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Monthly Archives: January 2020

  1. Nearly Perfect - Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 Radiator R&D, Part 1: Prototype to Production

    Nearly Perfect - Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 Radiator R&D, Part 1: Prototype to Production

    The 2012+ Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is a nearly perfect sleeper. With four doors, enough room for the kids and the dog, and a 475 hp 6.4L Hemi V8 under the hood pushing it to a sub-five second 0-60, there's not much the Grand Cherokee can't do quickly. But all that capability and power comes at a cost. 475 hp moving 5,200 lbs. around generates a massive amount of heat. It's not uncommon for engine coolant temps to hit 220°F or more, especially in modified Cherokees.

    The Grand Cherokee SRT8 is certainly capable, but if it overheats, it's useless. That's why we decided to develop a performance aluminum radiator to put the finishing touch on your 2012+ Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8.

    We started development on this radiator as we do with most of our projects by measuring the stock components.

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  2. Bypassing the Norm - Thermal Bypass Valve R&D, Part 1: Design to Delivery

    Bypassing the Norm - Thermal Bypass Valve R&D, Part 1: Design to Delivery

    The transmission
    is the backbone of your 2013-2018 Dodge Ram 6.7L Cummins. It's responsible for
    transmitting up to 930 lb-ft of torque from the engine to the wheels. That much
    power generates a lot of heat and if that heat isn't dissipated, it can destroy
    your transmission. The transmission cooler does a decent job of keeping
    transmission fluid temperatures in check, but only if the fluid can reach it.

    The stock
    cooling systems of both the 68-RFE and Aisin AS69RC utilize an in-line thermal
    bypass valve that controls the flow of fluid to the transmission cooler. The
    purpose of this valve is to prevent transmission fluid from flowing to the
    cooler until it reaches operating temperature. In cold environments, this
    operation is important to prevent overcooling, but there's an inherent problem
    with the stock bypass valve.

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  3. In Good Health - Baffled Oil Catch Can Kit R&D: Start to Finish

    In Good Health - Baffled Oil Catch Can Kit R&D: Start to Finish

    If you're like most 6.4L Powerstroke owners, your truck is your livelihood. It gets you around, carries your tools, tows your equipment, and anything else you need to get the job done. You rely on your 6.4L every day and want to keep it healthy, but your 6.4L isn't as diligent about its own well-being.

    Like all modern internal combustion engines, the 6.4L Powerstroke generates blow-by. This blow-by is made of carbon, oil, fuel, and water vapors that leak past the piston rings during combustion. Blow-by can be extremely detrimental to the bottom end of an engine if left unvented. The pressure from blow-by buildup can push out seals and reduce engine power. The corrosive nature of blow-by can also damage engine bearings and reduce oil life. To get the blow-by out of the bottom end, modern engines (including the 6.4L) utilize a crankcase ventilation (CCV) system.

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  4. Breathing Fresh Air - Intake R&D, Part 9: Production

    Breathing Fresh Air - Intake R&D, Part 9: Production

    As Ye tightened the last bolt on our intake production sample, we breathed a sigh of relief. Over a year of painstaking R&D came to a close with that bolt.

    In all our years designing intakes, few have been as complex or demanding as our 2018+ Jeep Wrangler JL 2.0L intake. We've fought check engine lights, tested more variations than we could have imagined, and learned a lot along the way. But the time is finally here to see the product of our efforts in its final form.

    Shortly after we finished our final design from the last post, we began production on a sample to test fit. This test fit is the final (and often the most crucial) step in the R&D process. It tells us if our design

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  5. Float Like a Butterfly, Sting like a Kia? - Performance Intercooler Kit R&D, Part 5 - Piping Production Sample

    Float Like a Butterfly, Sting like a Kia? - Performance Intercooler Kit R&D, Part 5 - Piping Production Sample

    Unfortunately for us, Bluetooth intercooling hasn't been invented yet. So when it came to updating and rerouting the intercooler's end tanks, we still needed a physical channel for the charged air to pass through. Put simply, it's not just the intercooler getting the overhaul, it's the entire system. This means more work for us, but you get to reap the benefits.

    Kia's engineers already equipped the Stinger GT with one of the most robust intercooler piping systems that we've ever seen here in the Mishimoto R&D facility. What that meant for our engineer was that they gave us a sturdy foundation to build from. You already saw a preview of what we had in mind for the piping, but now the real deal

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  6. Float Like a Butterfly, Sting like a Kia? - Performance Intercooler Kit R&D, Part 4 - Intercooler Production Sample

    Float Like a Butterfly, Sting like a Kia? - Performance Intercooler Kit R&D, Part 4 - Intercooler Production Sample

    The splash has been made, and those ripples have finally made their way to shore. The proverbial pond that is the auto industry is a big one, but it's now time to see the end result of our big plans for the Stinger GT's intercooler upgrade.

    There are a few aspects that the Stinger came up short on when it was released into the wild, and we saw the intercooler being a weak link. Given its design, it wouldn't be able to keep intake air temperatures at an appropriate level after some thrashing and turning up the boost. We last left you with the outline of the new intercooler, but now it's time for the real deal.

    Metamorphosized

    Just as Kia emerged from its cocoon with the Stinger, our intercooler is also finalizing its metamorphosis as

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