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

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

    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

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  2. Higher Plane - 2019+ Ford Ranger 2.3L Snorkel R&D, Part 3 - Production Sample

    Higher Plane - 2019+ Ford Ranger 2.3L Snorkel R&D, Part 3 - Production Sample

    Even spontaneity requires a bit of planning. These impromptu adventures that the 2019+ Ford Ranger is designed for need at least an ounce of pre-thought before taking the hard turn to a dirt path. The addition of a snorkel to your truck negates some of the preparation needed for your treks, but the snorkel still needs careful preparation.

    In our last post, we covered our design plans and preparation, and now, well, let's just say we love it when a plan comes together. Our snorkel has arrived, and it's ready to raise the elevation of your 2.3L's air induction.

    Before we take a look at the snorkel on the truck, though, let's look at the kit itself and what makes it tough enough to wear the Bourne Off-Road badge, starting with the construction material.

    No matter how rugged

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  3. Go Your Own Way - Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 5 - Production Sample and Testing Results

    Go Your Own Way - Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 5 - Production Sample and Testing Results

    Nothing gathers us here in the Mishimoto facility, quite like the delivery of the latest production sample. In a way, it's almost like we're tearing into the parts for our own builds. We've been pouring over the 3D models and QC photos, pondering similar questions as anyone online shopping for parts. Will it be built to spec? Will it perform as designed? All questions asked before submitting the order, but now it's here, in the flesh! Like every one of our past projects, we get to pull this intercooler from the box, strap it directly to the dyno, and answer those questions.

    First up: was it built to spec? That question is answered with a simple and resounding, "yup." The idea was to create a durable intercooler that looks great peeking through the grille. Not to toot our own horn, but it meets those qualifications. I'll let the photos do the talking, though:

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  4. Higher Plane - Snorkel R&D, Part 2 - Design Plans

    Higher Plane - Snorkel R&D, Part 2 - Design Plans

    It's safe to say that a large majority of excursions don't just happen on a whim. There are months of plotting the route, researching the terrain, and gathering the supplies needed to survive the rugged wilderness. In essence, one does not traverse the Amazon or climb K2 on a random weekend in May. There needs to be some more thought put into the journey.

    That is, of course, unless you're driving a Ranger. That is the idea behind this truck, after all, to add a little more spontaneity to your daily life. Even though Ford engineered this truck with traversing the great outdoors in mind, it still requires a little extra planning and modification to make sure those spur-of-the-moment adventures go according to plan. Much like explorers of the world, we're not setting off on our snorkel journey without a path in mind.

    For us here in the States, the Ranger is making its return home after almost a decade abroad. The 2019+ Ranger is a brand new truck, both figuratively and literally,

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  5. Go Your Own Way - Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 4 - Intercooler Pipe and boot kit Concept to Completion

    Go Your Own Way - Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 4 - Intercooler Pipe and boot kit Concept to Completion

    It's no secret that the 2.3L EcoBoost powered 2019+ Ford Ranger is chock-full of potential. On and off-road, Ford's mid-size pickup with the heart of a turbo Mustang packs the necessary grunt for the highway and the trails. If we learned anything from our experience with the EcoBoost Mustang, though, it's that a robust intercooling system is key for big power. Since our plan is already in place for the Ranger's intercooler, we're diving into the piping system to fortify the Ranger's intercooler kit further.

    To perform a comprehensive overhaul on the Ranger's intercooler piping system, we first needed to extract and examine Ford's design.

    Overall, Ford's take on intercooler piping is relatively robust. There's much less plastic than we would typically find

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  6. Free Range - Performance Aluminum Radiator R&D - Concept to Completion

    Free Range - Performance Aluminum Radiator R&D - Concept to Completion

    Ranger: A person or thing that wanders or ranges over a particular area or domain. In the case of the 2019+ Ford Ranger, a ranger is both person and thing, man and machine, wandering over the domain of a daily city commute and dusty mountain trails. In other words, the Ranger is one of the most capable small trucks on the road today. But even given its competence on varying terrain, some of the Ranger's components could still be more capable.

    The 2.3L EcoBoost under the hood is small but mighty. The heart of a Mustang gives the Ranger a balance of grunt to make it through precarious ravines and fuel efficiency to make sure it can go the distance. But one of the most critical systems keeping the Ranger rolling is the cooling system, specifically the radiator. Strengthening this crucial

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  7. Higher Plane - Snorkel R&D Part 1 - Introduction

    Higher Plane - Snorkel R&D Part 1 - Introduction

    By today's standards, the latest iteration of the Ford Ranger is tiny. Lined up next to Ford's Super Duty offerings, or even the F-150, the mid-sized, 4-cylinder pickup looks more like a toy than a truck. What it lacks in physical stature, the Ranger more than makes up for in potential. The small stature plays very well to the Ranger's advantage. First off, not everyone who wants a truck needs something that can tow the moon out of orbit or have the payload capacity to throw the Statue of Liberty in the bed. Second, the fact that it's small means that it can navigate trickier paths, from narrow city streets to single track off-road trails, making it a more than capable do-anything truck. Since it has such potential, though, there's plenty to be done to make the Ranger a little more do-anything-er.

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  8. Go Your Own Way - Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 3: Prototype

    Go Your Own Way - Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 3: Prototype

    The prototyping step of product development is often one of the most exciting and nerve-racking steps of R&D. It's a lot like the day your car parts are delivered. You're excited about new parts, but there's also some trepidation. Will they fit like the manufacturer said they would? Do you have the right tools? Will it actually make my car better? We often have the same feelings about our prototypes, with one predominant question: Will it fit?

    Before we can answer that question about our 2019+ Ford Ranger performance intercooler, we need to build a prototype. To do that, we enlisted the help of our 3D printers, waterjet, and fabricator. The first step in the prototype process is to take our digital model and bring it to life with 3D prints and welded aluminum.

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  9. Go Your Own Way - Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 2: Design

    Go Your Own Way - Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 2: Design

    When we last talked about the 2019+ Ford Ranger 2.3L EcoBoost, we looked at the stock intercooler. To recap, the stock Ranger intercooler is similar to almost every other stock intercooler we've seen. It utilizes a tube-and-fin core with plastic crimped on end tanks, nothing too out of the ordinary. The only unique feature of the stock Ranger intercooler is the turbocharger boost pressure sensor that lives on the driver's side end tank. This sensor seals in the intercooler by way of an o-ring, so the bore in our end tank will need to be precise to prevent leaks. So, with the stock intercooler examined, we began designing our performance replacement.

    We began our design with the core of the intercooler. The stock Ranger intercooler uses a tube-and-fin core that isn't very durable

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  10. Up and Downgrade? - How Mods really affect your Ranger's Performance

    Up and Downgrade? - How Mods really affect your Ranger's Performance

    Keen-eyed readers might have noticed that our 2019 Ford Ranger has been going through some changes lately. It's gotten a bit taller thanks to a 3.5" lift kit from BDS Suspension and a set of KMC wheels with Dick Cepek 33" Trail Country EXP tires. We've also added 3,150 lumens to the front end with a Baja Designs Squadron LED light kit. Less evident in photos are the performance upgrades we've made. Under the hood, the Ranger's boost is controlled by a Turbosmart Kompact plumb back bypass valve, and under the dash, we're squeezing all the power we can get out of the 2.3L EcoBoost thanks to an SCT tuner.

    All of these modifications make our Ranger look good and a lot more fun to drive, but they serve a purpose in R&D as well. We chose these upgrades because we know our

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