Page 9 - Engineering

Subaru's WRX and rally racing have long been synonymous with each other. Ever since Colin MacRae's iconic blue and gold GC8 dominated the dirt through the early '90s, enthusiasts worldwide sought out their own rally car for the road. Subaru fulfilled this desire for dirt-ready road warriors for four generations and plenty of re-stylings, injecting their rally racing heritage into each generation. As the WRX saw more time on highways and commute routes, each new generation needed to grow up to also fill the daily driver role. After seven years with the VA, it was time for an update. Enter the fifth-generation 2022 VB WRX. This generation hits the streets as the most mature and sophisticated WRX to date but still remembers its roots. It still fills the role of the AWD fun machine, ready to tackle rally stages and long stretches of highway, but still leaves "Rex-heads" out there with the same desire: bigger and better performance. So naturally, we couldn't wait to get our hands on this WRX.

Performance is always on the enthusiast's mind. So, if you find us deep in thought behind the wheel, we're usually pondering what parts or tweaks will squeeze out another few drops of power. We here at Mishimoto have the same thoughts and are on a mission to achieve that performance potential. Since most modern vehicles, even the performance-oriented models, are left breathing through straws thanks to stringent standards and regulations, reducing restrictions in the intake and intercooler systems is one of the quickest routes to adding some pep to any engine's step.

Improving your vehicle's respiratory system is just one of our areas of expertise since more air means more power. However, how do we know we're on the right track for a deeper breathing engine? Making things bigger is one option, but there's so much more to flow dynamics than just a big pipe that requires precision testing, and we have the right tool for the job.

Advances in technology worked wonders for the internal combustion engine. With every new vehicle launched, there's a list of advancements to these controlled-explosion contraptions to harness maximum power and efficiency while keeping emissions in check. It's no secret that Ford doused their reinvented Bronco in these same innovations, but even this new-school hardware still falls victim to old-school by-products, like blow-by.

No matter the installed innovations, blow-by still remains the age-old nemesis of any engine's top-end components. The mix of fuel and oil vapors galvanize into stubborn carbon buildup, robbing the 2.7L of the power and efficiency the Ford engineers painstakingly worked into this engine. Yes, this engine utilizes a dual-injection system that will mitigate carbon buildup, but even port-injection vehicles suffer the same symptoms of unfiltered blow-by over time. So, even with factory-installed countermeasures, a catch can setup is still one of the best means of

The executive level is cut-throat. It's always portrayed as a world full of like-minded, power-hungry individuals desperately looking to get ahead of their fellow man. Every achievement is paraded as a victory over others, and everyone has a weakness that's exploited. While this might be more of Hollywood's representation of the corporate world's upper crust, the performance executive segment is that competitive. Auto manufacturers have been duking it out for decades to climb the ladder of the segment that BMW practically invented with the M5. Now in its sixth generation, the progenitor of physics-defying luxury sports cars has a weakness open for exploitation in the form of mismanaged oil temperatures and a vulnerably mounted oil cooler. Luckily we're already on a mission to reinforce this weak link. 

Preparation and reinforcement are essential when any system is about to experience a sudden increase in volume. Whether it's the website holding the info for the resurrected legendary off-roading lineup, the production line bolting these trucks together for the mountains of orders, or the piping system in the 2.3L that just had a performance tune installed, solidifying these systems is crucial to a smooth and optimized operation. Like with any forced induction engine, the four-cylinder Broncos' intercooling system holds the key to a significant portion of that power potential you're after. However, the stock piping still needs some work before cranking up the boost.

There are plenty of reasons to need some extra grunt from your 2.3L EcoBoost, with the stock pipes standing in the way of the enormous potential this engine packs. Luckily our engineer, Dan, is already on the case to unlock the 2.3L's performance, but first, we need to look at what needs to be improved from Ford's design.

Just the mere utterance of the word "Toyota" drums up thoughts and first-hand anecdotes related to the brand's reliability. Everyone knows someone who's owned a Camry or Corolla with enough miles to circumvent the earth a few times and still won't quit. Of course, this rugged dependability is something that we'd expect to find in Toyota's line of trucks and SUVs, and while it's mostly there, we found in our *last post* that the Tundra's cooling system pokes some holes in these stories, along with the radiator itself.

The cooling system is vital to the operation of any vehicle, but especially to the full-sized trucks that are hauling heavy loads. Unfortunately, cracked and crumbling inlet pipes is less than ideal for daily commuting, let alone when the need arises for hauling or towing. Luckily, we have the fix.

Our Bronco Performance Intake kits are now available! Clickhereto grab yours today!

Ford's flagship off-roader design lives up to its "Built Wild" tagline. Function is prioritized over form. As rugged as these trucks look, those tough looks can only get you so far. Ford knew this and packed their Broncos full of tricks and traits that make them more at home on a desolate trail than crowded interstates. As wild as these Broncos are, some might find the 2.7L under the hood is still a bit domesticated. While not built to be a speed demon, some more attitude is always a welcome addition.

Intakes are always the best place to start when breaking any vehicle out of its shell, with the 2.7L Bronco being no exception. While bolting an intake kit on this 2.7L will provide immediate audible results, we expect most of the performance to come in tandem with performance mapping. We dive deeper

Our Bronco Performance Intake kits are now available! Clickhereto grab yours today!

Compromise is a common thread through the Bronco fleet. These towering off-roaders are destined for the great outdoors but will likely spend most of their time cruising America's interstates. Compromises continue with the shared components between the different engine options found under the Bronco's hood, which means meeting in the middle in terms of performance. While these trucks aren't necessarily built for speed, that doesn't mean they can't be turned into speed demons.

Intakes are always the first step toward changing the demeanor of your vehicle, with the 2.3L Bronco being no exception. As we dig further into the development of our kit, the compromises continue, however. For starters, the Bronco essentially requires additional tuning to make full use of bolt-on upgrades due to MAP or speed-density-based

Hitting the high road is not for the unprepared. This road less traveled is pocked with treacherous trenches and littered with rocky obstacles. While your Bronco is designed to glide over such tribulations, even the more hardened off-roader is still prepared for the eventuality that even Ford's mighty Bronco might get stuck. From training to shakedown trips, combined with the necessary recovery gear, man, gear, and machine make for the optimal off-roading team, and we want to make sure that your Bronco is ready for any excursion.

We take on the same concept here at Mishimoto as we make clearance for winches while improving your Bronco's performance. Relocating the intercooler, especially a vehicle with technology dripping from every corner, is complex, to say the least. Where our 3D scanning equipment and modeling software provide a scale virtual workspace for our engineers, nothing can top physically installing the design into the vehicle. So, to help streamline our process, we fired

Any road trip requires at least a small amount of planning. Sure, you could just jump into the car and drive, but it helps to know at least the direction you're headed in most cases. The planning requirements only increase as more passengers climb into your Explorer.

If the intercooler is the road map to the Explorer ST's expedition to more power, we here at Mishimoto prefer our trip to have a complete and detailed itinerary. Really, after a closer inspection of our production sample, our road trip looks more like the course details of a road rally.

When we last left off, our intercooler was just the framework of our design. This physical manifestation of the digital design was fabricated here at our R&D facility to triple-check our fitment before the real thing arrived. Well, the