Page 46 - Engineering

Who doesn't love a good comeback? Rocky, Hoosiers, Robert Downey Jr., and Lindsey Lohan (kind of) are all prime examples of what makes the comeback story so compelling. The theme behind any good comeback is perseverance - not giving in to the will to stop.

Unrelenting perseverance will lead to beating seemingly impossible odds. It's what led the 2005 Liverpool soccer team to beat the heavily favored AC Milan squad in penalties, and the 1993 Buffalo Bills to defeat the Houston Oilers from 32 points down, overcoming the largest point deficit in the NFL to date. Without perseverance, you won't go very far in whatever it is you do. Our engineers take this idea quite seriously at our R&D headquarters, and while the catch can project for this 2015+ Ford F-150 EcoBoost has been stalled for some time, it never really went away. There have been interesting challenges to get around during our R&D, but we finally have something you're going to love.

Tough Times with the

It's finally here. After 20 years, and a few extra months of waiting, the Civic Type R has made its way to the States. I have to say, if the standard Civic wasn't striking enough, the Type R has the qualities to make it one scalding hot hatchback. While some of the components carried over from the last generation, including some of the aerodynamics and the return of the mighty K20C1, the FK8 actually went on a bit of a diet and received not only a cosmetic makeover, but also a suspension overhaul fit for the new king of the Nürburgring. It's easy to see why so many are willing to pay thousands over MSRP for the chance to call this new Civic their own.

Something about that wing lets

Jeeps are built to be rugged, all-terrain vehicles. We can bet that most of the aftermarket parts you purchase for your Jeep are designed to make it tougher. There's no reason for our upcoming catch can kit to be any different. Our engineers have made this can nearly indestructible and will be able to handle any abuse your 2007-2011 3.8L Wrangler can throw at it.

In our last update, we discussed our plans for how we wanted to mount this catch can. We determined that the best location for a bracket was right behind the ECU. We could use the stock bolts that are already there, and the components can attach to the chassis, making it a solid and sensible location.

3D scanning on our intended area

As much as my car enthusiast-self hates to admit it, the days of the gas powered V8 are numbered. Even never owning a vehicle motorized by one of these monstrous power plants, it's a sad concept to wrap my head around. For decades, we've all relied on those eight cylinders for the necessity to haul heavy objects around, and for the sheer enjoyment of speed. For those of you in the business of the latter, you might find this to be foreboding, especially since one of the pioneers of popularizing the V8 is the one driving the final nail in the coffin. You heard correctly, I'm holding Ford responsible for taking one of the biggest steps against the eight cylinder engine. It's not necessarily a bad thing, however, since their EcoBoost engines are more than up to snuff to fill the shoes of the V8.

I have a confession to make. I've never been a fan of American muscle cars. Most of this sentiment can be attributed to my two older brothers, who both molded my young mind to favor BMWs, Audis, and Mini Coopers over the fire breathing V8s of Detroit. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the mighty muscle car. In fact, it's almost a strange concept as an automotive enthusiast not to have a soft spot for engines measured in cubic inches. With a roaring V8 in the front that sends all that power to the rear wheels, creating warp speeds in a straight line and slide happy turns, it's no wonder such qualities would draw in crowds chomping at the bit for the next fast Mopar. Not me, however. I preferred to stay behind the wheel of my tiny hot hatch back. That was, of course, until I drove this Charger.

Luckily

Function and utility often outweigh aesthetics, and our engineering department has paid particular attention to the two while creating the baffled oil catch can kit for the 2009 Dodge Ram 5.7L V8 Hemi. Your Ram works hard for you, so it's only natural to want to take as much care of your pride and joy as you can to keep it running at its best.

We already know that this truck can use some TLC when it comes to the amount of blow-by the Hemi produces. If you need a refresher, in only 1,000 miles, we caught nearly 50ml of content, which is on the high side of tests performed on other applications. It was clear that our can was working, but there was one problem - our original two-ounce can just wouldn't cut it. You'd have to empty the can several times before you're even due for an oil change. That's an inconvenience we don't want you to experience, so we came up with a solution.

It goes without saying that the cooling system routed throughout the engine bay of any vehicle works best when the coolant stays in the system. It's one of the main design requirements in fact. If that sounds familiar, that's because this same statement was made about the Ford 7.3 Powerstroke's expansion tank, which begs the question, is there a chink in the armor of Ford's self-proclaimed tough built trucks?

While most of the F-150 is "Built Ford Tough" the factory expansion tank doesn't exactly