BLOG CATEGORIES

mazda

  1. Hot-Hatch Renaissance - 2007-2013 Mazdaspeed 3 Direct Fit Catch Can R&D Part 2 - Blow-By Verified

    Hot-Hatch Renaissance - 2007-2013 Mazdaspeed 3 Direct Fit Catch Can R&D Part 2 - Blow-By Verified

    It's been a long time since we saw the first iteration of Mazda's return to hot hatches, over a decade in fact. A lot has changed since then. The first difference you might notice is that the Mazdaspeed division is nowhere to be found, and instead, the MZR Turbo lives on as the Ford EcoBoost. For the MS3's that are still on the road racking up the miles, they might be seeing all sorts of replacement parts, but also a decade's worth of carbon buildup.

    110617_NLT_MS3_BCC_WEB_2

    If you recall from our last installment, the Speed 3 challenged the seasoned hatchback veteran, VW, with their own version of the turbocharged, direct-injected 4-cylinder that boasts more power and equipment than just about all  its competitors. However, if you are knowledgeable on the first wave of this combination of

    Continue Reading »
  2. Hot-Hatch Renaissance - 2007-2013 Mazdaspeed 3 Direct Fit Catch Can R&D Part 1 - Stock Review

    Hot-Hatch Renaissance - 2007-2013 Mazdaspeed 3 Direct Fit Catch Can R&D Part 1 - Stock Review

    The Europeans have dominated the hot-hatchback market for decades. In fact, the term "hot hatchback" was coined to describe Volkswagen's Mk1 Golf GTI, which was responsible for the leadup to the hot-hatch fever throughout Europe and Asia. Just about every manufacturer began producing hatchbacks with stiff suspensions and a few extra horses under the hood. Even our very own Ford produced cars like the Escort Cosworth, and previous generations of the Focus ST and RS, but then left us here in the States, out to dry, when it came to having fun in a sub-compact. That was up until Mazda had their say.

    The combination of comfort, practicality, and speed help the popularity of Mazda's newest fast hatch.
    The combination of comfort, practicality, and speed
    Continue Reading »
  3. No One Likes a Leaking Cap - Washer Fluid Reservoir R&D, Part 2: Improving on OEM

    No One Likes a Leaking Cap - Washer Fluid Reservoir R&D, Part 2: Improving on OEM

    When we began work on our 2016+ Miata washer fluid reservoir, our primary goal was to improve the aesthetics; we designed the tank to look killer, make your engine bay a little cleaner, and we also reduced the volume of the reservoir, saving a few pounds versus stock if you're comparing a full Mishimoto tank to a full stock tank.

    One of the major benefits of sharing our R&D process among enthusiast communities is the opportunity to learn even more about what we can do to make the best possible product. Once I revealed our reservoir to the forums, I was quickly made aware that there is an annoying flaw with the stock tank: a leaking cap!

    Preparing our new solution for testing
    Preparing our new solution for testing
    Continue Reading »
  4. Final Prototype Installed - ND Miata Intake, Part 5

    Final Prototype Installed - ND Miata Intake, Part 5

    As we finally round the end of the long and arduous testing and data collection process, it's time to test the fitment of the final prototype to ensure there are no issues before we kick off full-scale production. A lot of effort has gone into designing and engineering this kit, and it has been rewarding to see this project finally come together.

    There were some minor changes and cool feature additions that will make this kit unique. Take a look at some images below.

    IMG_8627r
    Prototype Miata intake box

    After we pieced together the rest of the box, we cleaned it up with some fresh paint and added a neat feature that will help with cooling. Right underneath the front of the box, you can see an angled plate that has been attached. This plate acts as

    Continue Reading »
  5. Testing and Results - ND Miata Intake, Part 4

    Testing and Results - ND Miata Intake, Part 4

    We finally have an update for the Miata intake project!

    With our prototype now in working order, we were finally able to hook up our ND Miata to our dynamometer and get some pulls underway. At this point in the process, we knew we'd want to play around with some other design ideas while the car was hooked up to the Dynapack. AFRs, power output, and sound clips were all on the agenda for the evaluation of this prototype system.

    Results

    Capture
    Miata intake dynamometer results results

    We did gain some decent performance in the low end of the power band, but the upper end of the curve follows the path of the

    Continue Reading »
  6. Mazda Miata NB Oil Cooler R&D, Part 4: On-Road Testing

    Mazda Miata NB Oil Cooler R&D, Part 4: On-Road Testing

    Interested in picking up our NB Miata oil cooler kit? Check out our discounted pre-sale linked below.

