transmission

This 2001-2014 Chevy / GMC 6.6L Duramax Transmission Cooler is now available! Click here to check it out!

Extreme heat is always the enemy, especially when it comes to vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission. The Allison gearbox mated with your 6.6L Duramax is no exception. With the high temperatures produced by an automatic transmission, it seems almost cruel that the sweltering summer heat comes when most of the towing of campers, boats, and other outdoor toys happens. GM did include some help to keep your gears cool. Unfortunately, it's a little small.

For such an iconic towing machine, it seems strange to equip it with

It's now time to install our prototype and put some data behind the efficiency differences we expect to see between our cooler and the factory heat exchanger. We did add a substantial amount of core surface area, so we anticipate that heat transfer will improve during a load test. Check out this shot of the Mishimoto 6.0L transmission cooler installed!

Mishimoto 6.0 Powerstroke transmission cooler installed

Testing Process

We have numerous tools at our disposal to test heat exchangers. For this one, we will be using our Dynapack™ dynamometer. With a transmission cooler test, we want to apply some load on the vehicle to ensure that stress is created within the drivetrain.

Now that we have designed our 6.0L transmission cooler prototype in SolidWorks®, our team has begun work on constructing our first prototype. We will be using this prototype to verify fitment on our truck and perform heat-soak testing to determine any cooling benefits provided by the larger core size.

Mishimoto 6.0L Transmission Cooler Prototype

Check out a couple shots of our first prototype unit!

Mishimoto 6.0 Powerstroke transmission cooler

Yes, that's right, we are not quite done with product development for the 6.0L Powerstroke. Although these trucks are getting older, our team is finding more and more ways to enhance and improve them.

The factory-equipped 6.0 transmission cooler is relatively stout. In fact, swapping this cooler into the 7.3L is a pretty common upgrade. That said, we think we can provide even greater cooling efficiency and offer an upgrade for 6.0L and 7.3L trucks that tow heavy loads.

Factory Cooler Options

From 2003­ to 2007, the 6.0L came from the factory with two different cooler options, a 26-row cooler and a 31-row cooler. Mounting and line connections were similar on both.

Our shop truck came equipped with the 26-row unit, so we ordered the 31-unit cooler as well for data collection.

Interested in purchasing our WRX radiator stays? Check out our product page for more information!

Mishimoto Subaru WRX/Sti Aluminum Radiator Stay Set

Now that we had our battery tie-down finalized, we could focus on the next component we wanted to tackle in the engine bay. Our next target would be the radiator stays, the small stamped steel pieces holding the radiator to the radiator support. We offer anodized aluminum radiator stays for a variety of vehicles including the previous generation WRX/STI, Honda Civic, and Ford Mustang.

For this particular project, we would be following a similar route. Our stays would be produced in aluminum and then anodized in a variety of colors to match an engine bay accent color. Before we get into the Mishimoto design, take a look at the stock components.

Interested in purchasing our Subaru battery tie-down? Check out more details on our product page linked below!

Mishimoto Subaru CNC Battery Tie Down

Mishimoto is not only interested in improving the performance, reliability, and power output of your new Subaru, but we also care about aesthetics. Small touches in the engine bay can make a big impact on the overall appearance and also provide a sense of personalization. Our first targeted component is the battery tie-down. The stock tie-down is rather bland, its main purpose being functionality, which is fine for a stock unit. For those looking to upgrade, a stylish aluminum replacement is ideal. In case you haven't yet peered into the engine bay of your "15, here is what the stock tie-down looks like.

Interested in purchasing our WRX catch can kit? Check out more details on our product page linked below!

Subaru WRX Baffled Oil Catch Can System

The final kit is ready for installation! After months of development and test fitting, we finally had our completed prototype components ready for fitment verification prior to mass production. Check out all of the components below!

First, the passenger side catch can bracket for the PCV system.

Final PCV catch can bracket

Next up is the finished version of our dual port catch can!

Interested in purchasing our WRX catch can kit? Check out more details on our product page linked below!

Subaru WRX Baffled Oil Catch Can System

Time to start designing brackets! After a quick recap of the project goals, our creative engineering team began brainstorming. First, they selected a location for the catch can on the PCV valve side. It would need body mounting points for the can bracket, and preferably a short route for the hose so as not to complicate the engine bay. Our goal is a clean installation that appears stock-like, not a medusa of hoses routed about the engine bay.

The PCV valve on the 2015 WRX is located under the intercooler toward the rear of the engine block. You can see it in the image below, taken during a later stage of development of this kit.

Interested in purchasing our WRX catch can kit? Check out more details on our product page linked below!

Subaru WRX Baffled Oil Catch Can System

If you follow our engineering blog or are involved with any of our social media outlets, you should be well aware of the new baffled oil catch can we recently released. This new product features a much smaller footprint compared to our existing catch can, allowing for fitment in tighter engine bays.

While developing this catch can, we wondered about using it in direct-fit kits for popular vehicles. For most drivers, a catch can is a DIY project requiring only the routing of hoses and fabrication of brackets for mounting the can. Installing a DIY setup that appears like it was made for the vehicle can be quite a challenge. This is where we come in, to take the guesswork out of a catch can installation. We are planning to provide mounting brackets, hardware,

Interested in purchasing our WRX transmission cooler? Check out our product page for more information!

Mishimoto Subaru WRX CVT Transmission Cooler

For our third prototype unit for the CVT cooler, we decided to take a more traditional approach. We would place the cooler in a location that would guarantee airflow. The main concern was fitting our large 19-row cooler in a position that would not leave any space for other aftermarket components. First, we mocked-up the cooler and developed some basic brackets that would place the cooler in an angled position behind the upper grille area. Check out a few shots of the mounted cooler!