Page 12 - Engineering

Back From Pasture - 2021+ Ford Bronco 2.7 Baffled Oil Catch Can R&D, Part 3 - PCV-Side Production Sample and Test Results

Posted: January 24, 2022

Categories: Ford Bronco 2.7L Baffled Oil Catch Can, Ford Bronco 2.7L Baffled Oil Catch Can, PCV-Side, 2021+

Just like the wild stallion that the truck is named for, our donor Bronco stampeded back through our R&D facility after its preliminary 1000-mile test. While it was galavanting, though, our engineering team wrapped up the finishing touches on our kit to get it ready for the streets and trails.

The makeover started with our bracket. When we last left off, our prototype bracket was sporting a more universal design, with mounting holes encircling the top of the bracket. However, since this is a direct fit application, Ye made sure to utilize only the can mounting holes needed for the 2.7L so the ports will always face in the correct direction.

The orientation

Carbon Speed Dating - 2020+ Chevrolet C8 Corvette Carbon Fiber Catch Can R&D - Concept to Completion

Posted: January 19, 2022

Categories: Chevrolet C8 Corvette Carbon Fiber Catch Can, 2020+

The Corvette is a long-standing American automotive tradition, but that is until recently since the C8 is anything but traditional for Chevy. The red, white, and blue engineers finally took that age-old, not-so-secret formula of a crowd-pleasing sports car and quite literally flipped it. The big push-rod V8 remains but now resides behind the driver to fully catch up with the likes of the supercars it tangles with on the track. But, unfortunately, no matter how much this American tradition evolves, it still can't outrun blow-by.

Let's be honest; there's not much flash to preventative maintenance, especially when it comes to your sleek mid-engined sports car. As un-sexy of a task as it is, keeping your intake valves clean and clear of carbon buildup is essential for the Corvette's peak performance. While we already put our compact catch can on display in the rear engine window, we still couldn't help to take it up a notch.

True Heart - 2021+ Ford Bronco 2.3L Baffled Oil Catch Can Kit R&D, Part 2 - Testing Results

Posted: January 19, 2022

Categories: Ford Bronco 2.3L Baffled Oil Catch Can, 2021+

The 2.3L EcoBoost is a mainstay in Ford's engine arsenal, which really shouldn't come as much of a surprise either. The heavy-hitting four-cylinder made a huge splash in the hottest of hatchbacks in 2016 that through every other segment of Ford's lineup. So it's no wonder that this powerplant found a new home under the hood of the resurrected off-roader, offering the best of both worlds in terms of performance and efficiency, but the Bronco only reaps these rewards as long as the intake tract stays clean. Luckily, we already have a solution for that.

When we last left off, our prototype catch can kit was installed on our Bronco as it headed out the door for our preliminary testing. It takes some time to accrue the proper mileage for our test, so, in the meantime, our engineer, Dave, put the finishing touches on our kit's design, starting with the bracket.

Finding Space - Borne Off-Road Wheel Spacers

Posted: January 13, 2022

Categories: Wheel Spacers

No matter if you use your truck or jeep for commuting, hauling, or venturing through the unknown wilderness, all of these vehicles are a particular blend of form and function. They're built to look tough, aggressive, and utilitarian, and they act the part. The same could be said for our Borne Off-Road wheel spacers, which any of these vehicles would benefit from.

Wheel spacers might not seem like the obvious place to go for the perfect combo of form and function. Still, the benefits of their addition are a solid investment to any rig, whether you're just starting your build or working on the finishing touches. Wheel spacers have one purpose: to move the wheel further from the vehicle's hub. They're a solid plate that mounts in between the wheel and the vehicle's hub, creating some space.

Take Some Space - Mishimoto Wheel Spacers

Posted: January 13, 2022

Categories: Wheel Spacers

Being an automotive enthusiast is all about putting your personal touch on your car. Modifying vehicles is a way of life for us car folks, and no matter the end goal, there's an endless list of components available. So much so that one can find themselves lost on their customization mission on where to start. Should the starting point be aesthetics or performance? Why not start with a set of wheel spacers for a combination of both respects.

Wheel spacers might not seem like the obvious place to start, but the benefits of the perfect set of wheel spacers make for a solid investment whether you're just starting your build or working on the finishing touches. Wheel spacers have one purpose: to move the wheel further from the vehicle's hub. They're a solid plate that mounts between the wheel and the vehicle's hub, creating some space.

