BLOG CATEGORIES

Monthly Archives: February 2017

  1. Civilized Pipelines: Intercooler Piping R&D, Part 1: Design Plans

    Civilized Pipelines: Intercooler Piping R&D, Part 1: Design Plans

    Turbocharger compressors like denser air, which is why us car enthusiasts joke about how, although the winter is the motorsports off-season, it's peak "boost" season. Cars with forced induction love the colder, denser climates because by driving in colder weather, the turbocharger or supercharger gets fed a bit more air than in warmer weather. That's why you might feel a harder punch from the gas pedal in the middle of a freezing Chicago December compared to a Daytona Beach July.

    Since we don't all boost happily in the Siberian Tundra, the way to replicate this effect is by finding a way to supply more air to your method of forced induction. One way to do so is by making your intercooler piping or charge pipes larger. Larger pipes allow more airflow, which translates to more power. Our lead engineer for this entire intercooler project is very familiar with this idea, before creating larger pipes, we must first evaluate the stock pipes - hot side and cold side - to know exactly what we

    Continue Reading »
  2. Bring a Jacket: Intercooler R&D, Part 1: The Stock System

    Bring a Jacket: Intercooler R&D, Part 1: The Stock System

    I've been labeled a Nissan guy for a long time now. My 1995 Nissan 240SX has served me well during the six years I've owned it, sticking with me through the second half of college, nine states on the east coast and more drift events than I can honestly count. Being a Nissan guy (specifically a 240 guy) has really been the one thing I could easily identify with, other than usually being able to see over crowds and get the "Did you play college ball?" question. While I'm familiar with what is known as the S-Chassis, I'm a car guy through and through, and I can appreciate the builds and the individual styles that come from all sorts of different personalities and backgrounds. This is exactly why when I saw this new 2016 Honda Civic 1.5L Turbo Hatchback pull into our parking lot last week, I got excited.

    _MG_2496r
    Continue Reading »
  3. Tank Love - Expansion Tank R&D, Part 2: Final Reveal

    Tank Love - Expansion Tank R&D, Part 2: Final Reveal

    I told you this project was going to move fast. In the last update, we laid down our design plans for how we will give this RS coolant expansion tank some sprucing up. Not only did we make the tank more pleasing to look at, we also increased the capacity and added a neat sight tube so you can check your levels with ease. You guys have been asking for it, so let's get up close and personal.

    The stock unit pales in comparison to the size of the Mishimoto tank.
    The stock unit pales in comparison to the size of the Mishimoto tank.

    One of the first things you'll notice with this tank is the capacity increase over the stock unit. We are making this tank to fit both the Focus RS and ST, but that doesn't mean we have to stay within the size parameters

    Continue Reading »
  4. Protecting the N55 - Catch Can R&D, Part 3: Test Results and Final Look

    Protecting the N55 - Catch Can R&D, Part 3: Test Results and Final Look

    The pre-sale for this kit is now live! Click here to buy the Mishimoto N55 Catch Can Kit!

    Nothing ruins a weekend drive through your favorite back roads more than an unexpected check engine light (CEL). That is, nothing except a flashing check engine light.  Having driven my fair share of Volkswagens, Audis, and more recently Subaru's, I've become quite accustomed to the warm, orange glow of a lit check engine light.  A solid CEL is something that no longer worries me; it's something that I, and most people who modify cars, have come to expect every now and then.  What does still haunt my dreams, however, is the flashing CEL. What's the difference? A solid CEL is usually a fault that's not life-threatening to the engine.  Small issues

    Continue Reading »
  5. "The TurboChevy" Intake R&D, Part 4: Hard Work Pays Off

    "The TurboChevy" Intake R&D, Part 4: Hard Work Pays Off

    Our Performance Intake kit is now available on Presale! Act fast to take advantage of the special pricing! 

    Chevrolet Camaro Performance Intake Kit PreSale

    It certainly has been no picnic to get to this point. However, working on this unique, factory-turbocharged application from Chevy has brought to light the importance of the type of testing we do for our intake projects. We've gone through many configurations, spent countless design hours and logged hundreds of miles of road testing. This isn't overkill at Mishimoto, we deem it a necessity.

