Page 27 - Engineering

Bypassing the Norm - Thermal Bypass Valve R&D, Part 1: Design to Delivery

Posted: January 22, 2020

Categories: Dodge Ram 6.7L Cummins Thermal Bypass Valve Kit

The transmission
is the backbone of your 2013-2018 Dodge Ram 6.7L Cummins. It's responsible for
transmitting up to 930 lb-ft of torque from the engine to the wheels. That much
power generates a lot of heat and if that heat isn't dissipated, it can destroy
your transmission. The transmission cooler does a decent job of keeping
transmission fluid temperatures in check, but only if the fluid can reach it.

The stock
cooling systems of both the 68-RFE and Aisin AS69RC utilize an in-line thermal
bypass valve that controls the flow of fluid to the transmission cooler. The
purpose of this valve is to prevent transmission fluid from flowing to the
cooler until it reaches operating temperature. In cold environments, this
operation is important to prevent overcooling, but there's an inherent problem
with the stock bypass valve.

In Good Health - Baffled Oil Catch Can Kit R&D: Start to Finish

Posted: January 20, 2020

Categories: Ford 6.4L Powerstroke Baffled Oil Catch Can Kit 2008-2010

If you're like most 6.4L Powerstroke owners, your truck is your livelihood. It gets you around, carries your tools, tows your equipment, and anything else you need to get the job done. You rely on your 6.4L every day and want to keep it healthy, but your 6.4L isn't as diligent about its own well-being.

Like all modern internal combustion engines, the 6.4L Powerstroke generates blow-by. This blow-by is made of carbon, oil, fuel, and water vapors that leak past the piston rings during combustion. Blow-by can be extremely detrimental to the bottom end of an engine if left unvented. The pressure from blow-by buildup can push out seals and reduce engine power. The corrosive nature of blow-by can also damage engine bearings and reduce oil life. To get the blow-by out of the bottom end, modern engines (including the 6.4L) utilize a crankcase ventilation (CCV) system.

Breathing Fresh Air - Intake R&D, Part 9: Production

Posted: January 16, 2020

Categories: Jeep Wrangler JL 2.0L Turbo Performance Intake 2018+

As Ye tightened the last bolt on our intake production sample, we breathed a sigh of relief. Over a year of painstaking R&D came to a close with that bolt.

In all our years designing intakes, few have been as complex or demanding as our 2018+ Jeep Wrangler JL 2.0L intake. We've fought check engine lights, tested more variations than we could have imagined, and learned a lot along the way. But the time is finally here to see the product of our efforts in its final form.

Shortly after we finished our final design from the last post, we began production on a sample to test fit. This test fit is the final (and often the most crucial) step in the R&D process. It tells us if our

Float Like a Butterfly, Sting like a Kia? - Performance Intercooler Kit R&D, Part 5 - Piping Production Sample

Posted: January 07, 2020

Categories: Kia Stinger GT Performance Intercooler Kit, 2018+

Unfortunately for us, Bluetooth intercooling hasn't been invented yet. So when it came to updating and rerouting the intercooler's end tanks, we still needed a physical channel for the charged air to pass through. Put simply, it's not just the intercooler getting the overhaul, it's the entire system. This means more work for us, but you get to reap the benefits.

Kia's engineers already equipped the Stinger GT with one of the most robust intercooler piping systems that we've ever seen here in the Mishimoto R&D facility. What that meant for our engineer was that they gave us a sturdy foundation to build from. You already saw a preview of what we had in mind for the piping, but now the real

Float Like a Butterfly, Sting like a Kia? - Performance Intercooler Kit R&D, Part 4 - Intercooler Production Sample

Posted: January 07, 2020

Categories: Kia Stinger GT Performance Intercooler Kit, 2018+

The splash has been made, and those ripples have finally made their way to shore. The proverbial pond that is the auto industry is a big one, but it's now time to see the end result of our big plans for the Stinger GT's intercooler upgrade.

There are a few aspects that the Stinger came up short on when it was released into the wild, and we saw the intercooler being a weak link. Given its design, it wouldn't be able to keep intake air temperatures at an appropriate level after some thrashing and turning up the boost. We last left you with the outline of the new intercooler, but now it's time for the real deal.