    Mishimoto 1999-2005 Mazda Miata Oil Cooler Kit Pre-Sale!

    Our idle warmup provided a nice baseline test to evaluate the benefit of the stock liquid-to-liquid oil cooler. From what we saw in the conditions of our first test, warmup is not greatly affected by this component. In this second portion of product testing, we will be evaluating the impact of this heat exchanger on cooling performance. More importantly, we will be evaluating the cooling benefits of our liquid-to-air cooler.

    Testing Plans

    Variations

    • Stock liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger
    • Mishimoto oil cooler setup
    • Mishimoto oil cooler setup plus stock liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger

    By testing the Mishimoto oil cooler both with and without the stock heat exchanger, we

    Continue Reading »
  7. Prototype Sound Clips - ND Miata Intake, Part 3

    Prototype Sound Clips - ND Miata Intake, Part 3

    We want to be absolutely sure we are designing an intake that will provide what the MX-5 enthusiasts crave from such a product - sound, throttle response, looks, and of course, driving feel and performance.

    Our prototype is still in the testing process so we do not have dyno results quite yet. Instead, to hold everyone over till our next, more substantial update, we have some sound clips of the prototype being tested on our Dynapack. Keep in mind, this is just a prototype and does not feature any finalized production-quality components. We just wanted to give our readers a quick peek into what is going on behind the scenes.

    In the clip below, we have a short sound comparison of the stock intake vs. our prototype. The airbox lid is removed so you can clearly hear the sound. Some of the footage may look familiar, as it

    Continue Reading »
  8. Mazda Miata ND Oil Cooler R&D, Part 3: Initial Data Collection

    Mazda Miata ND Oil Cooler R&D, Part 3: Initial Data Collection

    Interested in purchasing our new ND Miata direct-fit oil cooler kit? Check out our product page linked below!

    Mishimoto Mazda Miata Oil Cooler Kit!

    The most exciting part of product design happens during the final stages. Product testing reveals any flaws in the design and also provides insight into possible adjustments for enhanced performance. In addition, testing validates our existing design and makes all our efforts well worth the time spent. So far, our team is having a great time developing new ND Miata parts.

    Our ND Miata oil cooler kit will be no different. Since the stock vehicle with SkyActiv technology does not include a factory oil cooler system, we expect to see some pretty big decreases in fluid temperatures. On to testing the Miata oil cooler!

    Testing Conditions and Instruments

    As we noted in the conclusion of our last segment,

    Continue Reading »
  9. ND Miata Catch Can R&D, Part 2: Bracket Construction

    ND Miata Catch Can R&D, Part 2: Bracket Construction

    Interested in purchasing our new ND Miata catch can system? Check out our product page linked below!

    Mishimoto Mazda Miata Baffled Oil Catch Can Kit!

    In our first segment, we removed all components within the 2.0L intake system to evaluate oil contamination. Our findings indicated that a reasonable amount of oil was making its way into the intake manifold through the PCV system. Not only was this coating the manifold, it was producing buildup on the valves themselves. A catch can install is an easy way to slow this progress, which is exactly what we will be working on for the ND.

    Catch Can

    For the ND, and all our existing direct-fit kits, we will be utilizing our compact baffled oil catch can. This component has proven to be extremely effective at separating oil/fuel byproduct in numerous applications.

    This catch can has numerous features that

    Continue Reading »
  10. ND Miata Oil Cooler R&D, Part 2: Bracket Completion and Sandwich Plate Details

    ND Miata Oil Cooler R&D, Part 2: Bracket Completion and Sandwich Plate Details

    Interested in purchasing our new ND Miata direct-fit oil cooler kit? Check out our product page linked below!

    Mishimoto Mazda Miata Oil Cooler Kit!

    Not long ago we posted some initial details regarding plans for our direct-fit Miata oil cooler solution. We've been hard at work on our design, with hopes that our end product will provide optimal oil temperatures for track junkies.

    Final Bracket Design

    Last time, we constructed two mounting brackets for our kit. We prefer three mounting points for optimal rigidity. This Miata oil cooler is going to see quite a bit of airflow, so we want to ensure the cooler mounts can handle this force. Below is a shot of our third bracket, which ties into the passenger side of the radiator support.

    Continue Reading »
Page