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Kia Stinger 3.3T 2018+

  1. Float Like a Butterfly, Sting like a, Kia? - Performance Intercooler Kit R&D, Part 7 - Dyno Results

    Float Like a Butterfly, Sting like a, Kia? - Performance Intercooler Kit R&D, Part 7 - Dyno Results

    Kia has made their big splash in the automotive industry with the Stinger's launch, and we wanted to make sure that we made ours right along with them. We've been looking for the perfect stone to chuck into this transcendental pond and we've finally found it, coincidentally in the shape of a massive intercooler. Since we've already reviewed the physical details of our new design in the last post, let's dive right into the testing.

    Dyno-mite

    Cooling power is key for the intercooling system, especially once the boost gets turned up. I can only assume you're here to see how this kit performs under pressure, so we strapped our Stinger up to our Dynapack system for a torture test in the name of science. Our testing consisted of two stages in order to get a good look at just how well our intercooler kit performs against the stock unit.

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  2. Float like a Butterfly, Sting like a Kia? - Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 6 - Blow-Off Valve Adapter

    Float like a Butterfly, Sting like a Kia? - Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 6 - Blow-Off Valve Adapter

    Kia is just the latest manufacturer to add the symphony turbocharging to their line of vehicles with the whirring and hissing duo attached to the Lambda II GDI engine powering the 2018+ Stinger GT. With the addition of these mechanical snails to Kia's repertoire, it's not much of a surprise that enthusiasts want to crank up the boost. And while it's imperative to improve the capacity of the intercooling system when tuning the Stinger, it's just as important to ensure it can handle the extra PSI. Specifically, the recirculation valve system needs to be up to snuff.

    Luckily, the engineers here at Mishimoto have already been cooking up the means to adapt a more robust blow-off or recirculation valve of your choosing, but before we dive into that, let's take a quick look at why bypass valves are so important. For a more in-depth look, make sure you head to our technical post on blow-off valves.

    Reduce, ReUse, Re-PSSSHT

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  3. 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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  4. 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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  5. Lasting Impression - Direct-Fit Catch Can R&D, Part 2 - Production Sample and Test Results

    Lasting Impression - Direct-Fit Catch Can R&D, Part 2 - Production Sample and Test Results

    First impressions can be fleeting, especially in the automotive world. Once the buzz around the Stinger finally dies down and they start patrolling the commuter routes, owners might find themselves wondering what to do so their cushy Korean cruiser maintains the status quo it launched with not too long ago. Well, there's an easy answer. In our last post, we gave you a look at our plan for making the Stinger GT's first impression last, but we're back to show you just how well it works.

    First, let's take a look at how it will look under the hood. Since our last check-in on the project, not much has changed. Our kit is still nestled on the passenger-side strut tower for the best access to the Lambda's PCV system. The big difference here is our bracket received a fresh new coat of powder for a durable, yet OEM-style finish.

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  6. Float Like a Butterfly, Sting like a Kia? - Performance Intercooler Kit R&D, Part 3 - Intercooler Piping Design Plans

    Float Like a Butterfly, Sting like a Kia? - Performance Intercooler Kit R&D, Part 3 - Intercooler Piping Design Plans

    Like the Stinger's launch, we're also making our own sizable splash and causing some ripples with our intercooler kit. In case you haven't caught up on your Mishimoto Stinger news, our plan for keeping intake air temperatures down in the Stinger GT means a much larger, much more streamlined intercooler design. The intercooler might be playing a significant role, but it still needs the supporting cast.

    Enter the new and improved Mishimoto intercooler piping kit. While it's still in the planning phase, these bits of 3D printed plastic are the physical manifestation of the models on our engineer's work station, and the ones we can use for testing the fitment. Let's dive into the specifics of each piece.

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  7. Float Like a Butterfly, Sting like a Kia? - Performance Intercooler Kit R&D, Part 2 - Intercooler Design Plans

    Float Like a Butterfly, Sting like a Kia? - Performance Intercooler Kit R&D, Part 2 - Intercooler Design Plans

    It's almost against the laws of nature to see a calm, serene pond and not want to throw rocks in it. I'm sure you get where I'm coming from. In this case, that pond is the proverbial state of the luxury sedan market, and here comes Kia with the biggest rock that it can find. That rock, the Stinger GT.

    Where the Stinger made a big splash on its own, we want to make sure the ripples make their way around the pond. Basically, the Stinger rolled off the assembly line with some serious potential, but there's still room to grow, specifically when it comes to the intercooling system.

    As we covered in our last post, the Stinger's stock

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  8. Lasting Impression - Direct Fit Catch Can Kit R&D, Part 1 - Concept and Design

    Lasting Impression - Direct Fit Catch Can Kit R&D, Part 1 - Concept and Design

    And they're off! In the proverbial footrace that is the luxury sports sedan market, there have always been a select few "mostly of the German variety" obvious front runners. While Kia/Hyundai has previously tried to place in this race, they've always seemed to fall short. They've typically fallen in line with the general commuter car vibe. That all changes with the Stinger GT. This new entry gives the KDMs a much-needed boost of energy to add some contention to the competition and a bit of clout to what others might have once considered a run-of-the-mill brand. Kia may have caught up, but for how many miles can this new image last?

    The Lambda II T-GDI 3.3L isn't Kia/Hyundai's first venture into direct fuel injection. In fact, the Korean conglomerate took the plunge into

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  9. Float Like a Butterfly, Sting like a Kia - Performance Intercooler Kit R&D, Part 1 - Stock Review

    Float Like a Butterfly, Sting like a Kia - Performance Intercooler Kit R&D, Part 1 - Stock Review

    It might be old news by now, but we're all still getting acquainted with the fact that Kia, in tandem with Hyundai (who's also bringing their posh baby cousin Genesis along for the ride), have established a much more respectable position in the automotive community. The launch of the Stinger GT helped Kia break out of its chrysalis state not as a run of the mill butterfly, but more like a mantis that's snatching those fluttering insects out of the sky.

    As we went over in the introduction to our Stinger, the secret to this vehicle's success is the silky-smooth Lambda II 3.3T coupled with the intuitive 8-speed automatic transmission. Even given Kia's advancements worthy of contending with those luxurious German counterparts, the Stinger does have some drawbacks that could hinder

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  10. Sting Operation - 2018 Kia Stinger Introduction

    Sting Operation - 2018 Kia Stinger Introduction

    "That's a Kia?" This is the question that I'm sure anyone who knows about the Stinger has heard about the Stinger. It's the same question that we all asked when the first details trickled in about a heavy hitting road warrior because Kia, up until recently, has pretty much produced the literal definition of a car. Four wheels, usually four doors, and a means of putting the vehicle into motion to get from point A to point B. But times have changed. Now the unlikely underdog is nipping at the heels of highly revered luxury brands, and we wanted a piece of the action.

    What did we get?

    Earlier this spring, we stretched our CTR's legs and made our way up to a local dealership to bring a Stinger back home to the Mishomoto R&D facility. Our particular Stinger came equipped with the GT1 package, but what does that mean? Well,

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