Mishimoto

Hey guys,

We've started working on an intake system for the 2003-2006 350Z! Check out the development details on our blog or posted within this thread.

http://engineering.mishimoto.com/cat...ake-2003-2006/

Pure VQ Sound! Mishimoto’s 350Z Performance Intake R&D, Part 1: Intro, Goals, And Initial Fabrication



The Nissan V6 is a familiar animal here at Mishimoto. We have designed various cooling components for this model, and several of our employees have owned or presently own a Nissan of this particular vintage. After covering the cooling system of the Z, we decided it was time to turn our attention toward a power-adding component.

The first product we want to tackle is a performance 350Z air intake system. Over the past couple years our team has been designing and testing intake systems for a variety of vehicles, including the Subaru WRX/STI, Subaru BRZ, BMW E46, and Mercedes CLA45 AMG, to name a few. Each project introduces a unique challenge and an opportunity for our team to produce additional vehicle power and improve intake sound and volume.

Project Goals

Goals drive an appropriate end product, and we needed to construct a set of basic guidelines so we could be sure that our final design was exactly what our customers needed.

First, as with any intake system, we want to increase power output. This includes both horsepower and torque, while avoiding any impact on engine integrity. Easier said than done, but we’ve done it many times, and I am sure we would do it once again with the 350Z intake.

Second, we want to create a more appealing intake sound for the Nissan 350Z intake. The stock airbox muffles intake noise, so we want to let this engine breathe, and we want the driver to hear it.

Our last major goal will be a general plan for fitment. We want to utilize the stock air-inlet duct on the driver side of the engine bay. We also want this 350Z intake system to bolt into position like the stock unit and function with all stock equipment.

Initial Intake Fabrication


Stock 350Z intake system

Let’s jump right into the design of our intake! First, we removed the stock system and evaluated the space between the stock MAF housing and the duct from the front of the vehicle.


Stock Nissan 350Z intake airbox removed


Stock Nissan 350Z intake airbox removed

For this kit, we will be retaining the stock MAF housing and designing our kit from that point to the front of the vehicle. We removed the stock MAF housing and used our Romer arm to collect dimensions and place them into a 3D model.


Stock MAF housing dimension collection


Stock MAF housing dimension collection

Once we had all the points needed from the stock housing, we began to design an adapter that would fit between this housing and our air filter. This piece would also pass through a port on our airbox.

Check out the 3D printed filter adapter below!


3D-printed MAF housing adapter

Now that we had a clear idea of space for our airbox design, the fabrication process for our 350Z air intake begins!

We started with a cardboard template to provide an idea of the shape and bend locations we would need for our initial 350Z intake mock-up design.


Airbox cardboard template for Mishimoto Nissan 350Z intake


Airbox cardboard template for Mishimoto Nissan 350Z intake

Soon we had a template created for our 350Z air intake that completely enclosed the filter location, which would be fed by the stock front duct.


Airbox cardboard template for Mishimoto Nissan 350Z intake

We now had a basic shape that could be translated into an initial prototype of the steel airbox.


Airbox cardboard template

Within a few minutes, we had this shape cut out of our steel sheet along with the ports for the air filter and the stock inlet duct.


350Z intake airbox metal prototype

We then identified the appropriate bend points, and soon we had a large portion of our airbox complete.


Airbox metal prototype


Airbox metal prototype

Check out this portion of our 350Z air intake mocked into position within the engine bay of our test vehicle!


Airbox metal prototype mocked into position

Coming Up!

Although we have a nice start on this project, we still have some work to do in terms of fabrication of our prototype and the validation of our design through testing.

Check back next time for an inside look at our team putting the finishing touches on our first airbox prototype for the Mishimoto 350Z intake!

Thanks for reading!
-John

Shin Beats

iTrader: (7)

Is there any reason for your lack of support for the VQ35HR? I also noticed you do not have a radiator fan option for the HR motor.

KingBaby

iTrader: (3)

+1

......

Still good to see companies adding flavor to the modding pool

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

Let's see an 80mm MAF housing and 80mm to the TB. As of now it will be the same as every other intake on the market.

rustyschopshop

I agree, and also create a duplicate in sizing and design for the HR guys as well. This would definitely help set Mishimoto apart from the rest of the industry. Would also be nice if this intake is made of some sort of poly to resist heat soak like most of the popular intakes such as Injen/airaid.

