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Testing Results - The FXT Intake, Part 3

March 22, 2016

Subaru Forester XT Intake 2014+

# turbo, subie, subaru, fxt, forester xt, featured, fa20dit, fa20, boost, awd

Last time we posted about this Forester XT intake project, we left you off with prototype fitment. Testing is now complete and we have some information to share.

Subaru Forester XT performance parts up for testing

Our initial goal for this project was to design a performance intake system that would deliver dyno proven power gains and while being safe to run on the stock tune. We designed a very similar system for the 2015+ WRX and achieved terrific results.

The Forester XT has changes in the ECU, head design and cams, so the testing has yet to give us the results we want to see. We've tested numerous different designs over the past few months and we haven't seen results that we're happy with yet. We've designed prototypes that make power on the stock tune, but the AFRs are too lean for our liking. We would never release an unsafe product, so for the time being, we are sending this system back to the drawing board so our engineering department can brainstorm new ideas to tackle the challenge.

Final Product Design - WRX Race Intake, Part 3

February 19, 2016

Subaru WRX Race Intake 2015+

# wrx, turbo, subie, subaru, R&D, PROTOTYPE, intake, featured, fa20dit, fa20, ej, cold air intake, cai, boost, awd, 2015

Our last update on this intake included dyno testing that yielded some interesting numbers. Now that we're moving closer to the release, let's take a look at the finished product!

Let's start with the intake pipes.

New 2015 WRX parts

These intake pipes will be finished in either wrinkle black, wrinkle red or polished, as shown above. The decision is up to you! These production samples came out nicely and look really great in person. Remember we are using full three inch piping with no step downs, which will require a tune on any WRX that has this race intake installed.

Color options for the 2015 WRX Intake

Each pipe will come with a built-in mass airflow (MAF) straightener to help with consistent airflow. Straighteners are very helpful in assisting the MAF sensor to record accurate readings and take turbulent airflow out of the equation. Let's also not forget that the MAF housing adapter is CNC-machined onto the pipe!

Filter for our 2015 WRX Intake

Pictured above is the filter we plan on

Prototype Fabrication and Fitment - The FXT Intake, Part 2

January 07, 2016

Subaru Forester XT Intake 2014+

# xt, turbo, subie, subaru, fxt, forester xt, forester, featured, fa20dit, fa20, boost, awd

The progress on our intake system is coming along nicely for this Forester XT. We have created a pipe that will fit well with our airbox design and filter selection. Remember, our pipe is within the acceptable pipe diameter to run this system with a stock tune.

The Fabricated Prototype

Below are some shots of the system we plan to put on an FXT for testing. The routing for this tube will follow a more direct path from filter to turbo. This is especially helpful for when the car is sitting at idle with ambient air around the box. With a shorter pipe distance, it will take less time for fresher, cooler air to get to the engine upon acceleration over stock. Check out images of the initial design below!

Prototype Subaru Forester parts

Prototype Subaru Forester parts

We adapted the WRX airbox specifically for FXT fitment. The WRX airbox is close in terms of design, but we wanted to make sure FXT brethren wouldn't have to modify a single thing, so we changed things like mounting points and brackets

Power through Deletion. 2015 WRX TGV Delete Kit, Part 4: Product Testing

January 06, 2016

Subaru WRX TGV Delete 2015+

# wrx, turbo, track, top-mount, teammishi, subaru, scca, oil, mishimoto, Intercooler 2015+ 2015, intercooler, heat, featured, fa20dit

We've got some interesting plans to evaluate the performance benefits of our TGV delete kit. In addition, we want to evaluate any appreciable differences in terms of air temperature between the two materials (aluminum and Delrin) we have selected for our prototypes.

Test Preparation

For our first assessment, we will evaluate airflow temperatures in both materials during dyno testing. The goal here is to determine whether the different heat transfer properties of the two materials have an impact on the airflow within the TGV unit. Ideally we would use pre-TGV and post-TGV sensors to evaluate this, but for our initial test a single sensor will be used.

We started by drilling and tapping each prototype.

Initial Data

We put together several plots to help analyze the data from our dyno pulls so we could reach a conclusion regarding appreciable temperature differences. First, a look at our initial runs with each material on both banks of the engine.

2015 WRX parts testing data

The top-level data

Power through Deletion. 2015 WRX TGV Delete Kit, Part 3: First Prototypes

December 29, 2015

Subaru WRX TGV Delete 2015+

# wrx, turbo, track, top-mount, teammishi, subaru, scca, oil, mishimoto, Intercooler 2015+ 2015, intercooler, heat, featured, fa20dit

We're back with another quick update on our TGV delete project for the 2015+ WRX. After designing our initial models and then 3D-printing a prototype for test fitting, we worked up a couple functional prototypes for on-car testing.

First Prototype Images

Check out a few images of our functional prototype deletes!

Mishimoto's 2015 WRX TGV delete prototypes

As you can see, we have two different prototypes. Although the shape and design are the same, these prototypes are composed of different materials. The polished unit is a CNC-machined aluminum piece. The black prototype is machined from Delrin, a thermoplastic material.

