature. That's why we've been working to rival her power with the Jeep JL 2.0T Hurricane engine and our performance intercooler pipe.

Our first post focused on the stock intercooler pipe and all the components that make it unique to the Hurricane engine. We're going

Sting Operation - 2018 Kia Stinger Introduction

Posted: June 24, 2019

Categories: Kia Stinger GT 3.3T Introduction, 2018+

"That's a Kia?" This is the question that I'm sure anyone who knows about the Stinger has heard about the Stinger. It's the same question that we all asked when the first details trickled in about a heavy hitting road warrior because Kia, up until recently, has pretty much produced the literal definition of a car. Four wheels, usually four doors, and a means of putting the vehicle into motion to get from point A to point B. But times have changed. Now the unlikely underdog is nipping at the heels of highly revered luxury brands, and we wanted a piece of the action.

What did we get?

Earlier this spring, we stretched our CTR's legs and made our way up to a local dealership to bring a Stinger back home to the Mishomoto R&D facility. Our particular Stinger came equipped with the GT1 package, but what does that mean? Well,

Breathing Fresh Air - Intake R&D, Part 6: Dyno Testing

Posted: June 17, 2019

Categories: Jeep Wrangler JL 2.0L Turbo Performance Intake 2018+

Product design, like most of life, doesn't always go as planned. We've learned to expect the unexpected and plan for unforeseen variables, but sometimes obstacles still catch us off guard. That's when we need to step back, take a deep breath, and find a way to navigate back on course. Our 2018+ JL 2.0T intake has hit one of those obstacles.

Our last post ended with few surprises. The 3D-printed prototype flowed 20% better than stock. That sizeable increase in flow was expected, given the simplified intake tube and large filter. The one small surprise was that there was no difference in flow between the prototype with the stock turbo muffler and the prototype with a straight-through adapter.

Like a high-flow exhaust resonator

Daditude - Performance Air Intake R&D, Part 4 - Dyno Results

Posted: June 17, 2019

Categories: Honda Accord 2.0T Performance Intake 2018+

A makeover is typically more about appearances. However, what's the use of all those cool new clothes, and the dramatic spin in the barbershop chair, if the subject in question is going around with the same dull attitude? It might be better if the general demeaner can meet and compliment the modern new look. The case is the same as with the 2.0T Accord. It recently received a fresh new look, with plenty of new gadgets, but was still a little too much on the comfortable side for some. This is supposed to be the bad boy of the Accord line, and we wanted to tease that out of the K20C4.

In our last post we left you off with the fresh new production sample, ready to go through the ringer on the dyno. However, as we started testing, we found that there was still

Rad, White, and Blue - Performance Radiator R&D, Part 2 - Design Plans

Posted: June 11, 2019

Categories: Chevrolet C7 Corvette Performance Aluminum Radiator, 2014+

We've all seen wildlife documentaries. David Attenborough delicately narrating as the mighty lion sits slumped in the savanna surrounded by potential prey, but he's just too hot to move. The same scene can be witnessed in the sweltering tarmac savanna here on American soil with the C7. Plenty of open space to run, the other beasts scatter at the sound of the "Vette's deafening roar, yet it sprawls out in the pit, panting and trying to catch its breath.

With a 650 hp supercharged V8, you could say that the Z06 has a big heart.

In the wild, the predators wait until nightfall when it's cooler to go on the prowl, and I supposed you could restrict to only night drives but that might not completely solve your problem. Some day driving is usually required. Luckily this animal is mechanical, which means upgrading the

Everyday Exploration - Oil Catch Can Kit, Part 2: Stock Review

Posted: June 07, 2019

Categories: Jeep Wrangler JL 2.0L Catch Can Kit 2018+

As summer begins
here in Delaware, the air is getting warmer, the days are growing longer, and
adventure is in the air. It seems like more and more off-road-ready vehicles
are hitting the streets and trails to capture their piece of the great outdoors,
and the Jeep Wrangler is no exception. While Wrangler owners across the country
are getting ready for their next adventure, our engineers at Mishimoto have
been working to keep the newest addition to the Wrangler lineup, the JL 2.0L
turbo, ready too.

With our catch can for the 3.6L Pentastar wrapped up, we've been working on a version for the 2.0T. Our last post focused on the effects of blow-by in modern engines and why catch cans are important for protecting

In Capable Hands - Transmission Cooler R&D, Part 3: Production

Posted: June 03, 2019

Categories: Ford F-150 Transmission Cooler 2011-2014

After months of measuring, modeling, designing and prototyping, the time has finally come to put our 2011-2014 Ford F-150 and 2010-2014 Ford Raptor transmission cooler to the test and hopefully put your F-150 in capable hands.

Our last post for this transmission cooler ended with a successful test fit of our 3D printed prototype and a decision to be made. We had two options for our transmission cooler's core: tube and fin, or stacked plate. Each option has its advantages and disadvantages. Tube-and-fin coolers flow and cool well but aren't quite as durable as stacked-plate coolers. Stacked-plate coolers are tough and reliable, but their internal tube structure can severely restrict flow. Depending on the size and shape of the cooler, where it's located, and how the system operates, each has its place. We won't know how each performs for this cooler until we test them.

Top Contender - Street Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 2 - Production Sample and Test Results

Posted: June 03, 2019

Categories: Subaru WRX Street Performance Top-Mount Intercooler, 2015+

Turbo boxer has a nice ring to it. It's perfect for one of those boxing games found in a retro arcade. Then again, Top Contender probably fits best, but I called dibs on that. Really though, Turbo boxer is a great descriptor for the WRX's powerplant. Much like those retro arcade games, tuning and modding your Subaru is all about finding the right combination for the hardest hitting punch, with the intercooler being an integral part of that proverbial button sequence.

We last left you with our master plan like some sort of Bond villain divulging our scheme for world domination before our dashing secret agent makes his daring escape. Unlike those campy nemeses, we followed through. From metal framework and 3D printed end tanks to full aluminum glory, let's take a look at the WRX Street Performance