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  1. Carbon Speed Dating - 2020+ Chevrolet C8 Corvette Carbon Fiber Catch Can R&D - Concept to Completion

    Carbon Speed Dating - 2020+ Chevrolet C8 Corvette Carbon Fiber Catch Can R&D - Concept to Completion

    The Corvette is a long-standing American automotive tradition, but that is until recently since the C8 is anything but traditional for Chevy. The red, white, and blue engineers finally took that age-old, not-so-secret formula of a crowd-pleasing sports car and quite literally flipped it. The big push-rod V8 remains but now resides behind the driver to fully catch up with the likes of the supercars it tangles with on the track. But, unfortunately, no matter how much this American tradition evolves, it still can't outrun blow-by.

    Let's be honest; there's not much flash to preventative maintenance, especially when it comes to your sleek mid-engined sports car. As un-sexy of a task as it is, keeping your intake valves clean and clear of carbon buildup is essential for the Corvette's peak performance. While we already put our compact catch can on display in the rear engine window, we still couldn't help to take it up a notch.

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  2. Mega Duty - 2017-2019 Chevrolet/GMC L5P 6.6L Duramax Aluminum Radiator Production Sample

    Mega Duty - 2017-2019 Chevrolet/GMC L5P 6.6L Duramax Aluminum Radiator Production Sample

    These Chevy L5P Duramaxes are designed for heavy-duty. It says so right on the badges stuck on the sides of the truck. GM did its best to prepare these trucks for the constant stress of heavy payloads and long hauls, but that still takes its toll on the cooling system. Luckily we have the perfect solution.

    In our last post, we revealed GM's enormous factory radiator and covered the trouble spots. How do you improve on an already gigantic radiator? Make it even more gigantic-er.

    Enhancing the size of this truck radiator was a tall order, given the

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  3. Performance Review - Performance Intercooler Kit R&D, Part 2 - Production Sample

    Performance Review - Performance Intercooler Kit R&D, Part 2 - Production Sample

    After piloting any performance machine, the same question always arises, "How can I squeeze more performance out of this engine?" Whether it's a low-slung sports car, hot-hatch, or diesel powerhouse, the sentiment remains. The L5P 6.6L Duramax powering the 2017-2019 HD Silverados and Sierras are no exception. They're not destined for corner carving, but they perform in their own right. The Duramax holds a payload of power potential, with the intercooler being the key to it all.

    In our last post, we installed our prototype to

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  4. Mega Duty - Aluminum Radiator R&D, Part 1 - Stock Review and Design Plans

    Mega Duty - Aluminum Radiator R&D, Part 1 - Stock Review and Design Plans

    When you think of a heavy-duty truck, what comes to mind? It's a gigantic land ship that's capable of taking on every hauling or towing task that arises, right? Glad we're all on the same page. If we're honest, there's not really much disparity between that thought and real life. GM designed its 2017-2019 Silverado and Sierra HD Duramax to embody the essence of a workhorse, tackling every job without breaking a sweat. The trouble is, though, sometimes it will break a sweat, which is where we come in.

    Before we dive into our design plans, we first need to look at the stock cooling system for the 6.6L L5P Duramax. The engineers at GM went big. Really big. Our initial reaction to this truck radiator was that it's huge. Then again, this isn't much of a surprise given the amount of work these trucks are designed to handle. From the factory, the L5P's radiator measures in at 33" x28" x2.4", making it one of the largest radiators

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  5. Performance Review - Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 1 - Stock Review and Prototyping

    Performance Review - Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 1 - Stock Review and Prototyping

    Performance is in the eye of the beholder. When the term 'performance vehicle' is uttered, thoughts primarily drift to low-slung, no-frills sports cars. Creature comforts were all sacrificed to the gods of speed, and practicality wasn't even considered. However, every vehicle performs in its own regard, including the 6.6L L5P Duramax powered Silverado and Sierras. These are performance machines. Sure, a Porsche 911 GT3 can lay down staggering lap times, but when was the last time you saw a 911 setting speed records while also towing a trailer and hauling the support team in absolute comfort. Its performance that's usable every single day. While impressive straight from the factory, these L5P power factories could still benefit from a bump in performance, specifically in the intercooling department.

