Monthly Archives: October 2015

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!

In our first segment, we removed all components within the 2.0L intake system to evaluate oil contamination. Our findings indicated that a reasonable amount of oil was making its way into the intake manifold through the PCV system. Not only was this coating the manifold, it was producing buildup on the valves themselves. A catch can install is an easy way to slow this progress, which is exactly what we will be working on for the ND.

Catch Can

For the ND, and all our existing direct-fit kits, we will be utilizing our compact baffled oil catch can. This component has proven to be extremely effective at separating oil/fuel byproduct in numerous applications.

This catch can has numerous features that enhance functionality. We've incorporated an air diverter on the inlet, which will allow the fluid/air mixture to turbulate within the can and help

We left off development with a neat look at our first prototype, when we determined the shape and path of our brace and printed out mounting brackets for each side of the piece. By using specific angles with our square material, we were able to avoid modification of the seat mounting bracket, retain rigidity, and provide a bar that is easily hidden by the rear tray.

Our last image showed our fabricator tacking together the material. Below is what we ended up with.

Prototype Fiesta ST rear strut brace installed

We then installed the floor panel mounting covers.

Prototype Fiesta ST rear strut brace installed

Let's take a closer look at how the plastic interior components sit with respect to our brace mounts.

Prototype Fiesta ST rear strut brace installed

As you can see, the height of our mounts will prevent use of the lower mounting position for the rear tray. We want this bar to allow the tray to fit in both the lower and upper positions, retaining all intensions from the factory design.

It's been a while since our last update on the Fiesta ST cat-back exhaust and we are excited to let you in on the details of the final prototype! The last detail to square away was the exhaust tips. While the tips we had were decent, we found them a little on the plain side so we switched it up. Rather than the single-wall tips, we went with a dual-walled setup that we think look much better on the ST and will hold up better over time. Check out some photos below!

Fiesta ST exhaust tips

Welding some Fiesta ST parts

Fiesta ST exhaust tips

For comparison, here is a shot of all three tips that we have worked with on Fiesta ST exhaust. On the far right you'll see our good buddy, the stock exhaust, with its awkwardly large muffler. You had a good run, old friend. The center is our first prototype, a bit more on target but we saw room for improvement. Finally, the star of our post, our double-walled tips looking mighty fine closest to us on the left.

Fiesta ST exhaust tips

Fiesta ST exhaust tips

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!

Not long ago we posted some initial details regarding plans for our direct-fit Miata oil cooler solution. We've been hard at work on our design, with hopes that our end product will provide optimal oil temperatures for track junkies.

Final Bracket Design

Last time, we constructed two mounting brackets for our kit. We prefer three mounting points for optimal rigidity. This Miata oil cooler is going to see quite a bit of airflow, so we want to ensure the cooler mounts can handle this force. Below is a shot of our third bracket, which ties into the passenger side of the radiator support.

ND Miata parts development

Each bracket will be constructed from 1/8" aluminum and will be powder coated for corrosion resistance. Not only will this provide strength, it will also be lightweight, reducing the impact of added weight on the front end. We don't want

The Engineering Department here at Mishimoto has been buzzing with activity around our new Miata intake design. We've just constructed a prototype pipe and box, bringing us even closer to dyno testing! Let's walk through the process.

It's extremely important we pay close attention to detail on this project. From the beginning, we knew this box had to be made of aluminum, not steel, which is much too heavy. We also decided to utilize the factory air duct on this setup, so the box has an inlet accommodating that component.

Airbox Construction

The next few images show how we went about designing the air box. A major goal for the air box design was for it to be simple to install so utilizing factory mounting points was a must. Below, you'll see shots of the stock Miata intake system removed and a couple of our pieces being test fitted.

Stock Miata intake system removed

Stock Miata intake system removed

Here are some shots of the airbox we plan to fit into that space.

Prototype Miata air intake

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

Mishimoto Shift Knobs

We've brought you two prototype designs thus far, and now we have one more weighted shift knob ready to pull from our knapsack and present to the public. These three designs are displayed in order from wild to mild, with our third design representing a more traditional shape. Hopefully, one of our new designs is something you could see yourself grabbing ahold of while ripping through some gears.

3D Models

As with our other designs, this life also began as a 3D model. Our Solidworks wizards went to work and quickly transformed an idea from sketches to a rendering. Check it out!

Prototype weighted shift knob rendering

Prototype weighted shift knob rendering

As indicated by the name, the general shape is in the form of a teardrop, which provides a nice ergonomic feel.

Check out the Mishimoto logo laser etched on top!

Prototype weighted shift knob rendering

This

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!

Test vehicle for GTO parts development

Although the car is in good shape, inside and out, Tom has big plans that include some restoration work. The plate is quite fitting for this vehicle. Definitely a neat touch.

Test vehicle for GTO parts development

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 start up and acceleration, which creates a richer air-fuel mixture. With more air going into the exhaust, the byproduct is less concentrated, and this is generally good for the catalytic converter. For this MK7, we will have two systems - one for SAI cars, which will include a breather filter,

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 of applications that greatly benefit from the addition. If you follow the progress of direct injection, you will see a variety of issues regarding valve