Page 4 - ecoboost

In our last update, we left you with some mock-up prototype pieces that we used to create and refine our Fiesta ST rear strut brace design. Since then, we've worked up a couple of functional prototypes to test our ideas for stiffening the rear of this hot hatch.

Initial Prototypes

We constructed two prototypes of this trunk brace. The first prototype is finished in a black powder coat, and we'll use this unit to evaluate for aesthetics and fitment. The unfinished ("raw") prototype is going to be used for testing purposes, meaning it will be modified.

First, check out our powder-coated unit bolted into place.

Mishimoto Fiesta ST performance parts

Mishimoto Fiesta ST performance parts

Everything fit nicely and bolted into position as designed. Check out a close-up shot of fitment with the lower tray support.

Mishimoto Fiesta ST parts

With the lower tray in place the bracing is barely visible.

Mishimoto Fiesta ST parts

Although this unit fit well and is extremely robust, we are going to make

The most exciting part of product R&D is always the testing phase. This typically includes setting up some neat sensors, running the car on the dyno or on the street, and crunching our data. We are anxious to see how our first prototype coolers perform on the Fiesta. Let's jump right into the plans for this first round of testing.

Testing Plans

As mentioned in the previous segment, we will test four different coolers.

• Stock intercooler
• Mishimoto bar-and-plate prototype 1 (larger internal bar height)
• Mishimoto bar-and-plate prototype 2 (smaller internal bar height)
• Mishimoto tube-and-fin prototype

For each cooler we will be collecting data for temperature, pressure, and power output. Each cooler will be tested repeatedly until we have three consistent runs producing data as accurate as possible.

Below is a look at the three different core types that will be tested.

To collect temperature and pressure data, we installed two sensor bungs in each intercooler

We are quite excited about the completion of our final prototype intake for the Ford Fiesta ST (FIST)! After months of development, testing, and design work, we are ready to present our final creation. First we will go through each component and cover important details regarding their features.

Silicone Turbo Inlet Hose

Starting at the turbocharger compressor inlet, we have our silicone inlet hose. This piece was constructed specifically for this kit and is extremely robust.

Mishimoto's Ford Fiesta ST intake silicone inlet hose

Five layers of silicone comprise this hose, along with embedded fibers and steel wire for added rigidity. This hose must withstand the suction created by the turbocharger, which is why additional materials are embedded for added strength.

Mishimoto's Ford Fiesta ST intake silicone inlet hose

Along with suction, this hose will also see relatively high temperatures. Silicone in this five-ply formula will have no issues providing years of reliable performance.

Aluminum

We're back with another update! Our team has been busy constructing our functional Ford Fiesta ST (FIST) intercooler prototypes, putting a lot of work into the R&D design stages, and now we get to see if it pay off. Enough of the wait, lets jump right into some images of our five prototype coolers.

Ford Fiesta ST intercooler prototypes

Ford Fiesta ST intercooler prototypes

Ford Fiesta ST intercooler prototypes

You might need a few seconds to let your heart rate recover!

We have quite a bit going on in these images. As you can see, there are three different color options. Each finish is powder-coated, and we intend to offer black, silver, and gold coolers for those looking to add some bold styling.

In addition to the various colors, we have three different cores among these five prototypes: one tube-and-fin core and two different bar-and-plate cores. Our goal here is to evaluate the differences in pressure, temperature, and power output between our prototype cores and the stock cooler. Take

After taking a brief look at the factory cooler and components, we needed to begin the design for our counterpart. This will involve the use of both modern and conventional tools to ensure that our prototype meets all our requirements.

Factory Intercooler Features

Factory F150 intercooler

The factory intercooler pulled from our test vehicle came with the upper shroud that Ford had added to help prevent condensation issues. It also included a couple mounting pegs which use grommets for isolation.

Factory F150 intercooler

The rear of the cooler reveals two inlets, one outlet, and the electronic bypass valve (BPV) unit found on the 2013 and 2014 models.

Factory F150 intercooler

We removed the BPV unit and inspected the connection point. We would need to replicate this with our design to provide bolt-on fitment.

Factory F150 intercooler bypass valve

On this cooler, the two inlets are a simple push-on and clamp-style connection. The outlet is a quick-disconnect. We will be emulating this connection

It has been a while since we took a look at what is going on in the world of the Fiesta expansion tank. In our last post we test fitted our 3D-printed prototype on the Fiesta ST. After fitment was confirmed, we played the waiting game for our final prototype's arrival at our development facility. Our best efforts at being patient paid off when we had two packages arrive this morning!

Fiesta ST expansion tank

Fiesta ST expansion tank

Each expansion tank comes with an overflow hose and two rubber sleeves. The stock expansion tank is plastic, so rattling on the mounting points is not an issue. However, after upgrading the expansion tank to our all-aluminum version, we needed to prevent any rattling that may occur. The addition of these two rubber sleeves should do the trick! They slide over the stock mounting pegs to ensure that there will be no unnecessary rattling under the hood. After just a few minutes the expansion tank was installed and is looking great alongside Mishimoto's other Fiesta

The EcoBoost (EB) engine series is quite impressive and packed full of amazing technology. Direct injection and efficient turbochargers have contributed significantly to improved fuel mileage without compromising engine output. Our fleet of shop vehicles currently includes two EB-powered vehicles, a Fiesta and a Mustang. Both models thoroughly impressed our team with their power, drivability, and handling. We developed a ton of new products for the 1.6L, 2.0L, and 2.3L. Now it is time to turn our attention to the V6 EB world. Our first target is a performance intercooler for the 11-14 3.5L F-150.

From our experience with other EcoBoost models, the factory intercoolers are not exactly ideal. The Mustang heat-soaks after a few pulls, and both hot hatches will quickly exceed the intercooler efficiency with a couple easy modifications. Although the factory F150 intercooler is comparably more stout than the coolers for the smaller 4-cylinder models, many have still found it to be inefficient