Page 6 - cooling

We're back with another update! Our team has been busy constructing our functional Ford Fiesta ST (FIST) intercooler prototypes, putting a lot of work into the R&D design stages, and now we get to see if it pay off. Enough of the wait, lets jump right into some images of our five prototype coolers.

Ford Fiesta ST intercooler prototypes

Ford Fiesta ST intercooler prototypes

It has been a while since we took a look at what is going on in the world of the Fiesta expansion tank. In our last post we test fitted our 3D-printed prototype on the Fiesta ST. After fitment was confirmed, we played the waiting game for our final prototype's arrival at our development facility. Our best efforts at being patient paid off when we had two packages arrive this morning!

Fiesta ST expansion tank

Fiesta ST expansion tank

Each expansion tank comes with an overflow hose

Interested in picking up this awesome E46 fan setup? Check out our discounted pre-sale linked below!

Mishimoto BMW E46 Non-M Performance Fan Shroud Kit Pre-Sale

Functional Prototype

In a short timespan we were able to turn our 3D models into an actual functional prototype. Check out a couple images of our first BMW E46 fan shroud!

Mishimoto prototype E46 parts

Interested in picking up this awesome E46 fan setup? Check out our discounted pre-sale linked below!

Mishimoto BMW E46 Non-M Performance Fan Shroud Kit Pre-Sale

Our E46 product line continues to grow. This series of articles aims to tack another offering on our list of performance cooling components. We've covered the radiator, expansion tank, and coolant hoses. The only radiator-related item left to tackle is a cooling fan solution.

The stock 3-Series E46 offers two different fan options. Automatic models are equipped with an antiquated mechanical fan, while those who row their own gears get an electric fan.

Our goal with this project is to produce a BMW E46 fan shroud solution that will function with either a manual or automatic model. We will be following our trend of successfully producing exo-style shrouds for the E46 M3 and E36 chasses. The idea behind this fan mount style is

Time for another update on our intercooler project! Last time we left off with a foam intercooler core and some cool 3D-printed end tanks. This update is a bit more exciting!

Mock Up Prototype

With both the tanks printed and our core cut to shape, we could mate these pieces to check fitment of our existing design.

Prototype Ford Fiesta ST intercooler assembled

The tanks feature the mounting pegs and brackets to attach the cooler to the radiator and support.

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Time to dive into yet another Fiesta ST project! This little Fiesta is getting the royal treatment at Mishimoto; over the last few months it has been fitted for numerous upgrades. If you are in the mood for a recap, you can check out some of the other Fiesta posts here on the Mishimoto blog. For now we'll dive right into our development of Mishimoto's expansion tank for the Fiesta ST.

Stock Expansion Tank

Here at Mishimoto we feel a certain type of way about plastic. It is not that we have a vendetta against plastic, but we see an area where we can improve upon some of the stock Fiesta ST parts. Plastic expansion tanks in general (or any plastic parts) are more prone to failure than an aluminum part would be. Plastic becomes brittle with age, exposure to elements, and the repeated heat cycles in the engine bay. Replacing the plastic tank with an aluminum one not only looks better, but it also would be less prone to bursting or cracking especially as the

We've discussed R&D for many of our typical product segments for the Fiesta ST. These include our in-progress aluminum radiator, our already released catch can kit and oil cooler solution, as well as our nearly complete intake system and exhaust components (both cat-back and downpipe). Our company is also known for its strong line of heat exchangers, so we certainly need to see what can be done about the undersized stock intercooler on the Fiesta.

Heat is a big enemy of the Fiesta, as many have already discovered during track driving. High oil temperatures, high coolant temperatures, and a heat-soaked intercooler all commonly occur after short periods of aggressive driving. We've been actively tackling both the coolant and oil temperature concerns in other development threads, but now it's time to lower the intake temperatures with an upgraded intercooler.

Stock Intercooler Evaluation

You've probably seen the stock Ford Fiesta ST intercooler on

Interested in purchasing our E46 silicone radiator hose kit? Check out our product page linked below!

Mishimoto BMW E46 Non-M Silicone Radiator Hose Kit!

The E46 BMW has been the focus for a ton of product development here at Mishimoto. Recent projects include the Mishimoto Performance Air Intake, Aluminum Radiator, and Aluminum Expansion Tank. To continue our pursuit of supplying a full cooling solution for the 3-series, we also tackled a set of radiator hoses for this model. In typical Mishimoto fashion, we will be looking to improve the durability of the stock design.

Stock Hose Setup

The stock BMW E46 radiator hose system is unique, mostly due to the inclusion of quick-disconnect fittings at each mating point. Take a look at the stock hoses pulled from our test vehicle during radiator testing and development.

Dyno preparation for Fiesta ST parts testing

Testing day has finally arrived and it's time to see how our new Fiesta ST parts perform! After weeks of prototype design and fabrication, we have our first prototype Ford Fiesta ST intake system ready for dyno testing. Our first round of product testing is being conducted for two reasons:

First, we want to evaluate power output. Our initial post explained that we were skeptical about making power with our intake. The Fiesta is a MAP-based vehicle and only uses its MAF sensor to gather temperature data. Through our years of development, extracting additional power from speed density (MAP-calculated) is a bit of a challenge. The gains we usually see on these vehicles is a result of reduced restriction within the intake tract. With this intake we've certainly improved flow, so let's see what we are able to produce.

Our second goal

We're getting closer to dyno testing! Our intake piping and turbo inlet hose are now complete. A well-designed airbox is the last portion of our intake design before we begin performance testing. The airbox will provide a shield for the filter to reduce the impact of engine bay heat. It also allows us to create a volume for cold air to enter from the stock duct, routing directly to our filter.

The airbox design was pretty extensive for this project, so this is a long post. Sit back, crack open your favorite beverage, and read on!

Airbox Fabrication

We started this process with cardboard templates. These templates helped us quickly adjust and modify the shape and bends until we had a design that provided for appropriate clearance. The space between the battery and air duct is quite slender, so the design will need to be precise.