We want to explore any differences in intake temperatures provided by the alternate materials. As you can imagine, thermoplastic has very low thermal conduction properties, meaning it is less likely to heat-soak and is more resistant to heat transfer. That said, the surface area that actually comes into contact with the internal

Power Through Deletion. 2015 WRX TGV Delete Kit, Part 2: 3D-Printed Prototype Test Fit

December 22, 2015

Subaru WRX TGV Delete 2015+

# wrx, turbo, track, top-mount, teammishi, subaru, scca, oil, mishimoto, Intercooler 2015+ 2015, intercooler, heat, featured, fa20dit

3D-Printed Prototypes

To confirm the dimensions and design of our prototype, we decided to utilize some of our rapid prototyping tools. We fired up our 3D printer and loaded the model. Check out a couple images showing the progress of the print.

3D-printing 2015 WRX parts

Once the printing process was complete, we cleaned up the prototypes and installed them on our 2015 WRX to verify fitment.

3D-printed 2015 WRX parts

3D-printed 2015 WRX TGV delete installed

You will notice these prototypes include a rear flange to attach to the TGV solenoid. We experimented with a design that retains the flange, in order to bolt the stock solenoids in place for visual inspection purposes. After evaluating this setup, we decided the flange was unnecessary and removed it from the design. Our two functional prototypes will be more similar to our original 3D models.

Coming up - Functional Prototypes

With fitment confirmed, we began working up a couple functional prototypes for product

Power Through Deletion. 2015 WRX TGV Delete Kit, Part 1: Design and 3D Prototypes

December 15, 2015

Subaru WRX TGV Delete 2015+

# wrx, turbo, track, top-mount, teammishi, subaru, scca, oil, mishimoto, Intercooler 2015+ 2015, intercooler, heat, featured, fa20dit

It's been nearly two years since our first 2015 WRX development vehicle rolled into the shop. We've had a lot of fun with the car, and our team has developed a multitude of awesome components to aid in cooling, elevate power, and improve styling. Our product line is essentially complete, meaning we are done wrenching on our WRX. This is bitter sweet, as we will be picking up another vehicle to start the process once again. Before shipping out the WRX, we had one more project up our sleeves to extract a touch more power.

With our existing modifications, including our downpipe, intake, and cat-back exhaust system, most customers are making in the neighborhood of 290 whp and 310 wtq. Not bad for some simple bolt-on modifications and ECU tuning. We've been eyeing TGV modifications and have seen the impressive effects on Subarus from previous model years. We decided to open up the intake system on our 2015 to see if we could design a delete system that would deliver a few extra ponies.

Stock

Stock System Evaluation - The FXT Intake, Part 1

December 11, 2015

Subaru Forester XT Intake 2014+

# xt, turbo, subie, subaru, fxt, forester, featured, fa20dit, fa20, boost, awd

Exciting things are happening in the induction world here at Mishimoto. We have a 2014 Subaru Forester XT in for intake R&D. This AWD turbo Subaru comes with a 2.0L power-plant, giving an output of 253 hp from factory. It shares the same FA20 heart with its 2015+ WRX counterpart, so there are some similarities between the two.

Subaru forester parts under analysis

Stock System Review

The stock Forester XT intake system is somewhat similar to the stock WRX intake system, yet featured some differences in shape and size. With both systems, the airbox is tucked away in the engine bay. To an untrained eye, it can be easy to miss upon first glance.

The airbox mounting points on the vehicle are also quite different from the WRX, which is an important reason why these systems will not be interchangeable. The routing design is necessary because the turbo is located underneath the motor. Check out some more shots below!

Stock Subaru forester parts under analysis

Stock Subaru forester parts under analysis

Does The WRX Need An Upgraded Intercooler? Part 6: Air Shroud Design and Testing

April 10, 2015

Subaru WRX Top-Mount Intercooler 2015+

# wrx, turbo, track, top-mount, teammishi, subaru, scca, oil, mishimoto, Intercooler 2015+ 2015, intercooler, heat, featured, fa20dit

Interested in purchasing our 2015 WRX top-mount intercooler kit? Check out more details on our product page linked below!

Mishimoto Subaru WRX Performance Top-Mount Intercooler and Charge-Pipe System

As noted in our previous post, we decided to design a shroud that would channel airflow more efficiently through the core of our intercooler. Because our cooler features a larger footprint, the stock air shroud directs flow to only a portion of the core. Opening up this airflow to the entire core should result in even greater temperature reductions than we saw during our first round of testing.

Stock Intercooler Shroud

First, let's take a look at the stock shroud as Steve removes it from our test vehicle. Here is what you will see under the hood of your WRX.

Stock intercooler shroud

The stock setup features a large center scoop that directs airflow through the intercooler core. This rubber unit flexes to seal against the intercooler. Next, we removed the hood insulation, destroying several

Cool Your Charge! The 2015 WRX Front-Mount Intercooler Build, Part 4: Dyno Testing

March 19, 2015

Subaru WRX Front-Mount Intercooler 2015+

# wrx, turbo, track, top-mount, teammishi, subaru, scca, oil, mishimoto, intercooler, heat, featured, fa20dit, 2015

Interested in picking up our 2015 WRX FMIC kit? Check out more details on our product page linked below!

Mishimoto Subaru WRX Front-Mount Intercooler Kit

Time for the fun part of development, product testing! Since this is an intercooler, we would certainly need to put the WRX on the dyno for some pulls and data collection. It would be interesting to see how the installation of a front-mount system has an impact on turbo spool, intake temperatures, and perhaps even power output.

Testing Preparation

The first step toward data collection is to prepare our sensor bungs and install our pressure and temperature sensors. We installed our bungs within the inlet and outlet intercooler couplers.