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Interested in picking up our E46 intake system? Check out our product page for more information!

Mishimoto BMW E46 Performance Air Intake

Final Intake Images

With successful testing data acquired from our first prototype, it was time to make a final prototype and perform our last test fit before producing a batch of final intake systems. Check out a shot of the shroud, intake hose, and filter!

Mishimoto E46 air intake shroud, intake hose, and air filter

The airbox is constructed of powder-coated steel, and we line the

Interested in picking up this aluminum E36 expansion tank? Check out our product page linked below!

BMW E36 Aluminum Coolant Expansion Tank!

The time has come and the anticipation is over. Our final prototype unit has been constructed, and we are ready to check fitment! On to the pictures!

Final Expansion Tank Images

Mishimoto expansion tank prototype

Interested in picking up our E46 intake system? Check out our product page for more information!

Mishimoto BMW E46 Performance Air Intake

After completing our initial prototype it was time to strap this E46 to the dyno and make a few pulls. We would be evaluating power output, monitoring vital engine sensors such as AFR, and collecting sound clips for comparison against the stock intake system.

Dyno Testing

E46 on dyno for intake testing

Quick project update! As noted in our last post, we had finished collecting data points and dimensional information for the stock tank and were setting our sights on creating a tank of our own.

After pulling our engineers out from under shop vehicles, we set them behind the computer to get this project moving. Check out some of our initial 3D models!

Mishimoto expansion tank, 3D model

Mishimoto expansion tank, 3D model

Interested in picking up this aluminum E36 expansion tank? Check out our product page linked below!

BMW E36 Aluminum Coolant Expansion Tank!

Time to break open the stock tank and see what lies within. If you follow some of our other development projects, you would know that we recently split an E46 3-series expansion tank and found quite a complex system including both internal and external features. Although this added some complexity and difficulty to the project, it seemed like our engineers enjoyed the challenge.

Stock Expansion Tank Internals

First, before we slice this guy in half, a look inside the tank from the cap.

Interested in picking up our E36 fan shroud? Check out the full details on this kit on our product page!

Mishimoto BMW E36 Performance Fan Shroud Kit!

Our final prototype is complete and looks fantastic. The fan mount is constructed from 1/8" steel that has been cut to a specific shape allowing for additional airflow through the radiator core at speed. Additionally, the mount is powder coated black to provide a durable finish. As noted in our last post, we tested this unit extensively with our 16" fan to ensure that coolant temperatures were properly regulated during both idle and all driving conditions.

Check out a few shots of the mount!

Final prototype

Interested in purchasing our 2015 WRX top-mount intercooler kit? Check out more details on our product page linked below!

Mishimoto Subaru WRX Performance Top-Mount Intercooler and Charge-Pipe System

As noted in our previous post, we decided to design a shroud that would channel airflow more efficiently through the core of our intercooler. Because our cooler features a larger footprint, the stock air shroud directs flow to only a portion of the core. Opening up this airflow to the entire core should result in even greater temperature reductions than we saw during our first round of testing.

Stock Intercooler Shroud

First, let's take a look at the stock shroud as Steve removes it from our test vehicle. Here is what you will see under the hood of your WRX.

Interested in purchasing our E46 aluminum radiator? Check out our product page linked below!

Mishimoto BMW E46 Non-M Performance Aluminum Radiator!

3D Modeling

After some serious 3D modeling work in Solidworks, our first prototype unit is complete. Let's check out a few of the renders!

Mishimoto E46 3-series aluminum radiator 3D model

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Interested in picking up our 2015 WRX FMIC kit? Check out more details on our product page linked below!

Mishimoto Subaru WRX Front-Mount Intercooler Kit

Time for the fun part of development, product testing! Since this is an intercooler, we would certainly need to put the WRX on the dyno for some pulls and data collection. It would be interesting to see how the installation of a front-mount system has an impact on turbo spool, intake temperatures, and perhaps even power output.

Testing Preparation

The first step toward data collection is to prepare our sensor bungs and install our pressure and temperature sensors. We installed our bungs within the inlet and outlet intercooler couplers.