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  1. LEGENDARY COOLING - PERFORMANCE RADIATOR R&D, PART 4 - Dyno Results

    LEGENDARY COOLING - PERFORMANCE RADIATOR R&D, PART 4 - Dyno Results

    It's been three months since our loaner Z06 last bellowed throughout the shop, but our ears are still ringing. The C6 is the very definition (more like DEAFinition) of the American sports coupe. Boisterous doesn't even begin to describe our loaner Corvette. By now, though, we all know how hot these cars are, both figuratively and literally. We're finally at the point where we can test and see just how much of that actual heat we can remove with our new aluminum radiator.

    042318_NLT_C6_RAD_WEB_3

    Ice Packs

    Before we could berate your senses with the full-frontal assault that is the Z06, we had some shop upgrades to fit in. Specifically, we had to make sure that our Dynapack system was up to the task of challenging the ferocious LS7.

    IMG_3157

    Our current setup is rated to handle horsepower and torque specs well above what this V8 can put out; however, as we found testing other high output vehicles like our line of Powerstrokes, excessive heat can put a real damper on our testing. Given that our loaner Corvette would likely

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  2. Legendary Cooling - 2005-2012 C6 Corvette Performance Radiator, Part 1 - Stock Review

    Legendary Cooling - 2005-2012 C6 Corvette Performance Radiator, Part 1 - Stock Review

    When you look back on America's history in the realm of speed, it seems that we're only known for one thing"straight-line speed. Our obsession with muscle cars has left the impression on the rest of the world that we here in the US are a little timid around corners. Anyone who knows anything, though, can always name one American car that can take that beeline grunt around the hairpins. The Corvette.

    110317_NLT_C6_Rad_WEB_6

    Chevrolet has been fixated since 1953 on being able to pilot one of their big crate motors safely around the bends. Using sleek body lines to achieve a slippery aerodynamic profile, combined with lightweight materials and stiff chassis components, the Corvette has evolved over the years from a nimble sports car to a serious contender against the best of Germany and Italy.

    110317_NLT_C6_Rad_WEB_4

    The mid-2000s is when Kentucky's supercar came into its own with the release of the C6 body style. Judging from outward appearances, the C6 might just look like a C5 facelift, which is warranted. Both share almost identical

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  3. Piping Hot - Exhaust R&D, Part 6: Pure, Unadulterated, Awesomeness

    Piping Hot - Exhaust R&D, Part 6: Pure, Unadulterated, Awesomeness

    The last piece of this puzzle has finally fallen into place. Finishing off our offerings for the 2016+ Chevy Camaro SS exhaust systems lands us here with our Race Axleback. The SS has an unmistakable sound, and it's a sound we don't want to stray far away from - we only want to enhance it in the most robust way possible, and I feel that the engineers have done just that.

    I'll make this simple - this exhaust is mean.

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    It's a mix of a modern sounding V8 with the raspy aggressive tone of a certain 1970's-era machine that was made of steel, had belt-buckle seat belts and a bad attitude. When this car starts up, it will give unassuming bystanders a jump - I've seen it happen at gas stations when I got to drive it. There are no fancy tricks here, just a raw, unrestricted, unfiltered sound from the hefty 6.2L LT1. Not only does this exhaust have a chip on its shoulder when it's at idle, but when you open the throttle, it screams like a bat-out-of-hell.

    MM Race Dyno Chart

    And on top of the awesome sound, it performed

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  4. Getting Into The Thick of It - Intercooler R&D, Part 3: Running Numbers

    Getting Into The Thick of It - Intercooler R&D, Part 3: Running Numbers

    Our engineering department sought to bombard our intercooler with dyno runs, gathering as much data as possible to ensure that it could stand up to the abuse and intensity you plan to put it through. Due to the fact that this intercooler is sandwiched between the radiator and air conditioning condenser, we had to be sure that our core could effectively combat the effects of heat-soak while performing at maximum efficiency. First, we had to start with size. If the intercooler was going to be an effective modification, it had to be bigger. In case you guys need a refresher from our last update, see below for a size comparison between our core and the factory unit.

    Core Volume Compare
    Core volume comparison

    Ext Fin SA Compare
    External fin surface area comparison

    We have given the core a boost in several areas, including internal volume by 45%, external fin surface area by a sizeable 239%, and overall core size by 78%. This will allow for much better cooling and heat transfer. While the core is bigger than stock, it will also be

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  5. Transmission Cooling to the duraMAX - 2001-2010 Chevy /GMC Duramax Transmission Cooler, Part 1 - Stock Review

    Transmission Cooling to the duraMAX - 2001-2010 Chevy /GMC Duramax Transmission Cooler, Part 1 - Stock Review

    This 2001-2014 Chevy / GMC 6.6L Duramax Transmission Cooler is now available! Click here to check it out!

    Extreme heat is always the enemy, especially when it comes to vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission. The Allison gearbox mated with your 6.6L Duramax is no exception. With the high temperatures produced by an automatic transmission, it seems almost cruel that the sweltering summer heat comes when most of the towing of campers, boats, and other outdoor toys happens. GM did include some help to keep your gears cool. Unfortunately, it's a little small.

    For such an iconic towing machine, it seems strange to equip it with such a small transmission cooler.
    For such an iconic towing machine, it seems strange to equip it with such a small transmission cooler.