Metamorphosized

Just as Kia emerged from its cocoon with the Stinger, our intercooler is also finalizing its metamorphosis

Still a Class Act - Direct Fit Catch Can R&D, Part 2 - Production Sample and Test Results

Posted: December 18, 2019

Categories: Audi S4/S5 3.0T Direct Fit Catch Can PCV Side, 2018+

Physical health is key for any athlete's performance. The same applies to anything mechanical, such as the Audi B9. Just as our bodies have defenses against sickness, the B9 S4 and S5 came equipped with a robust system to mitigate the effects of blow-by. However, as we went over in our last post, this separator might need some backup.

When we last left off, our in-house fabricated prototype made its way onto our donor S5 and was ready for our standard 1000-mile road test. This test provides us with a benchmark on the rate of blow-by collection while also being the final check against any dreaded check engine lights.

Rival Nature's Power - Intercooler Pipe R&D, Part 6: Dyno Testing

Posted: December 16, 2019

Categories: Jeep Wrangler JL 2.0T Intercooler Pipe 2018+

This 2018+ Jeep JL 2.0L Performance Intercooler Pipe is now for sale! Click here to check it out!

As the Jeep pulled onto the Dynojet, our anticipation grew. Would the increased flow equate to more power, or would our pipe fall flat? We removed the stock intercooler pipe from the JL and installed our free-flowing cast-aluminum replacement. We strapped down the Jeep and fired it up.

Keep Oil out of your Intake - Oil catch Can R&D, Part 4 - 2018+ Update

Posted: December 06, 2019

Categories: Ford Mustang GT Catch Can Kit 2015+

The automotive world never stands still, both literally and figuratively. Technology is always improving and evolving to produce mountains of power with maximum efficiency. Back during the Mustang's inception, all it took was a massive V8 and just enough traction to make it to the finish line in order to blow your socks off. These days, however, drivers want a muscle car that can do more than flex. They want it to be flexible. With over 50 years of engineering, Ford has been able to outrun most issues that keep their Mustang confined, except one"blow-by.

In 2015, Ford brought us the most modern Mustang yet. It was a familiar 5.0L powerplant, but we finally saw some much needed 21^st century touches, like independent rear suspension for example. Ford went even further with the

Constant Stride - Fan Shroud R&D, Part 1: Production

Posted: November 27, 2019

Categories: Jeep XJ Cherokee Fan Shroud 1989-2001

This XJ Cherokee Fan Shroud is on sale now! Click here to check it out!

Driving off the beaten path is a constant stride. Every throttle input and steering angle change is carefully calculated to overcome the obstacles in front of you. All it takes to break that stride is one misstep. A coolant temp gauge climbing into the red or a wisp of steam from under the hood is enough to take your focus off those obstacles and lock it on your dash. Suddenly, the challenge becomes cooling down your vehicle instead of making it to the end of the trail.

Overheating is an all-too-common occurrence for many Jeep XJ Cherokee owners. Off-roading is also an exercise in low-speed driving and for the XJ's outdated engine fan, it's an exercise in futility. When the XJ's 4.0L engine is churning at a pace just above idle, the archaic engine fan is barely moving air through the radiator. Low fan and road speeds, coupled with the extremely high load of crawling

For a Flawless Return - Direct-Fit Catch Can R&D, Part 1 - Stock Review

Posted: November 04, 2019

Categories: Toyota Supra Direct Fit Catch Can, 2020+

BAFFLED OIL CATCH CAN KIT, CCV SIDE, FITS TOYOTA GR SUPRA 3.0L 2020+

It's a strange time in the automotive world when it's an insult to call a Toyota a BMW. Yet, it seems that is one of the only small clouds hanging over the otherwise flawless return of the legendary Supra. I would say that's a win. Sure, it's Z4 in a cooler outfit, but I can't remember the last time BMW wasn't considered to be one of the benchmarks for automotive engineering. Why not shine a light on the real matter at hand, something that actually makes a difference? The only real speck on the otherwise gleaming Supra moniker is the issue of blow-by.