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The news of the departing Ford hatchbacks left a hole in many enthusiast's hearts. For us here in the States, that means no more compact speed demons, finished with bulging bucket seats and manual gearboxes. The balance of power and practicality bearing the blue oval is gone. Or is it?

Enter the Explorer ST. Ford didn't delete the ST line. They just matured it a bit and crammed the essence of a hot hatchback into a full-sized, family-friendly SUV. It's a combination that shouldn't work, but the 400 hp and surprisingly nimble handling is sure to fill the void left by the hot-hatches departure.

No matter the vehicle segment, however, any and all internal combustion engines suffer from the same nasty side-effect - blow-by, Explorer ST included. To put it simply, blow-by is when

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.

As every enthusiast grows, so do their vehicles of choice. Naturally, this calls for a compromise, where speed and 0-60 times give way to practicality and MPG ratings. Luckily, Ford knew many of us enthusiasts weren't ready to compromise just yet and delivered the perfect middle ground in the form of an Explorer brandishing the ST badge. This Explorer might seem like a compromise, but it still grows with you.

The same can be said for the blow-by produced by the 3.0L EcoBoost. The ST trimmed Explorers might be a new addition to Ford's lineup, but the more miles they soak up, the more of the murky stuff that makes its way back through the intake tract. Case in point, our collections. In the case of the Explorer ST, we had the opportunity to collect blow-by after our typical 1000-mile preliminary test period, as well as after 2300 miles.

Let's face it; nobody's perfect. From the OEMs and the engineers to the one turning our product development into engaging behind-the-scenes blog content (yours truly), no one can claim the superlative of "No longer Needs Improvement." Yet, as unattainable as the concept of perfection is, it's our human nature to chase it still. No matter our trade or walks of life, we're always striving to improve and enhance every aspect of our lives one step at a time.

Since we, the human race, are intrinsically less than perfect, the same could be said about the things we make and create. The constant cycle of innovation is just another journey toward the ever-elusive destination of perfection. While we may never reach that destination, each iteration is still a step above the last. It's an improvement on the creation and for those making the revisions. Case and point, the 2022+ Subaru WRX. The VB may be the latest and greatest of the highly-regarded road-going rally car, but some aspects still need

The prototype has been on our loaner GT for the past few months, working as it should and catching a nice amount of blow-by. The previous updates, covered how we used innovative tech to design and create the bracket, and the planned routing for the lines. Significant progress has been made since then, as the designs have taken a cleaner physical form.

Side shot of the completed kit

Our sample production kit arrived at our R&D headquarters and it couldn't have fit any better. Everything was spot on and the installation was easy. You can see in the above image that we've cleaned up the catch can lines with properly routed hoses. The line material is rubber based, retaining a clean, OEM look.

To keep this

The renowned landscape photographer Ansel Adams once said, ""I have found that every experience is a form of exploration." Nearly a century after Adams began exploring the American West, Americans still love to explore, and no vehicle exemplifies the spirit of everyday exploration better than the Jeep Wrangler. Any Wrangler driver knows that embarking on an exploration is a simple matter of turning a key. Take the top off, or pull off the doors, and a drive through your neighborhood becomes something more.

As any explorer knows, a journey requires preparation. We might have moved on from feeding the horses and packing the hardtack but being prepared is still key. Even in a brand new 2.0L turbo Wrangler, the first step in your everyday exploration should be staying prepared. Maintenance is important, of course. You change your oil, use high-quality fuel, check your tire pressure, and a plethora of other essentials most vehicle owners are familiar with.