Page 3 - PROTOTYPE

We've made some progress with testing our E46 intake and the dyno results are finally in! This intake was put through some extensive testing and it held up to the abuse with consistent and repeatable output numbers. Let's see how our finalized prototype fits on the car!

Fitment

Prototype E46 intake ready for the dyno

E46 parts fitment

E46 parts mocked up in the engine bay

Do you see the weather stripping on top of the heat shield? That will seal right onto the bottom of the hood to create a barrier between the filter and the hot ambient temperatures in the engine bay.

Keep in mind that this is just a revised prototype from the version we showed in our last post. Here, the coupler is now wrapped in five layers of black silicone. The final product will look much more complete!

Results

Please note, our test car was outfitted with aftermarket headers, so results will certainly vary from vehicle to vehicle. Check out our data below!

E46 parts testing

Our intake really opens up the airflow to

It has been a while since we have updated this project, but we now have something for our WRX community!

The brief data report below shows our gains with this race intake project and our baseline was a fully stock 2015 WRX with no upgrade or aftermarket tune. The numbers are quite high due to the upgrades already installed on the WRX during testing. These upgrades included our Mishimoto:

• Downpipe
• Cat-Back Exhaust
• Front-Mount Intercooler
• Custom Engine tune

WRX intake dyno testing

WRX parts - dyno results

The graph above shows that the race intake coupled with the Mishimoto upgrades netted peak gains of about 77hp with 88ft-lb of torque, and max gains of about 86hp and 98ft-lb of torque against a fully stock WRX. Considering the vehicle's bolt-on additions and custom tune, we were expecting big gains. Of course, such large gains are possible only with the installed upgrades, but our intake and a proper tune contributed as well.

Regardless of any bolt-on upgrades, it is important to note that

The time has come to test our prototype design for the MK7 intake. After weeks of designing and fabrication, the prototype for this VW is now ready to hit our Dynapack dynamometer so we can collect some data.

Testing these prototype MK7 GTI parts for overall power output gains over stock is important, so that's the first thing we needed to figure out. The larger diameter piping compared to the stock system provides increased airflow that will have a direct impact on improving power output. This car did happen to come with an aftermarket stage 1 tune on it, so we tested our intake with that software upgrade.

Hooked up on the dyno for prototype MK7 GTI parts testing

We also wanted to provide sound clips of the car with the intake on so you can hear the difference.

Below, we have some footage of the MK7 running on the Dynapack, so check it out!

Our first impression was that this MK7 GTI intake is a big improvement, especially with regard to sound. You can hear the turbo spooling up and the

The prototype for our MK7 GTI intake system will be unique. While designing the airbox, we needed to accommodate the factory mounting points, the battery cable routing, proper filter placement inside the box, and the stock fresh-air inlet scoop. Let's take a look at the gradual progression to a fully functioning prototype!

We gathered some piping in our garage and tack-welded together an intake tube route. We then sorted through our air filters to locate an appropriate air filter that would fit within the constraints of the airbox we had in mind. The filter will be placed right next to the fresh-air inlet, optimizing the amount of fresh air that will pass through the pipe.

The Piping

MK7 GTI intake prototype

MK7 GTI intake prototype

It's pretty liberating when we don't need to work around designing for a MAF, it gives us more freedom with choosing a tubing size. We plan on using 3" piping from the filter to the turbo to maximize the amount of airflow. The turbo inlet has a diameter of 2.5",

The Engineering Department here at Mishimoto has been buzzing with activity around our new Miata intake design. We've just constructed a prototype pipe and box, bringing us even closer to dyno testing! Let's walk through the process.

It's extremely important we pay close attention to detail on this project. From the beginning, we knew this box had to be made of aluminum, not steel, which is much too heavy. We also decided to utilize the factory air duct on this setup, so the box has an inlet accommodating that component.

Airbox Construction

The next few images show how we went about designing the air box. A major goal for the air box design was for it to be simple to install so utilizing factory mounting points was a must. Below, you'll see shots of the stock Miata intake system removed and a couple of our pieces being test fitted.

Stock Miata intake system removed

Stock Miata intake system removed

Here are some shots of the airbox we plan to fit into that space.

Prototype Miata air intake

We have been hard at work developing our 2013 Ford Focus ST intake system. When the stock intake system was removed, there was room to get creative for improving airflow. Right off the bat, you can see how Ford designed its intake to grab as much cold air as possible by using the two tubes that both conjoin at the front grille and connect into different points on the box. We know it will be important to retain this feature and include it in our airbox design for the Focus ST intake.

Fabricating the Prototype

With the removal of the stock Focus ST intake leaving a good amount of space, we wanted to design an airbox that uses that space effectively. After the space was carefully and thoroughly surveyed, we got to work fabricating and welding together a working prototype!

Prototype Focus ST parts fabrication

Welding the inlet tube collar for the Focus ST intake fabrication

A look at the finished Focus ST intake prototype

Extra Bracing

Now that it's time to test fitment, we want to be sure

Team Mishi likes to look out for our Subaru community. If you have been following our engineering blog, then you'll notice that we have been rolling out a slew of high quality 2015+ parts WRX. One of the biggest products we launched was our bolt-on intake system. Not only did we provide easy power gains, but our system greatly improved sound, and created a large group of very pleased customers. The gains we produced were a result of reduced restrictions compared to the factory system. A great product that supports stock and mildly modified examples. We are now turning our attention to an even less restrictive iteration that will be designed to support vehicles necessitating maximum airflow.

Our race-inspired design for this WRX intake will take the more aggressive route of obtaining the maximum power potential an intake can deliver to this FA series motor. Keep in mind, this secondary "Race" design will require tuning for safe operation.

It is important to understand that this will be a