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  1. It's Still OEM to Me - Exhaust R&D, Part 1: Stock System Review

    It's Still OEM to Me - Exhaust R&D, Part 1: Stock System Review

    As much as we like to keep things cool here at Mishimoto, we couldn't keep ourselves away from the exhaust system once we got our hands on the hot new 2016 Camaro SS. This is a very impressive car, but we have a few ideas on how to make it even better.

    Now let's give credit where credit is due; GM did pretty well on this one, and even the stock 2016 Camaro exhaust took our breath away. It sounds absolutely sublime, and I'm sure you will all agree after giving it a listen.

    But once our engineers picked their jaws up off the floor and stopped doing burnouts in the parking lot, they told us that we weren't the only ones having breathing problems after hearing that monstrous 2016 Camaro exhaust. In fact, they told us that the exhaust might make it hard for that glorious LT1 to breathe too! Fortunately, this ailing patient came to the right doctors; our team reckons they can make some improvements to help this

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  2. Cooling The Camaro. 2016+ SS Primary Radiator R&D, Part 1: Stock Radiator Evaluation

    Cooling The Camaro. 2016+ SS Primary Radiator R&D, Part 1: Stock Radiator Evaluation

    Mishimoto has been involved in the heat exchanger business for quite some time. Our team has produced many optimal aftermarket cooling solutions for vehicles new and old. We are finding now that OE heat exchangers have been improving substantially. This is occurring because vehicle curb weights have risen, and the horsepower war has continued to produce increasingly massive power output numbers.

    Now, this isn't to say there isn't room for improvement. Stock cooling systems are typically adequate for a stock vehicle in street-driving conditions and in some instances, light track driving. Once owners begin adding sticky tires for longer-duration lapping, stock heat exchangers have trouble keeping fluid temperatures properly regulated.

    Considering the weight and power output of the 2016 Camaro, we expect to see a need for improvement in both the primary and secondary radiator systems. This particular R&D project will cover the creation of our aluminum primary radiator for this vehicle.

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  3. Treat Your Transmission. Ford 6.0L Powerstroke Transmission Cooler R&D, Part 2: Mishimoto Prototype

    Treat Your Transmission. Ford 6.0L Powerstroke Transmission Cooler R&D, Part 2: Mishimoto Prototype

    Now that we have designed our 6.0L transmission cooler prototype in SolidWorks®, our team has begun work on constructing our first prototype. We will be using this prototype to verify fitment on our truck and perform heat-soak testing to determine any cooling benefits provided by the larger core size.

    Mishimoto 6.0L Transmission Cooler Prototype

    Check out a couple shots of our first prototype unit!

    Mishimoto 6.0 Powerstroke transmission cooler
    Mishimoto 6.0 Powerstroke transmission cooler

    Mishimoto 6.0 Powerstroke transmission cooler
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  4. A More Durable Degas. Mishimoto's Ford Powerstroke 6.0L Aluminum Degas Bottle R&D, Part 3: 3D-Printed Prototypes

    A More Durable Degas. Mishimoto's Ford Powerstroke 6.0L Aluminum Degas Bottle R&D, Part 3: 3D-Printed Prototypes

    With a rough 3D model in place, we started constructing our 3D-printed prototypes to finalize our 6.0L degas bottle design and to refine any areas where adjustments are needed.

    Due to the large size of this degas unit, we printed the bottle in multiple sections and then attached each portion together.

    Below is a look at our first 3D print fitted into place on our 6.0L.

    3D-printed 6.0 Powerstroke degas bottle
    3D-printed 6.0 Powerstroke degas bottle

    3D-Printed 6.0 Powerstroke degas bottle
    3D-Printed 6.0 Powerstroke degas
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  5. 2016 Camaro SS Video Review Series, Part 7: Rear Suspension

    2016 Camaro SS Video Review Series, Part 7: Rear Suspension

    Check out the seventh segment of the Mishimoto 2016 Camaro SS video review series! In this video we provide a neat look at some of the unique features on the rear suspension of the '16.

    Our next video will include details about the braking system of our SS.

    Thanks for watching!

