Page 21 - mishimoto

We reached out to the forums earlier this month with a request for a GTO owner to lend us his vehicle for product development. The response was substantial. Our inbox quickly filled with messages from enthusiasts willing to help out. We got a similar response last year when we developed an aluminum radiator for the goat. Before jumping into this GTO oil cooler product development, we want to extend a huge thank you to the GTO community for supporting us and for offering recommendations on new projects and product design.

The Test Subject

Our test vehicle came all the way from New York, brought to us by a generous fellow named Tom. This model, a 2004, features a bold Yellow Jacket paint scheme along with a manual transmission. Very nice combination!

We've got hot hatch fever! One of the newest vehicles to grace our garage, which happens to be our 3^rd hatch for intake development, is the new 2015 VW GTI. Although Volkswagen was far from the first company with a hot hatch in its lineup, it was one of the first companies to really push the popularity of the design. VW is synonymous with the term "hot hatch" to most automotive enthusiasts. With the emergence of VW's newest GTI, it's time for us at Mishimoto to design our own intake for this turbocharged 2.0L engine.

GTI arriving at the shop!

Goals

Newer GTIs can either come with or without a Secondary Air Injection (SAI) pipe. Basically, this is a system that forces more air into the exhaust during

Interested in purchasing our new ND Miata catch can system? Check out our product page linked below!

Mishimoto Mazda Miata Baffled Oil Catch Can Kit!

If you've been keeping an eye on our blog or posts on the forums, you would notice some recent attention on ND Miata R&D. We have big goals to improve air inhalation for the 2.0L by way of a high-flow intake system, and we are knee deep in an awesome oil cooler setup, which will keep fluid temperatures in-check during track driving. Although this project might not be as neat in terms of testing data and added performance, it is equally important.

Why a Catch Can?

Catch cans and direct injection go together like Miatas and R-comps. You might not think you need it, but once installed, you won't want it removed. We've been designing direct-fit catch can systems for quite some time, for a variety

If you read our blog, you'll remember a short while ago that we did a quick dyno test on a brand-new, fully stock 2016 Miata ND. That's not all we had planned for this little roadster. We put our Engineers to work on upgraded intake. Take a look behind the scenes and follow our progress as we bring our intake design to life.

Mazda has pulled out all the stops for this brand-new MX-5. Auto manufacturers rarely make the next generation in a specific vehicle line lighter in weight. With the rapid increase in advances in technology and the demand for more safety features in new vehicles, there is little doubt that the next generation of a model will be heavier. Not the case here! The current US-released version of this 2016 Miata ND has a curb weight of around 2,332 lb. Compared to the previous-generation NC that weighed around 2,498 lb, this model has shed

Interested in purchasing our new ND Miata direct-fit oil cooler kit? Check out our product page linked below!

Mishimoto Mazda Miata Oil Cooler Kit!

It's hard to doubt the upcoming success of the new Miata. Previous generations have provided enthusiasts with an amazing chassis that continues to dominate the racing world and bring smiles to the faces of owners around the globe. With the new model comes some weight shedding and a new power plant. Reviews from a variety of sources have revealed that Mazda did things right, just as we all figured they would. The only issue is that this model was not released sooner!

We've had our test vehicle in the shop for a few weeks now, with some exciting new product development underway. A big thank you to the vehicle owner for letting us borrow her Miata! Our intake design is coming along nicely, we have a direct-fit catch can in the works, and

We have been hard at work developing our 2013 Ford Focus ST intake system. When the stock intake system was removed, there was room to get creative for improving airflow. Right off the bat, you can see how Ford designed its intake to grab as much cold air as possible by using the two tubes that both conjoin at the front grille and connect into different points on the box. We know it will be important to retain this feature and include it in our airbox design for the Focus ST intake.

Fabricating the Prototype

With the removal of the stock Focus ST intake leaving a good amount of space, we wanted to design an airbox that uses that space effectively. After the space was carefully and thoroughly surveyed, we got to work fabricating and welding together a working prototype!

Interested in purchasing one of our new shift knob designs? Check out more product details at the link below!

Mishimoto Shift Knobs

We promised there would be more! Our first design presented Wednesday was pretty slick, and this next design is all about ergonomics and comfort. Not only did the design team work on the aesthetics, but we also spent some time ensuring that the feel of this knob would be ideal for slamming into gears while keeping your eyes pinned to the road.

Initial Design Rendering

As with our other weighted shift knob, this one also started in the 3D world. Check out a couple SolidWorks models showing the initial shape.

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Interested in picking up our Fiesta ST aluminum radiator? Check out our discounted pre-sale linked below.

Mishimoto 2014+ Ford Fiesta ST Aluminum Radiator Pre-Sale!

Now that we have a solid direction for our design plans, this project is moving right along. Last time we started the fabrication process for our fan shroud design. This unique setup would utilize the stock fan motor and blade, but we would relocate it in a space that would allow our thicker Ford Fiesta radiator to fit properly.

Fabrication Continued

With our shroud completed to its basic shape, our final portion of the design required mounting the fan to the shroud, creating a fan-blade cage, and creating appropriate mounts for the stock fan controller.

We started with the cage, as this piece would determine the location and design of the other components on the list.

Interested in purchasing one of our new shift knob designs? Check out more product details at the link below!

Mishimoto Shift Knobs

Not all our projects involve in-depth data, heat-transfer calculations, or metal fabrication. From time to time our engineering team collaborates with our talented creative team to develop awesome accessories for your ride. These upgrades might not add power or drop temperatures, but they can surely improve the driving experience and offer an improvement in styling.

In addition to the collaboration work, each design was created by a different member of our team. If you know any of these people, you might see where the designs reflect their personalities quite a bit.

Weighted Shift Knob

Our first unique design is likely to find its way into the vehicle of someone seeking a bolder look. This design started life

Interested in picking up our Fiesta ST aluminum radiator? Check out our discounted pre-sale linked below.

Mishimoto 2014+ Ford Fiesta ST Aluminum Radiator Pre-Sale!

It's been a few months since our last major update, and for good reason. Our team has been quite busy. As a quick recap, last time we test fitted our first Ford Fiesta ST (FIST) radiator prototype, only to find that the core thickness was larger than the vehicle would allow. Once the radiator was bolted to the fan shroud, the shroud made contact with numerous components on the engine, prompting us to pull out our markers and take a second look at the drawing board.

Now, keep in mind the FIST has some serious cooling issues. Any pleasures on the track are normally negated after a lap or two causes coolant temperatures to reach the stratosphere, prompting a quick dart to the paddock. To improve the chances