Crowd Pleaser - 2005+ Toyota Tacoma Performance Aluminum Radiator R&D, Part 2 - Prototype and Production Sample

Posted: January 06, 2022

Categories: Toyota Tacoma Performance Radiator, 2005+

Toyota continues to be a rising star in the truck world. It might be hard to top the big three behemoths, but the Tacoma's mid-sized off-road ready attitude continues to make it a crowd favorite around the world. As this middle-weight machine continues its world domination, we've been hard at work on its newest hit single, which comes in the form of an improved radiator.

There needs to be a relentless rehearsal for any live performance to be perfect. Practice makes perfect, right? That's the same concept that we took with our fitment prototype. While our digital workspace and modeling software is precise, we still wanted to triple-check our work by generating a physical framework form of our latest radiator design. This practice also allows us to consider different tolerances as our engineer, Ye, installs this prototype on our donor truck.

Feed the Beast - 2012-2018 BMW F1X M5/M6 Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 1 - Stock Review and Design Plans

Posted: December 28, 2021

Categories: BMW F1X M5/M6 Performance Intercooler Kit, 2012-2018

The term 'power hungry' typically isn't a great way to describe someone. This phrase carries a negative stigma for those willing to sacrifice it all to make their way to the top. However, when it comes to your executive sports sedan, this is precisely the descriptor that you'd want to hear, with the F1X platform BMW M5 and M6s being no exception.

The S63 under the hood of these big M's isn't starved for power. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The stout 4.4L twin-turbo V8 rolled off the assembly line with 523 HP and 502 TQ crammed under the hood. However, even with this healthy dose of power, the M5 and M6 yearn for more speed, and we're happy to facilitate that need.

For forced induction

Higher Plane - 2019+ Ford Ranger 2.3L EcoBoost Snorkel R&D, Part 4 - Testing

Posted: December 28, 2021

Categories: Ford Ranger 2.3L EcoBoost Snorkel, 2019+

No matter the expedition, a shakedown trip is always in order. The worst time to find out that your pack is poorly constructed or your boots aren't as waterproof as advertised is halfway up the mountain. The same could be said for our snorkel for the 2019+ Ford Rangers. So, to make sure our kit was up to snuff, we made sure to shake it down through different forms of testing.

Missing Link

Before we started testing, however, we still had a gap to fill, literally. The whole concept behind adding a snorkel to your off-roading rig is to entirely relocate your primary air inlet location out of harm's way, but a means of blocking off that inlet didn't appear in our last blog post. So we wanted to make sure that it got the spotlight it deserves.

Shown

Steady Flow - 2015-2021 Volkswagen MK7 Golf TSI/GTI/R Turbo Inlet Pipe R&D, Part 2 - Production Sample

Posted: December 15, 2021

Categories: Volkswagen Golf GTI/R 2.0T Performance Turbo Inlet, 2015+

When it comes to Volkswagen's Golf, the concept is simple - quality over quantity. True, both descriptors come to mind for the various variants of the Golf, but the focus on driving and build quality are what made this scrappy hatchback a crowd favorite across the globe. In terms of upgrading the airflow through your TSI, GTI, or R's engine, we have a similar approach. Well, more of a combination of the two.

Quantity and quality go hand-in-hand when updating an intake system. For an internal combustion engine, the more, the merrier. While we have already sorted most of the EA888's intake system, there's still a bottleneck at the turbo inlet. We've already been hard at work optimizing this elbow, but now the fruit of our labors is here in our shop.

Renew, Reuse, Refresh - 2015-2021 Volkswagen MK7 Golf TSI/GTI/R Performance Intake

Posted: December 15, 2021

Categories: Volkswagen MK7 Golf TSI/GTI/R Performance Intake Kit, 2015+

The cycle of innovation moves at different speeds for everyone involved. It might pass by unnoticed for some, but for those keeping a keen eye on progress, it can seem excruciatingly long. No matter the lens you're viewing it through, though, this cycle of renovation for the MK7's intake system has finally come full cycle, with testing on our donor vehicle. This is the moment that we've all been waiting for, so let's dive right in.

Testing this intake comes in two stages, starting on our flow bench. One of the main reasons to upgrade your intake system is to improve the flow through the system, especially for vehicles demanding more air from tunes or big turbos.