    The amount of time that passed by was no mistake. We spared no R&D expense with this kit. Being as thorough as possible with every aspect of how it looked and the type of performance it delivered was a priority. In the last update, we went through why we encountered a few hiccups during testing, but we took our time in working through

    Continue Reading »
  6. We Get Around - Catch Can R&D, Part 6: Cadillac Field Trip

    We Get Around - Catch Can R&D, Part 6: Cadillac Field Trip

    Though the winter continues to perpetuate chilly weather and monotonous gloom here on the east coast, the future is looking bright for our Mishimoto 2013+ Cadillac ATS catch can kit. After a nice visit to the local Porsche dealership (yes, you read that correctly), armed with some anomalous 50◦ January sunshine, several delicious sandwiches, and our final ATS prototype catch can kit, we've determined that our fitment is just about spot on.

    For those of you just catching up with us now (I crack myself up), this ATS kit is largely the same as our Camaro 2.0T catch can kit, which is now on pre-sale"don't worry, the ATS pre-sale is not far behind!

    However, to properly fit the Caddy, we needed to design a bespoke set of ATS-specific brackets and hoses.

    Continue Reading »
  7. American Workhorse - Part 3: Looks that Kill

    American Workhorse - Part 3: Looks that Kill

    So far, we've examined chassis flex on the 6.4 Super Duty trucks and we've taken a look at our solution in its construction, design, and testing. As our Mishimoto 6.4 Upper Radiator Support Bar pre-sale comes to an imminent close, I've got just a bit more to share!

    upper radiator support bar

    Namely, I think it's time we show you some trucks! As I've mentioned before, we've been working with numerous 6.4 owners to test this bar out, and things have gone great so far. The bars have seen many thousands of miles, and we've had some of our satisfied testers send in some cool shots of their support bars installed on the trucks.

    Check them

    Continue Reading »
  8. Makin' Our Camaro Purr - Catback R&D, Part 1: Stock Review

    Makin' Our Camaro Purr - Catback R&D, Part 1: Stock Review

    Here I stand, firmly within the land of people who spend egregious amounts of money on car parts, as I look back and wonder how in hell I got here. Those of us in my position often place the blame on a nasty little creature called the "mod bug."

    The mod bug, as they say, is a tricky little bastard. Though you may think most damage-imposing biting insects live in Australia, I can assure you, this one is alive and well in the Americas. I've had firsthand experience as a victim, and it isn't pretty - just ask my bank account.

    The feeling of that bug biting for the first time is unforgettable. At the beginning, you say "just an exhaust and springs, and then my car'll be perfect". Enter mod bug. Before you know it, you're dropping a Ferrari engine in your wide-body FR-S.

    Continue Reading »
  9. Tank Love - Coolant Expansion Tank R&D, Part 1: Design Plans

    Tank Love - Coolant Expansion Tank R&D, Part 1: Design Plans

    Anyone with a car older than 15 years or so likely has a coolant expansion tank with the structural integrity of wet toilet paper. These tanks rarely get aesthetic love in the factory vehicle design. They are usually plastic, look weird and can start cracking given enough time. After 20 years, the expansion tank in my 1995 Nissan 240SX project car will literally begin crumbling around your finger if any sort of pressure is applied. We don't want that happening to your RS/ST a decade or two from now, so we decided to design a sweet looking expansion tank that will outlast the car and be a nice addition to your engine bay.

    The stock cap is has a pressure limit of 21psi
    The stock cap on the RS has a pressure limit of 21psi

    Continue Reading »
  10. Eliminating the Eyesore - Expansion Tank R&D, Part 4: Final Form

    Eliminating the Eyesore - Expansion Tank R&D, Part 4: Final Form

    They say that good things come to those who wait, and we'd certainly say that's the case with the Mishimoto 2016+ Camaro expansion tank. Note that I did not specify "SS" here. This tank also fits on the 2.0T, but we haven't gotten a change to test it out on a V6 model yet, though it should fit. If any V6 owners are local to the Philadelphia area and want to come on by for a test fit so that we can be 100% sure, please reach out!

    We've tested the tank on both of our Camaros, and we've gone through several stages of refinement, ultimately ending up with quite the fine-looking aluminum piece. Oh, and did I mention it's already on Pre-Sale?

    Mishimoto 2016+ Camaro Expansion / Overflow Tank Pre-Sale

    Let's take

    Continue Reading »