    -John

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  6. Eliminating the Eyesore. Mishimoto 2016 Camaro Expansion Tank R&D, Part 1: Stock Tank and Initial Design

    Eliminating the Eyesore. Mishimoto 2016 Camaro Expansion Tank R&D, Part 1: Stock Tank and Initial Design

    While we were deep in development of various new components for the 2016 Camaro, we received numerous requests for a replacement for the coolant expansion tank. While an upgrade here won't net any horsepower gains or drop fluid temperatures, a replacement tank can certainly improve the appearance of your engine bay.

    Since we are experts in producing innovative aluminum replacement expansion tanks, we decided to tackle the Camaro unit as one of our new projects.

    Stock 2016 Camaro Expansion Tank

    The stock 2016 Camaro expansion tank is quite a unique piece. GM has combined the expansion tank and overflow tank into one unit. If you've ever peeked under the hood of a Cadillac ATS, this unit should look familiar.

    Before designing our own aluminum counterpart, we needed to inspect the stock 2016 Camaro parts and evaluate each of the features.

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  7. 2016 Camaro SS Video Review Series, Part 6: Front Suspension

    2016 Camaro SS Video Review Series, Part 6: Front Suspension

    Check out the sixth segment of the Mishimoto 2016 Camaro SS video review series! In this video we provide a neat look at some of the unique features on the front suspension of the '16.

    Our next video will include details about the rear suspension of our SS.

    Thanks for watching!

    -John

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  8. Stiffen Your 'Stang! 2015 Mustang Strut Tower Brace R&D, Part 5: Final Testing Rig and Results

    Stiffen Your 'Stang! 2015 Mustang Strut Tower Brace R&D, Part 5: Final Testing Rig and Results

    What a unique and exciting project this has been! We don't want to simply develop neat products; we want to understand how and why they function. This is why our team has been working to develop test protocols for our S550 Mustang strut tower brace evaluations. This segment shows our final testing process and the very surprising results.

    Final Testing Rig

    After experimenting with a setup designed to record pressure, we noticed that measuring travel distance between the two strut towers would provide identical results if we used a much more adaptable testing device.

    Our team acquired a few linear-displacement gauges to modify our strut brace for testing. We started by hacking apart one of our prototype bars.

    2015 Mustang parts testing
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  9. Treat Your Transmission. 6.0L Powerstroke Transmission Cooler R&D, Part 1: Factory Cooler Options

    Treat Your Transmission. 6.0L Powerstroke Transmission Cooler R&D, Part 1: Factory Cooler Options

    Yes, that's right, we are not quite done with product development for the 6.0L Powerstroke. Although these trucks are getting older, our team is finding more and more ways to enhance and improve them.

    The factory-equipped 6.0 transmission cooler is relatively stout. In fact, swapping this cooler into the 7.3L is a pretty common upgrade. That said, we think we can provide even greater cooling efficiency and offer an upgrade for 6.0L and 7.3L trucks that tow heavy loads.

    Factory Cooler Options

    From 2003­ to 2007, the 6.0L came from the factory with two different cooler options, a 26-row cooler and a 31-row cooler. Mounting and line connections were similar on both.

    Our shop truck came equipped with the 26-row unit, so we ordered the 31-unit cooler as well for data collection.

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  10. A More Durable Degas. Mishimoto's Ford Powerstroke 6.0L Aluminum Degas Bottle R&D, Part 2: Initial 3D Models

    A More Durable Degas. Mishimoto's Ford Powerstroke 6.0L Aluminum Degas Bottle R&D, Part 2: Initial 3D Models

    Quick update for this awesome degas bottle project! Our engineering team has been working to construct an aluminum degas bottle design for the 6.0, using our 3D-modeling software. We've incorporated some neat features, and we've included factory-style hose connection points and bottle mounts.

    Let's take a look!

    Mishimoto 6.0 Powerstroke degas bottle 3D model
    Mishimoto 6.0 Powerstroke degas bottle 3D model

    In this model you can see our plans for maintaining an appropriate fluid level. A simple sight tube will do the trick for our bottle design. You can also see the machined cap threads that we designed to function with the factory cap.

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