With the stock unit out of the way we could begin developing our intake piping. We would be starting at the turbocharger and working outward to an airbox near the stock location.

Using the dimensions from the stock unit, we developed a 3D model of an inlet hose that would be constructed from a silicone material. After completing the model, we produced a unit using our 3D printer.

Because this piece is larger than the bay of our 3D printer, it was constructed from three sections that were glued together. Check out the final design!

This unit has a shape that is similar to the factory unit. We also incorporated both the BPV and the CCV ports, which allow for connection to the OEM pieces. This unit will install just like the factory piping.

This component would be constructed from wire-reinforced silicone. The internal steel wire is in place to prevent collapse under vacuum and suction. Our CCV and BPV ports will be CNC-machined aluminum pieces that will be molded into the silicone hose, creating a leak-free seal. Additionally, using silicone for this inlet portion will allow engine twisting under load.

Check out our WRX induction hose that features this wire-reinforced silicone.

Next, we installed this component to check fitment so we could begin mocking up the rest of the piping.

We then began fabricating the piping that would lead to an airbox location on the driver side of the engine bay.

Check out the progress of mocking this unit into place.

The only addition still needed for this pipe was an IAT (intake air temperature) sensor bung that would function with the stock sensor. We were pleased with the pipe and routing, so we placed this unit on our CMM (coordinate measuring machine) table to collect dimensions for a 3D model of the pipe we created for this kit.

Now, all we had left was to create the airbox we envisioned at the start of this project. Check back with us next time for a look at how we designed it! For now, we leave you with a teaser rendering of this setup.

Last time we covered the design of our intake pipe and left you with a look at our airbox design in the form of a rendering. It’s time to show you how we developed this component.

First, we started with some steel and began selecting mounting points for attaching our box. Once we found these points, we pulled out the welder and began fabricating a prototype.

We then constructed a lid to fully seal the filter from engine bay temperatures.

Now that we had a basic design, our engineering team put this into Solidworks to create the awesome 3D renderings shown below.

We didn’t stop here! To ensure the perfect fitment of this component, we used our 3D printer to construct an actual prototype from our 3D renderings. This unit was printed in several sections and glued together. The external ribs you see running across the surface are specifically included to strengthen the plastic construction. They will not be needed in the final airbox design.

And here’s the printed unit next to our drawing!

Next we installed this prototype in our Mustang to confirm fitment. Check it out!

After wrapping up the design of our intake for the 2015, it was time to put the car on the rollers to see if we were making any power gains. As mentioned earlier in this series, we believed that significant power gains were unlikely due to the MAP-based ECU, which is not normally affected by modified intake systems.

Dyno Testing

With that in mind, we strapped the Mustang down and made a few pulls.

Testing Results

After making several pulls with both the stock intake and Mishimoto intake, we averaged the runs, and the results are shown in the plot below.

Although we were a bit skeptical about power gains for this vehicle, we did end up with some nice increases throughout most of the RPM range. These gains are likely due to the reduced restriction caused by the stock airbox system. We saw 4–8 whp gains from about 3,500 rpm through redline. Torque benefits were similar and peaked around 9 wtq at 5,500 rpm.

It is extremely likely that additional modifications and tuning will provide even greater gains with our intake system, thanks to the free-flowing filter and piping design.

We are very pleased with these results. Not only did the vehicle make some decent power gains, but we also really liked the improved tone provided by the intake setup. Spool noise is greatly amplified and sounds terrific both inside and outside of the vehicle.

Filter Surface Area

Along with dyno pulls, we performed some comparison analyses of the stock air filter versus the Mishimoto unit we would be using with our kit.

Air filter surface area is one of the features we like to compare when looking at the stock intake system. So what is the benefit of greater surface area? Greater filter surface area significantly increases the potential CFM of our filter. More air passages will provide less restrictions, especially for modified vehicles moving more air than a stock vehicle.

Silicone Inlet Hose

Another interesting update for this project is the arrival of our final prototype for the silicone inlet hose. We have been discussing this part for quite some time, and we have posted some 3D-printed prototype images. Check out this unit in its final form!

The next image shows a more detailed shot of our CNC-machined fittings that are molded into the hose.

The final shot shows the thickness of this hose and the fibers that are embedded with the silicone we use to manufacture this piece.

Intake Piping

Along with our finalized silicone piece, our intake piping was also completed. Check out a few shots.

A few details about this pipe. This unit is constructed from mandrel-bent aluminum, and it features smooth bends to route air from our airbox to the turbocharger inlet. We utilize a bracket to stabilize the pipe and prevent vibration. The bung mounted to the top of the pipe mates perfectly with the stock sensor for the intake air temperature (IAT).

Not a fan of the polished look? Don’t worry, we will be offering this piping in a wrinkle black finish as well. We are also considering a blue (Ford) finish of some sort, so let us know if this interests you and perhaps we can give it a run!

We finish off the end of this piping with our Mishimoto oiled air filter.

Completed Airbox

The airbox is a key component that helps reduce the effect of engine bay heat on our filter and on air temperatures. You saw our 3D-printed unit earlier; check out the final design below.

We also created an easily removable lid for servicing of the filter.

This box is constructed from powder-coated steel and works to properly isolate the air filter. This unit mounts to existing points within the engine bay and provides a stock-like appearance.

Fully Installed Kit

And check out this kit fully installed in our EB!