    Before we can even think about our new design, we need to look at what GM included from the factory. A thorough examination of the stock layout gives us cues and a clear path forward on our

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  6. Performance Review - Intercooler Pipe and Boot Kit R&D - Concept to Completion

    Performance Review - Intercooler Pipe and Boot Kit R&D - Concept to Completion

    When it comes to trucks like the L5P Duramax powered Silverado and Sierra, 'tough' is generally the adjective used to describe them. Often, we see these trucks portrayed as do-anything utilitarian machines. They're traversing a dusty job site or towing a trailer loaded with machinery up a hill without breaking a sweat. The bed takes a pounding from payloads or toolboxes being dropped in without a care. Regardless of how or where you use your L5P Duramax, the mind-boggling performance these trucks possess is overshadowed by how "robust" they are. The massive torque figures and surprising 0-60 times are not lost on us here at Mishimoto. We're here to celebrate the speed of the Duramax and even improve on it.

    The L5P Silverado and Sierra HD are the latest in a long line of GM turbodiesel torque machines. However, the intercooling system could still use an upgrade, specifically the piping. Before we could fully update the intercooler piping system in the Duramax, we needed to perform a

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  7. Heated Rivalry - transmission Cooler R&D

    Heated Rivalry - transmission Cooler R&D

    Excess heat is the bitter rival of any vehicle, but especially when it comes to heavy-duty trucks, like the 2015+ 6.6L Duramax powered Chevys and GMCs. The HD Silverado and Sierra are already mega heat-generating machines on their own. Still, GM designed these trucks for the express purpose of pulling, towing, hauling heavy payloads, and generating even more heat. While you might have opted for the Heavy-Duty Duramax powerplant, the engine is only half of the equation. No matter if you chose to upgrade to the coveted Allison gearbox or not, the transmission is the other half of what slots these trucks into the Heavy-Duty category. Keeping those gears at prime operating temperature is vital and exactly what we have in mind.

    GM also had the same thought and has been including an external transmission cooler on all their trucks since at least 2001. Like the coolers found installed

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  8. Heritage Revamped - Baffled Oil Catch can Kit R&D, Part 3 - Production Sample and Test Results

    Heritage Revamped - Baffled Oil Catch can Kit R&D, Part 3 - Production Sample and Test Results

    It's the end of a journey for our C8 Corvette catch can, both figuratively and literally. We've reached the end of our R&D process and completed over 1000 miles on our road test. Let's dive in and see where this journey has taken us.

    As the saying goes, "it's not the destination, but rather the experiences gained along the way." For our C8 Corvette catch can kit, it's a little bit of both. If you remember the last post, our donor vehicle left the R&D facility sporting a matching set of our baffled oil catch cans; but if you scroll down, you'll notice one is missing now. The reason for the change comes down to our testing results.

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  9. Heritage Revamped - Baffled Oil Catch Can Kit R&D, Part 2 - Prototyping

    Heritage Revamped - Baffled Oil Catch Can Kit R&D, Part 2 - Prototyping

    Heritage isn't something that pops up overnight. It's a long, arduous process that can take decades to develop fully. Specifically speaking, it takes time to be proven in the automotive world and compile a pedigree as lengthy as the Corvette. Since the 1950s, Chevy has put in the work and continues to push the 'Vette's limits, pushing it into near supercar territory. All that hard work, however, could be snubbed by some carbon crusted intake valves. So, while the Corvette works on proving itself in the mid-engine realm, we'll continue to prove ourselves by protecting its engine with a catch can. We started with a prototype.

    The first step in the process is determining the catch can placement and which systems we plan to tap. As we alluded to in the last post, we're opting for a dual can setup, running our cans in line with both the PCV and CCV systems to ensure that we're covering all angles. With that settled, the next step is the mounting location. Typically, this ends up being the

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  10. Heritage Revamped - Baffled oil Catch Can Kit R&D, Part 1

    Heritage Revamped - Baffled oil Catch Can Kit R&D, Part 1

    The Corvette is essentially the definition of America's automotive heritage. Sure, there have been some tweaks throughout the years, but for 67 years, Chevrolet has been churning out the basic formula that we Americans crave in a sports car: small block V8, power to the rear wheels, light and nimble in the corners all with an affordable price tag. For the Corvette's 8th generation, it was more than just a tweak with the formula, but rather a reinvention. The mid-engined 'Vette was long-awaited but has finally arrived. However, even starting from the ground up still means contending with a long-standing tradition for the internal combustion engine - blow-by.

    Before we dive into the solution, let's take a look at the problem. To start, yes, the C8's suite of tech is quite

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