    While the 9 rows on the factory cooler keep the transmission cool enough during regular driving, it shows its limited cooling abilities once a few thousand pounds are attached to the rear of the truck.
    While the 9 rows on the factory cooler keep the transmission cool enough during regular driving, it shows its limited cooling abilities once a few thousand pounds are attached to the rear of the truck.

    Before we start with the adorably small transmission cooler on the GM Duramax, some of you might be wondering why this extra

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  6. Piping Hot - Exhaust R&D, Part 5: Decimating Drone

    Piping Hot - Exhaust R&D, Part 5: Decimating Drone

    Usually, the first noticeable change people make to any car is how it sounds. As summer starts to heat up, some of us gearheads are starting to take our unicorns, endless money-pits, kind-of-finished projects, or whatever you call your ride, out of storage, or the garage. It's the season for nightly meets, hot track days and long cruises, giving you the perfect opportunity to showcase the changes you've made to your pride and joy since you put it away for the winter. Whether you replaced your catalytic converter with a high flow version, got a full, larger-diameter exhaust, or custom fabricated your own straight-pipe setup, the exhaust is the go-to modification if you want to be heard.

    We know that there is a sweet middle ground many go for when modifying the exhaust. An exhaust that is too tame can be a bit of a let-down if you want some serious growl. However, an exhaust that is too aggressive can anger the neighbors, attract Johnny Law, and loudly drone on the highway - none of which

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  7. Hot and Cold - Intercooler Pipes R&D, Part 3: A Numbers Game

    Hot and Cold - Intercooler Pipes R&D, Part 3: A Numbers Game

    When it comes to data testing, our engineering department avoids cutting corners. Each product we put on the market is vigorously tested so we can be confident our products can withstand the abuse you intend to throw at them. With the intercooler piping for the 2016 2.0T LTG engine, we have gone through the proper steps to get the data gearheads want to see.

    Our engineer put our dyno and flow bench to work to see how our design stacks up. We plan to offer these intercooler pipes individually as well as a kit, so both the cold and hot-side pipes had to be tested individually. The good news is promising numbers followed.

    hot side flow
    Flow bench data for our prototype intercooler pipes

    The first thing our engineer wanted to do was analyze how these pipes affected pressure drop using our flow bench. While the cold-side pipe did not show any improvement, the above chart shows that the hot side intercooler pipe improved airflow by 20%, which means more air is flowing out of the turbo. Increasing the amount

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  8. Makin' Our Camaro Purr - Catback R&D, Part 2: Turning Heads

    Makin' Our Camaro Purr - Catback R&D, Part 2: Turning Heads

    Our recently released catch can for this 2016+ Chevy Camaro 2.0T needed a part two to our "The Making Of" (TMO) video series for the project, and I was tasked with directing it. I wanted to take our Camaro home (Washington D.C.) for the weekend to put some miles on it so our kit would catch real world content inside of the catch can to show in the video. It just so happens that we had a full cat-back exhaust prototype on the car for me to enjoy. Let me tell you something, this car turns heads.

    Exhausts can be a tricky modification. If it sounds good, then it's a tasteful part of the car that you and others around you can enjoy, but if it sounds bad - I think you gearheads know the term for that. I can tell you first hand that this car sounds incredible. Even my father, who knows very, very little about cars in general, heard it during a cold start and was impressed. "Why does it sound so different from the blue one [the SS] you brought home?" I said it had a smaller engine in it with prototype

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  9. A COLD HEART FOR THE CAMARO - OIL COOLER R&D - PART 2: Prototype & Testing

    A COLD HEART FOR THE CAMARO - OIL COOLER R&D - PART 2: Prototype & Testing

    The pre-sale for this oil cooler kit is now live! You can purchase the 2010-15 Camaro SS Oil Cooler Kit here!

    There's nothing quite like the feeling of powering down the long straight, your right foot trying to turn the throttle into dust, hurtling towards the first turn. As the engine RPM climbs into the red you tell yourself not to lift, keep that foot down until the last second. You've put your heart and soul into your Camaro's engine, and you've placed your trust in your Mishimoto oil cooler. All you need to do now is keep your foot down and let them both do their jobs.

    Combating high oil temperature is something that almost every 5th Gen Camaro SS owner has experienced. The factory liquid-to-liquid oil cooler that we examined in the last post is just not up to the task of cooling the engine's oil during high-stress driving, or even idling in traffic on a hot day. For the past couple of months, our project engineer, Jason, has been working on a direct-fit oil cooler that will let the

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  10. Hot and Cold - Intercooler Pipes R&D, Part 2: Almost There

    Hot and Cold - Intercooler Pipes R&D, Part 2: Almost There

    We have a lot of advanced equipment at our disposal that would make a design for an upgraded intercooler pipe kit for this 2016+ Chevy Camaro 2.0T superior over stock in many ways. We aren't only aiming for these pipes to have spot-on fitment. It's crucial to think about every design detail and consider how you can keep these pipes with you throughout your quest for more power without having to do anything to them. This means incorporating design features that can support even more modifications - whether you plan to use them or not. I'll take you through how we accomplished this.

    Prototype intercooler pipes up for testing
    Prototype intercooler pipes up for testing

    Our engineer was able to get his hands on detailed 3D model data files of the Camaro's engine bay. He designed what he wanted to pinpoint level accuracy within the given parameters of the digitized engine bay with our computer-aided design (CAD) program. Designing parts in this fashion is the most accurate way to do things, which is why our engineering department has

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