Page 3 - By Make

Most would jump at the chance to relive their rambunctious youth and dive back into those nostalgic core memories that have turned into lively stories with old friends. Some, though, would be harder to convince, like the VB WRX. This former Scandi-flicking, boxer-growling, rally racing bad-boy has turned grown-up family man and is content with leaving that lifestyle behind. We like to think that we’re pretty convincing, though, and feel we can entice that rally-racer inspiration out with the help of a new intake.

Our negotiations kick off with the start of our prototype. With our design plans solidified in our last post, we dove straight into bringing the preliminary versions of this intake to life right here in the R&D facility. 

With the automotive’s electrified future is creeping in, and we enthusiasts are holding our fuel-burning fun machines even closer. Our protective instinct washes over us to ensure that the legacy of the Subaru turbo boxer lives on. Protection from what exactly? Well, itself. In our first post we covered the detrimental side-effect that afflicts every internal combustion engine, especially engines like the FA24, blow-by. Luckily, our cure is ready to install.

Like the WRX, our catch can kit evolved over the development process, changing locations and designs mid-process. Through our updates, our engineer, Anthony, finalized our latest design, and we’re excited to show it off.

The WRX has been a long-standing namesake in the Subaru lineup, and for a good reason. Its rally-inspired heritage has evolved into a distinct, affordable sporty sedan that is a sucker for bolt-on modifications. However, even as the WRX grows and changes through each iteration, some things remain a constant theme – temperature management, specifically when it comes to oil. 

Engine oil is the lifeblood of any vehicle, and maintaining its temperature is ideal for proper lubrication. Subaru knows this and keeps the FA24 T’s engine oil temps in check with a liquid-to-liquid stacked plate cooler right at the oil filter housing. However, as the power increases or the driving conditions become more demanding, this stock cooler becomes less efficient and detrimental to the rest of the system, which can cause an isolated case of global warming under the hood. So basically, by giving the stock cooler some backup, it’s easier to keep the engine oil at its proper operating temperature

There’s no denying that M cars are something special. BMW has a knack for elevating the relatively pedestrian models into something truly exciting without sacrificing their commitment to luxury. In the case of the G8X, BMW truly flexed their engineering muscles to squeeze every drop of performance from its 3 and 4-series platform. The base flavor of this freshly squeezed performance juice is proper oil temperature management. The catch is that the flimsy OEM oil cooler is precariously placed, putting this temperature management at risk. Luckily, our engineers have been hard at work revamping the G8X’s oil cooler, and we’re stoked to show it off.

The BMW M3 and M4 are automotive royalty. They’re the lords of the compact executive sports car segment, and BMW intends to keep it that way. Last year we saw the coronation of the latest prince of posh speed, the G8X, and this generation is the most power-hungry yet. These dignitaries are hell-bent on dominating not only their class but every inch of asphalt as we know it. The trouble is, the road is a feral and unpredictable creature, prone to lashing out at vehicles. The G8X may be a valiant crusader, but it still has vulnerabilities, specifically at its underbelly.

Updating infrastructure is all about preparing for the future. We, as a society, are constantly expanding highways, power grids, and server rooms to prepare for increased bandwidth usage. The story is the same under the hood of any turbocharged vehicle since most enthusiasts are plotting to turn up the boost. The construction of our charged air corridor might have only started back in the spring, but we’re finally ready to open this new high-pressure highway.

Additional volume is essential for tuning turbocharged applications. With the impending wave of oncoming boost, we needed to ensure that the piping system would be equipped to handle everything a performance tune could throw at them. In our last post we covered our inner diameter size increases upwards of 110% over the stock piping, and now we wanted to see how that equates in terms of performance.

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as reaping the benefits of a carefully calculated plan coming together. While enhancing a few pipes under the 2.3L powered Bronco might not seem like much of an undertaking, even the minor steps in any build require plenty of planning. We’re almost ready to see how much more bandwidth our piping system can handle, but first, we wanted to show off the fruits of our careful consideration. 

Last seen in their 3D printed

The 2.7L Bronco is a true adventure machine. No matter the trim or configuration, these twin-turbo V6-powered Broncos are determined to get you to any destination, no matter what’s in their way. Well, for the most part. Unfortunately, the intercooler keeping the charged air from those turbos cool isn’t exactly up to the task, and it’s in the way of more pertinent off-roading gear. So, to retain the 2.7L’s sheer determination, we had some better ideas for the intercooler, and now it’s time to see how they perform. 

The engineers at Ford developed their latest and greatest Bronco for the high road, but the intercooler used across the lineup wasn’t quite up to the task of wilderness exploration. Plus, we can think of plenty of better uses for the OEM intercooler’s mounting location. So we told the OEM intercooler to take a hike and took our new design to the high road. It’s been a long journey getting to the trailhead, but we’re finally ready to start our dyno journey with our plucky 2.3L-powered Pedro taking point. 

When it comes to keeping charged air temperatures in check, the intercooler is only as good as its air source. The core’s size and the end tanks’ shape almost become irrelevant if no reliable source of fresh air passes through the fins. Intercooling is a team effort, and while the core may be the star of the show, it’s nothing without the rest of the crew. In the last post, we covered the literal supporting cast, but now it’s time to introduce the ducting.