Ford Fiesta ST Intake 2014+

With our final prototype in hand, our team went to work bolting everything into place. We've made minor tweaks to the design, so we just want to be sure fitment is spot-on for our final iteration.

Check out a few shots from the final install.

Ford Fiesta ST Intake fully installed

Ford Fiesta ST Intake fully installed

Everything bolted on perfectly, and this setup looks quite nice in the engine bay of the Fiesta. We will be making one small adjustment to our logo location; in the spot pictured it is a bit hidden by the hood prop rod clip.

Ford Fiesta ST Intake fully installed

Finish Options

Everyone likes to have options; they provide the opportunity to personalize your engine bay setup or match other existing components. We recognize this need, and our team decided on three options for the intake pipe finish. Check it out.

Fiesta ST parts

Our three options are polished, wrinkle black, and wrinkle red. The wrinkle finishes are powder coated for optimum scratch and damage resistance.

Fiesta

We are quite excited about the completion of our final prototype intake for the Ford Fiesta ST (FIST)! After months of development, testing, and design work, we are ready to present our final creation. First we will go through each component and cover important details regarding their features.

Silicone Turbo Inlet Hose

Starting at the turbocharger compressor inlet, we have our silicone inlet hose. This piece was constructed specifically for this kit and is extremely robust.

Mishimoto's Ford Fiesta ST intake silicone inlet hose

Five layers of silicone comprise this hose, along with embedded fibers and steel wire for added rigidity. This hose must withstand the suction created by the turbocharger, which is why additional materials are embedded for added strength.

Mishimoto's Ford Fiesta ST intake silicone inlet hose

Along with suction, this hose will also see relatively high temperatures. Silicone in this five-ply formula will have no issues providing years of reliable performance.

Aluminum

Dyno preparation for Fiesta ST parts testing

Testing day has finally arrived and it's time to see how our new Fiesta ST parts perform! After weeks of prototype design and fabrication, we have our first prototype Ford Fiesta ST intake system ready for dyno testing. Our first round of product testing is being conducted for two reasons:

First, we want to evaluate power output. Our initial post explained that we were skeptical about making power with our intake. The Fiesta is a MAP-based vehicle and only uses its MAF sensor to gather temperature data. Through our years of development, extracting additional power from speed density (MAP-calculated) is a bit of a challenge. The gains we usually see on these vehicles is a result of reduced restriction within the intake tract. With this intake we've certainly improved flow, so let's see what we are able to produce.

Our second goal with testing is to procure sound clips with our Ford Fiesta ST intake installed. When replacing the restrictive stock

We're getting closer to dyno testing! Our intake piping and turbo inlet hose are now complete. A well-designed airbox is the last portion of our intake design before we begin performance testing. The airbox will provide a shield for the filter to reduce the impact of engine bay heat. It also allows us to create a volume for cold air to enter from the stock duct, routing directly to our filter.

The airbox design was pretty extensive for this project, so this is a long post. Sit back, crack open your favorite beverage, and read on!

Airbox Fabrication

We started this process with cardboard templates. These templates helped us quickly adjust and modify the shape and bends until we had a design that provided for appropriate clearance. The space between the battery and air duct is quite slender, so the design will need to be precise.

Ford Fiesta ST intake airbox cardboard template

Below is a look at what we have to work with regarding the stock duct. As you can see, the duct routes downward before

This is a pretty cool post, something a bit out of the ordinary for our projects. We typically utilize our existing silicone boots in our intercooler kits, intake systems, etc. For this project, we decided to manufacture the first portion of our intake system from a wire-reinforced silicone hose. This would facilitate an easier installation, and it would also provide a smooth airflow transition from the small turbocharger compressor inlet to our intake's large pipe diameter. Since we like to show you what goes into developing our prototypes, check out the process for creating our silicone turbo inlet hose below!

Printing Our Fixture

The hose we have in mind will follow the path of the stock induction hose, which is actually a plastic piece on the stock ST. Before beginning our silicone project, we needed a fixture that would serve as a base for the silicone layers that will be applied. After making a model in Solidworks, we fired up the 3D printer and watched as it churned out our component.

Now that we had a ton of information and data points for the stock intake system, it was time to begin creating our own design.

Piping Fabrication

We're starting our intake system at the turbocharger and working to the airbox. We intend to place our box in the same location as the stock unit so we can take advantage of the stock cold-air duct.

We switched on the band saw, fired up the welder, and started tackling the route for our prototype pipe. Our first length runs from the turbocharger around to the rear of the valve cover.

Prototype Fiesta ST parts

Prototype Ford Fiesta ST intake piping fabrication

Next we made the bend to turn the pipe around the engine toward the front of the vehicle.

Prototype Fiesta ST parts

You will also notice that we've added a bracket that attaches the pipe to the valve cover for support. This bracket incorporates the stock rubber grommet to provide flex and isolation during engine movement. Here is a close-up shot of the bracket!

Prototype Fiesta ST intake

Automotive passion has evolved over the years, and is still very much alive and well. A lot of this is a result of automakers continually bringing us the best in technology, innovation, and performance. Some will complain that modern automobiles are numb, boring, and full of complicated electronics and gizmos. Whatever your take on this is, one thing is certain. People still love cars, and the impulse to modify vehicles is as strong as it has ever been.

Take the Fiesta ST for example. A compact hatchback, front-wheel drive, economical vehicle. A few bolt-on modifications can turn this into a tire-shredding, corner-carving autocross monster. It is all in how you approach new technology. You can embrace it and take advantage of what we have available in today's age, or you can curse electronic fuel injection, discredit independent rear suspension, and continue to rip around your hometown streets in your SBF-powered Cougar. Not that there is anything wrong with this. The key here is acceptance,