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Monthly Archives: June 2017

  1. Universally Guarded - Universal High-Flow Diesel Catch Can R&D - Part 1 - The Plan

    Universally Guarded - Universal High-Flow Diesel Catch Can R&D - Part 1 - The Plan

    This Universal High-Flow Catch Can Kit is now available! Click here to check it out!

    It's no secret that the world relies on the diesel engine. From the mega-motors powering cargo ships across the ocean to the 4-cylinder TDIs, the turbodiesel has become synonymous with longevity and dependability. Even after hundreds of thousands of miles, the deep chugging and piercing whistle of a turbodiesel keeps going. While the diesel engine is a staple of reliability, its lifespan is still determined by how it's taken care of. Even with all the advancements in technology and engineering, the diesel engine is still susceptible to one of the same issue that plagues its gas-powered cousin, blow-by.

    blowby can

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  2. Cool Under the Blue Collar - Radiator R&D, Part 1: Intro

    Cool Under the Blue Collar - Radiator R&D, Part 1: Intro

    When I was growing up, rural Pennsylvania wasn't exactly the breadbasket of America, but there were some mirrors between the two. For every field, of which there were many, there was a farmer. For every new building, there was a contractor. Each small town, connected by the twisting back roads, had its own set of mechanics, builders, and craftsmen. And, for each of those hard-working men and women, there was a truck that worked just as hard.

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    The legendary reliability and power of the Dodge Ram has solidified the 2500 and 3500 as the preferred truck of many blue-collar Americans and their counterparts around the world. Whether it be hauling a bed full of lumber or a trailer loaded with ten tons of equipment, these trucks do work. The fourth-generation Ram is no exception to that mentality. With its bulky shoulders,

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  3. Completing the Package - Intercooler Piping R&D, Part 1: Already Halfway There

    Completing the Package - Intercooler Piping R&D, Part 1: Already Halfway There

    The 2013+ Focus ST begs for more power. While it isn't the easiest thing to accomplish, our engineers are here to help give you quality parts that will help push your ST to and over the edge of high performance. As our release for our Performance Intercooler sits on the horizon, there's no better time than the second official day of summer "17 to tell you Focus ST enthusiasts that we are also developing upgraded intercooler piping to compliment it, because, why stop there?

    Underbody shot of the stock intercooler piping on a 2013 Ford Focus ST
    Underbody shot of the stock intercooler piping on a 2013 Ford Focus ST

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  4. Ford 7.3 Power Stroke Aluminum Expansion Tank R&D Part 1 - Stock Review and Design Plans

    Ford 7.3 Power Stroke Aluminum Expansion Tank R&D Part 1 - Stock Review and Design Plans

    When it comes to the icon of reliability, durability, and longevity in the automotive world, all eyes are on the diesel powertrain. The recognizable chugging sound of a diesel engine has become synonymous with the thought of tractor trailers, incredible fuel economy, and reaching 300,000 miles with ease. "Built Ford Tough" reigns true for all the general features of the diesel platform, the Powerstroke. Giving our loaner F-250 a look over, it's easy to see why. Everything incorporated into the design was done so with the intent to develop an invincible machine. Everything except for the expansion tank, it seems.

    Our spare stock tank gets a light coating in preparation for it's 3D scan.
    Our spare stock tank gets a light coating in preparation
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  5. Stranger Danger - Baffled Oil Catch Can R&D, Part 3: Finishing Touches

    Stranger Danger - Baffled Oil Catch Can R&D, Part 3: Finishing Touches

    The prototype has been on our loaner GT for the past few months, working as it should and catching a nice amount of blow-by. The previous updates, covered how we used innovative tech to design and create the bracket, and the planned routing for the lines. Significant progress has been made since then, as the designs have taken a cleaner physical form.

    Side shot of the completed kit
    Side shot of the completed kit

    Our sample production kit arrived at our R&D headquarters and it couldn't have fit any better. Everything was spot on and the installation was easy. You can see in the above image that we've cleaned up the catch can lines with properly routed hoses. The line material is rubber based, retaining a clean, OEM look.

    To keep this

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  6. The Rise to Power - Downpipe R&D, Part 2: A Working Prototype

    The Rise to Power - Downpipe R&D, Part 2: A Working Prototype

    Downpipes are a choke point in many turbocharged vehicles when it comes to exhaust flow. As opposed to naturally aspirated cars, less serious thought needs to go into the size of the exhaust piping. In most cases the system just needs to be bigger in diameter, maximizing what you can within the alotted design space.

    The downpipe on the Camaro 2.0T's LTG engine is a restrictive point in the exhaust system, a conclusion brought about by our testing. The point of emphasis is the rate at which exhaust gases are expelled out of the turbocharger. That flow is very important to how well the turbocharger can do its job. If you can flow more exhaust gases, the turbine can spin faster, leading to more boost. It is now time to test the prototype and figure out what our downpipe design can do for this LTG power-plant.

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  7. Cooler Than Winterfell - Intercooler R&D, Part 3: Does It Perform?

    Cooler Than Winterfell - Intercooler R&D, Part 3: Does It Perform?

    We've noticed that the 2013+ Ford Focus ST has little wiggle room when it comes to gaining power strictly from bolt-on parts. Even with stage 3 tunes, not many ST's out there see horsepower numbers beyond 300-350hp. That barrier can be surpassed with the use of ethanol or a bigger turbo, but on a stock turbo and pump gas, those numbers aren't going too far north.

    With our intercooler, we wanted to bring on some positive effects for the power in this stubborn 2.0L engine. While power is important, we also needed to monitor the outlet temperatures with a visual analysis of heat transfer across the core.

    Setting up our prototype for some dyno runs
    Setting up our prototype for some dyno runs

    One of our newer pieces of equipment is a neat little

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  8. Mission In-Pipe-Sible - Intercooler Piping R&D, Part 3: The Hot Side

    Mission In-Pipe-Sible - Intercooler Piping R&D, Part 3: The Hot Side

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: paying attention to details is a crucial part of life. Leading professionals are gurus at doing so in their respective fields. A good chef can wade through the already heavy seasoning in something like a gumbo and tell if there is too much or too little garlic by doing a simple taste test. A good fabricator can easily tell a MIG from a TIG weld by simply watching the arc on the metal (with the proper eyewear of course). And a good tuner can tell if something as elusive as timing is off, even in the slightest, on an engine they regularly tune just by listening to it.

    If you want to be the best in your field, pay close attention to little details. It's what will set you apart from the rest of the pack. Our engineering department has honed their skills in noticing the details. In the case of our 2016 Ford Focus RS hot-side intercooler pipe, we paid close attention to airflow and noticed a problematic aspect - not with the pipe itself, but with

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  9. Balancing Act - Mishimoto's 2015-16 WRX PCV Side Catch Can Kit

    Balancing Act - Mishimoto's 2015-16 WRX PCV Side Catch Can Kit

    Life is all about balance. It may be cliché, but it's true, especially when modifying cars. Attention must be paid to balancing power with handling, air with fuel, and most importantly, parts on your car with money in your wallet. That same balancing act applies to our catch can kits. We spend a lot of time balancing the cost of a catch can kit with its benefits.

    MMBCC-CAM4-16K_Install_004
    Our 2016+ Camaro 2.0T catch can kit utilizes two cans to capture the maximum amount of blowby.

    Many engines have a "clean" side of the crankcase ventilation system and a "dirty" side. Some engines produce just as much worrisome blow-by from their clean side as their dirty side. We usually develop a two-can kit for these engines, one for each

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