Page 11 - Engineering

The Civic has always been a tuner for the masses. From over-the-top aesthetic builds to unsuspecting powerhouses that would put muscle cars to shame, Honda's entry-level compact gives any enthusiast a blank canvas to create their automotive vision. The tenth generation only made things better with an added turbocharged option to their lineup for some added spice. For some, though, this extra heat was a little too much to handle - literally.

As we covered in our last post the dramatic design for the tenth generation Civic ends up reducing airflow to the critical cooling components, which can cause some frustration during your canyon carve or track day. So basically, the cooling system needed some help, and we're here to deliver.

Claiming to be the ultimate at anything requires some physical proof. BMW has no issue backing up their claim of being the Ultimate Driving Machine with the extensive thought and engineering they put into every vehicle, especially when it comes to their prized M3. This M-car not only exemplifies with mantra but also consistently raises the bar, specifically with the mind-bending performance figures that the G8X platform puts out. We're here to do the same regarding what's under the M3 and M4's hood, specifically for the S58's intake system.

To start with our final testing, we need to rewind to our prototype of this new design. This prototype kit was always destined to pull double duty, both for checking our fitment along with performance testing, so we ensured that our 3D prints could withstand the heat under the M3's hood. Make sure that you head to our

Oil is the lifeblood of any motorized vehicle out there. Proper lubrication is key to ensuring all of your engine's components keep from melting or shredding each other to pieces. Whether you're trudging through your daily commute or conquering the track, maintaining proper oil temperatures is vital for both the performance and longevity of your G8X M3 or M4. These M's make driving a much more special experience, but high temperatures or a leaky cooler can knock them down a few pegs.

BMW's unrelenting efficiency is both a blessing and a curse, specifically when it comes to its ability to package components in and around the engine bay neatly. On the one hand, it makes for a neatly arranged engine bay laid out for optimal performance. Still, it also means some essential components are either hard to reach or mounted in a precarious position, like the oil cooler, for example.

The S63 contained under the hood of BMW's F1X generation M5s and M6s have quite the appetite for power. Unfortunately, this hunger and impeccable taste mean that these Ms aren't easily satiated, and it takes a full course meal to satisfy their cooling needs. So far, we've only just looked at the menu for our intercooling upgrades, but now it's time to give it a small taste.

Even as advanced as our modeling programs are, the virtual workspace can only get us so far. Also, we felt the need to triple-check our work, given how particular we are about fitment, combined with our larger intercoolers. The best way to review the fitment of our intercoolers without starting mass production is by putting our 3D printers to work. Within only a few hours, we're able to churn out a 1:1 scale replica of our new intercooler design that's ideal for test fitting.

Evolution for us living organisms is an arduous process. It's a generational operation that can take millions of years for adaptation or improvements to implement fully. Luckily though, we've evolved to the point where our tools and tech reduce the evolution process to our performance machines to a fraction of the time. As a result, we're implementing them in our Q50/Q60 intercooler development.

When we last left off, our prototype intercoolers were a plastic 1:1 scale model of our new design, specifically 3D printed for a real-world fitment check before starting our production. The trouble is that even with the advancement in technology, manufacturing is still a lengthy and costly process, especially when it comes to casting aluminum. Being the sticklers that we are, we wanted to ensure that our intercoolers would perform up to our standards before churning out hundreds of units without slowing down our development process. So, we decided to assemble a set of one-off working prototypes.

Turbo and supercharging have been crucial in modern automotive performance. These induction add-ons help your small displacement 4-cylinder punch above its weight class or help your monstrous V8 achieve ludicrous speed. In any case, the process of forced induction heats your charged air, which is less than ideal for keeping your performance machine, well, performing. Intercooling systems have long been implemented to mitigate this issue, but as these systems evolve, things can get a little convoluted, which is why we're here! Let's dig in. 

To start, we need to understand the fundamentals of how a forced induction system works and why that leads to hot intake temps. Your turbo or supercharger is, in essence, an air compressor. The concept behind forced induction is to cram more air into your intake system than the ambient air pressure allows. Naturally aspirated engines are limited to the atmospheric pressure of the current environment, whereas adding a turbo or supercharger to the