F-150

In a world of drive-anywhere, tow-anything machines, the Ford Raptor sits atop the throne of capable off-roaders. Yes, some of this truck's utility might have been sacrificed in the name of adventure, but there aren't many complaints. The performance off-road suspension and howling 3.5L EcoBoost under the hood allow the Raptor to bound over sand dunes and tower over most water crossings right out of the dealer's lot, so what could make this machine more formidable? Well, a snorkel from Borne Off-Road, for starters.

A looming off-roader with a snorkel typically elicits visions of a truck digging through water up to its wing mirrors while triumphantly emerging out the other side, wearing the pungent mud like a badge of honor. Yes, a snorkel is what makes this possible, but only with the other necessary preparations made. First, every other part of your induction system needs to be properly sealed

After ten years, it's not much of a surprise that the 3.5L EcoBoost is still sitting at the top of the F-150 food chain. These trucks pack gobs of power with plenty of potential for more right off of the factory floor. But, with big power comes big responsibility, and it's crucial to solidify your twin-turbo V6 to reach maximum potential. We've already overhauled the F-150's intake - now it's time to wrap up the inlet pipes.

Designing intake components is always a delicate balance between fit and function. On the one hand, we want to engineer these inlet pipes for maximum flow. But, on the other hand, they still need to fit in the truck. With this in mind, our engineer, Ye, reached an equilibrium thanks to the use of rotational molded construction. This method gives Ye more freedom in the design phase when snaking our new inlet pipes through the intricacies of the Raptor's engine bay.

It's been months of training for our athlete of an F-150. Our regimen for our Raptor's proverbial controlled breathing exercises has come to fruition. Now, though, it's race day, and It's time to see if our deep dive into the V6 Ecoboost respiratory system and subsequent renovations paid off.

First, let's check out the new intake design in its final form. As promised in our last post our intake kit is fully rotomolded. We kept the material consistent for a smooth airflow through the system from the airbox to the turbo inlets. This construction not only aids in a smoother flow but is much less prone to soaking with engine bay heat for lower intake

Ten years ago, the thought of replacing the V8 powerplant of a full-size pickup truck with a turbocharged V6 was blasphemy. Ford made it happen, though, and ten years later, the 3.5L EcoBoost is the breadwinner in the F-150 family. A high-output version even sits at the very top of Ford's pickup line under the hood of the coveted Raptor. Even though the EcoBoost is stealing the spotlight from the V8 option, it could still use some upgrades in the turbo inlet department, and we here at Mishimoto are already on the case. If you are looking to upgrade your truck be sure to check out all the F-150 performance parts we have to offer at Mishimoto

Ford churns out hundreds of thousands of these trucks every year. That means production costs need to stay on the lower side while still meeting the quality standards every F-150 owner expects. The best comprise was to construct the 3.5L EcoBoost's turbo inlet pipes using blow-molding. This

When it comes to an exercise regimen, planning is only half of the equation. The other half is, well, doing it, working through each step, and making the necessary tweaks for the best results. Our last post outlined our plan to increase the F-150 EcoBoost's lung capacity, but now we're putting that plan into practice with our prototyping process.

It all starts with a scan. Our engineer, Ye, uses the FARO Design ScanArm and performs several passes on our Raptor's engine bay and stock intake kit. In short, the scan arm uses the combination of an integrated camera and laser stripe to create a precise virtual copy of the F-150's engine bay. (Make sure that you click the link above to learn more about the FARO Design ScanArm).

Learning the proper technique for controlled breathing isn't quite human instinct. True, we all can live our daily lives without having to think about breathing in and out actively, but a vast majority of us aren't able to stand up and immediately run 26 miles. Those who can have planned and trained for just such an activity. No matter the engine under the hood of your F-150 EcoBoost, it's designed for endurance. It's ready to go far and haul what needs hauling. But, while it's prepared to go the distance, the F-150 EcoBoost could go further with some additional training.

Our updated design starts with construction. We're planning to produce these intakes using a high-density plastic rotational molded design. This construction gives us the ability to create rugged, high-quality intake airbox designs with unique shapes that won't soak up engine bay heat. This method also comes in handy when we're designing the rest of the intake as well. Remember the curvy connection pipe from the

The 2017+ Ford F-150 EcoBoost would be like if a diehard endurance runner had a baby with a bodybuilder. Both disciplines are on almost opposite sides of the athletic spectrum, yet every variant of Ford designed its twin-turbo V6 to run a marathon while also doing barbell curls. If there's one function that both of these athletes rely on, it's controlled-breathing. In either case, each athlete won't make it very far, both figuratively and literally, if there's not a constant flow of fresh air to their lungs. The same could be said about the EcoBoost. Increasing their lung capacity works wonders in terms of strength and endurance for each of these trucks' hearts. That's why we're developing a performance air intake for the 2017+ Ford F-150 and all of its EcoBoost engines.

First, however, we need to understand the OEM intake system fully. So, we started our process with a closer look at the intake system from our 2020 Raptor.

The old idiom "history repeats itself" is often used to point out the failures of the past, but in the context of the Ford F-150, that history is one of success. In recent years, Ford has been successful in introducing innovative technologies and ideas to the F-150 while retaining its renowned capability. Ford did face some skepticism in 2011 when they introduced the F-150 coupled to a direct-injected and turbocharged 3.5L V6 EcoBoost engine. But, 8 years later, the F-150 is still the best-selling truck in America and, as of 2017, the EcoBoost platform makes up 65% of all F-150's sold.

For the 2017 model year, Ford added even more innovation to the 3.5L EcoBoost in the form of dual-injection. Instead of just injecting fuel directly into the cylinder like its predecessor, the