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Monthly Archives: December 2020

  1. Coronary Graft - Thermal Bypass R&D - Concept and Design

    Coronary Graft - Thermal Bypass R&D - Concept and Design

    The transmission in your JK Wrangler is practically the essence of what makes it a Jeep. The sturdy gear sets housed inside, transferring power from the engine, give the Wrangler its go anywhere, do anything attitude. Jeeps pride themselves on being ready for any situation, from the dusty trails to mall parking lots, but are they in it for the long haul? Where the transmission is the soul of the Jeep, keeping it cool can sometimes pose a challenge. True, there are plenty of means of maintaining transmission fluid cool with external coolers, but they won't do you any good if the fluid never makes it to the cooler. That's why a sturdy thermal bypass valve is essential for the Jeep JK Wrangler, along with a myriad of other Mopar products.

    Before we dive straight into our new design, let's take a look at the who, what, and why of the thermal bypass valve. First, your automatic transmission is a collection of planetary gear sets, clutch packs, shafts, and other wizardry suspended in a slurry

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  2. 10 Ways To Start Winterizing Your Jeep

    10 Ways To Start Winterizing Your Jeep

    Proper vehicle preparation and maintenance can ensure your Jeep survives the low temperatures of winter. We put together a list of 10 checklist items you can complete to give yourself peace of mind as the temperatures drop. We recommend starting this list around October if you're in the Northern Hemisphere and May if you're south of the equator. Follow this checklist to make sure you're ready for the season ahead.

    1. Test Your Battery

    If possible, have your battery tested prior to the cold weather snap and replace if it's testing

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  3. Renew, Reuse, Refresh - Performance Intake R&D, Part 1 - Stock Review

    Renew, Reuse, Refresh - Performance Intake R&D, Part 1 - Stock Review

    The automotive industry is a constant cycle of innovation. It has to be to survive and adapt to every commuter's needs. If the manufacturers nailed it on the first try, we'd still be using carburetors, and the concept of the hot-hatch wouldn't even exist. Luckily, manufacturers are keeping up to date on common trends, which is why the GTI is on its 7th, soon to be 8th generation. Just as VW and every other auto company like to keep things fresh, we here at Mishimoto are of the same mindset, which is why we're revisiting our MK7 performance intake kit.

    Before we can get into the new design of our intake kit, we'll need to dive into why we're looking to upgrade the Golf's induction system in the first place. Enthusiasts are always looking for a means to improve their ride. When it comes to the 1.8T or 2.0T powering the MK7, it's all about being able to both feed your turbo more air and also increase the volume of the turbo's singing voice. With the current setup, however, both of these

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  4. Cool Integration - Performance Heat Exchanger R&D, Part 4 - Testing Results

    Cool Integration - Performance Heat Exchanger R&D, Part 4 - Testing Results

    PERFORMANCE HEAT EXCHANGER, FITS TOYOTA GR SUPRA 3.0L, 2020+

    The GR Supra is a showoff. This is not news. No one is going out to buy one of Toyota's most revered sports cars because they're looking for something sensible. Nope, they're looking for a shouty straight-six, all wrapped in a sleek, low-riding 2-seater body. They're likely looking to turn the A90 into their next mod-machine as well. If you've been following our R&D, you'll already know that our new heat exchanger design, on paper, is also quite the showoff. If you don't already know that aspect, make sure to head back to our last post, which outlines the new design features.

    What we want to know now is, sure, our heat exchanger can talk the talk, but can it walk the walk? To find out, we arranged a torture test that allows us to record the air-to-water intercooler system's

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  5. Higher Plane - Snorkel R&D Part 1 - Introduction

    Higher Plane - Snorkel R&D Part 1 - Introduction

    By today's standards, the latest iteration of the Ford Ranger is tiny. Lined up next to Ford's Super Duty offerings, or even the F-150, the mid-sized, 4-cylinder pickup looks more like a toy than a truck. What it lacks in physical stature, the Ranger more than makes up for in potential. The small stature plays very well to the Ranger's advantage. First off, not everyone who wants a truck needs something that can tow the moon out of orbit or have the payload capacity to throw the Statue of Liberty in the bed. Second, the fact that it's small means that it can navigate trickier paths, from narrow city streets to single track off-road trails, making it a more than capable do-anything truck. Since it has such potential, though, there's plenty to be done to make the Ranger a little more do-anything-er.

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  6. 10 Gift Ideas For The Motorhead In Your Life

    10 Gift Ideas For The Motorhead In Your Life

    Looking to treat your motorhead this holiday season but don't know what to get them? We have gift ideas that your car-loving friend or family member would love to receive - or you could just "Treat Yo Self'. Check out these gift ideas for some giving inspiration and minimal wrapping!


    #1 Mishimoto Swag

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  7. Go Your Own Way - Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 3: Prototype

    Go Your Own Way - Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 3: Prototype

    The prototyping step of product development is often one of the most exciting and nerve-racking steps of R&D. It's a lot like the day your car parts are delivered. You're excited about new parts, but there's also some trepidation. Will they fit like the manufacturer said they would? Do you have the right tools? Will it actually make my car better? We often have the same feelings about our prototypes, with one predominant question: Will it fit?

    Before we can answer that question about our 2019+ Ford Ranger performance intercooler, we need to build a prototype. To do that, we enlisted the help of our 3D printers, waterjet, and fabricator. The first step in the prototype process is to take our digital model and bring it to life with 3D prints and welded aluminum.

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