Page 7 - intake

Our garage has been graced with the presence of a clean 2001 E46 330i, so we can now begin development on this E46 intake. Let's dive right in!

Stock System

The 330i stock intake system is similar to the 32X, the big difference being the size of the MAF housing. On the higher-output 330i models, this housing is larger so it can accept greater airflow needed by the more powerful, higher-displacement engine. To accommodate that larger diameter, our design will have a slightly enlarged opening on the heat shield. Everything else should fit right into place! Here are a few shots of the stock system we are working on.

Aerial shot of the 330i engine bay

It has been a while since we have updated this project, but we now have something for our WRX community!

The brief data report below shows our gains with this race intake project and our baseline was a fully stock 2015 WRX with no upgrade or aftermarket tune. The numbers are quite high due to the upgrades already installed on the WRX during testing. These upgrades included our Mishimoto:

• Downpipe
• Cat-Back Exhaust
• Front-Mount Intercooler
• Custom Engine tune

WRX intake dyno testing

We want to be absolutely sure we are designing an intake that will provide what the MX-5 enthusiasts crave from such a product - sound, throttle response, looks, and of course, driving feel and performance.

Our prototype is still in the testing process so we do not have dyno results quite yet. Instead, to hold everyone over till our next, more substantial update, we have some sound clips of the prototype being tested on our Dynapack. Keep in mind, this is just a prototype and does not feature any finalized production-quality components. We just wanted to give our readers a quick peek into what is going on behind the scenes.

In the clip below, we have a short sound comparison of the stock intake vs. our prototype. The airbox lid is removed so you can clearly hear the sound. Some of the footage may look familiar, as it

We have some dyno data for this Focus ST Intake! Along with sharing our performance improvements, we also have video clips of the intake lid both on and off, so you can clearly hear what is going on while the engine is under wide-open throttle.

Our test vehicle is bone stock, with no aftermarket Focus ST parts, allowing us to provide a nice baseline for performance gains against the stock intake.

Results

In addition to using a fully enclosed airbox, the full 3 inch diameter piping extending all the way to the turbo ensured smooth, clean, and ample

The time has come to test our prototype design for the MK7 intake. After weeks of designing and fabrication, the prototype for this VW is now ready to hit our Dynapack dynamometer so we can collect some data.

Testing these prototype MK7 GTI parts for overall power output gains over stock is important, so that's the first thing we needed to figure out. The larger diameter piping compared to the stock system provides increased airflow that will have a direct impact on improving power output. This car did happen to come with an aftermarket stage 1 tune on it, so we tested our intake with that software upgrade.

The prototype for our MK7 GTI intake system will be unique. While designing the airbox, we needed to accommodate the factory mounting points, the battery cable routing, proper filter placement inside the box, and the stock fresh-air inlet scoop. Let's take a look at the gradual progression to a fully functioning prototype!

We gathered some piping in our garage and tack-welded together an intake tube route. We then sorted through our air filters to locate an appropriate air filter that would fit within the constraints of the airbox we had in mind. The filter will be placed right next to the fresh-air inlet, optimizing the amount of fresh air that will pass through the pipe.

The Piping

MK7 GTI intake prototype

The Engineering Department here at Mishimoto has been buzzing with activity around our new Miata intake design. We've just constructed a prototype pipe and box, bringing us even closer to dyno testing! Let's walk through the process.

It's extremely important we pay close attention to detail on this project. From the beginning, we knew this box had to be made of aluminum, not steel, which is much too heavy. We also decided to utilize the factory air duct on this setup, so the box has an inlet accommodating that component.

Airbox Construction

The next few images show how we went about designing the air box. A major goal for the air box design was for it to be simple to install so utilizing factory mounting points was a must. Below, you'll see shots of the stock Miata intake system removed and a couple of our pieces being

We've got hot hatch fever! One of the newest vehicles to grace our garage, which happens to be our 3^rd hatch for intake development, is the new 2015 VW GTI. Although Volkswagen was far from the first company with a hot hatch in its lineup, it was one of the first companies to really push the popularity of the design. VW is synonymous with the term "hot hatch" to most automotive enthusiasts. With the emergence of VW's newest GTI, it's time for us at Mishimoto to design our own intake for this turbocharged 2.0L engine.

GTI arriving at the shop!

Goals

Newer GTIs can either come with or without a Secondary Air Injection (SAI) pipe. Basically, this is a system that forces more air into the exhaust during

If you read our blog, you'll remember a short while ago that we did a quick dyno test on a brand-new, fully stock 2016 Miata ND. That's not all we had planned for this little roadster. We put our Engineers to work on upgraded intake. Take a look behind the scenes and follow our progress as we bring our intake design to life.

Mazda has pulled out all the stops for this brand-new MX-5. Auto manufacturers rarely make the next generation in a specific vehicle line lighter in weight. With the rapid increase in advances in technology and the demand for more safety features in new vehicles, there is little doubt that the next generation of a model will be heavier. Not the case here! The current US-released version of this 2016 Miata ND has a curb weight of around 2,332 lb. Compared to the previous-generation NC that weighed around 2,498 lb, this model has shed

We have been hard at work developing our 2013 Ford Focus ST intake system. When the stock intake system was removed, there was room to get creative for improving airflow. Right off the bat, you can see how Ford designed its intake to grab as much cold air as possible by using the two tubes that both conjoin at the front grille and connect into different points on the box. We know it will be important to retain this feature and include it in our airbox design for the Focus ST intake.

Fabricating the Prototype

With the removal of the stock Focus ST intake leaving a good amount of space, we wanted to design an airbox that uses that space effectively. After the space was carefully and thoroughly surveyed, we got to work fabricating and welding together a working prototype!