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

Data logging with Cobb, UpRev or OT2 has shown no different in heat with materials. Stock air box , JWT and CAI all seem to draw the same temp. Material really doesn't make that much of a difference.

ARRRT

Doesnt look like the rocket science so far...
Good luck anyways!!!

Mishimoto

No reason in particular. We typically try to produce products that are needed by the marketplace and design them to offer the best solution possible. We do offer an aluminum radiator, direct-fit oil cooler kit, low-temperature thermostat and a silicone induction hose kit for the VQ35HR models. Sounds as if the gap in support is primarily with an electric fan shroud kit. If we see enough interest, we can certainly explore this as a future project.

Thanks for the recommendation!

Thank you very much!

Interesting! I believe for this kit we had intended to stick with the factory MAF housing. That being said, we can certainly explore this option for a future kit or product.

Yes, we have found similar results with intake boxes and shields we have produced for previous intake systems. The impact on temperature seems minimal, we typically utilize either powder-coated steel or aluminum for our airbox designs.

Thanks for all of the input guys!
-John

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

You should also be looking at a velocity stack design for the filter mount, very much like 06 OEM or JWT.

Mishimoto

Good point! Our filter design has a built-in velocity stack. Got this one covered!

-John

Vq.turbo.DremZ

iTrader: (6)

Agreed, There no shortage of intakes that utilize stock MAF dia. housings. Also did not know you guys were based in Wilmington - Currently work in the Area, could I check out your facilities some time?

RENFRO

iTrader: (1)

So, I'm not so sure what the advantage is going to be over every other intake that's on the market? Don't get me wrong, I really like Mishimoto products, and I'm sure your build quality will be better than some if not most.

However, I'd be MUCH more interested if it did have an 80mm MAF and intake pipe to the TB. At least make it an option when ordering!

Looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with, regardless!

Mishimoto

Got it! We are certainly keeping these recommendations in mind. We can easily tackle a second intake design for those using an 80mm MAF unit.

Another local! Yes, we would have no problem giving a quick tour of the facility. Shoot us a PM!

Thanks for the input! Our current plan is a lower priced intake option that is easy to install and utilizes the factory MAF housing. We can always offer a second option in the future for those with the larger housing.

Thanks again guys!

-John

Mishimoto

Project update! Check it out below.

Pure VQ Sound! Mishimoto’s 350Z Performance Intake R&D, Part 2: Fabrication Completion

We’re back with more grinding, fitting, cutting, and welding. The fabrication of our intake prototype for the Nissan 350Z continues!

Airbox Fabrication

When we left off, we had fabricated three sides of our airbox and created a 3D model for our MAF-to-filter adapter. The next plan was to continue designing and constructing our airbox, starting with the base.


Template for 350Z intake airbox base

We mapped out our base on steel, made a bend, and trimmed some excess material.


Cutting Nissan 350Z intake airbox base

A few tack welds and it was starting to take shape.


Fabricating 350Z intake airbox base


Fabricating 350Z intake airbox base

The base of the stock airbox utilizes some interesting mounting points, shown below.


Nissan 350Z intake airbox – lower mounting grommets

Our team would need to design pegs on the base of the airbox assembly, which would sit within these mounts. The lower mounts would then work with an upper mounting bolt to stabilize the airbox during vehicle operation.


Nissan 350Z intake airbox – lower mounting pegs

We then started smoothing our welds to best represent our final product. We are still early in the prototyping phase; even so, this first prototype will be used for dyno testing.


350Z air intake airbox – weld grinding

Check out the nice edge in the shot below!


350Z air intake airbox – weld grinding

Once complete we placed this first prototype in the engine bay to verify fitment of all the features we incorporated.


350Z air intake prototype installed

Completed First Prototype

Once we verified fitment, weather stripping was added to the airbox edges to eliminate the chance of any vibrations or noises during operation. Check out the full intake assembly of our first prototype!


Mishimoto 350Z intake prototype


Mishimoto 350Z intake prototype

And a shot looking through the air duct!


Mishimoto 350Z air intake prototype

An additional feature to note with our design is the use of an internal velocity stack. A velocity stack functions to smooth the air entering the intake system. By adding a trumpet shaped end to the intake duct, we can achieve this. This is a huge improvement over a simple flat pipe placed at the inlet to your intake system, which can create a boundary layer of air. The purpose of this is to smooth flow and increase air velocity, which typically results in some form of benefit in terms of power output and a smoother power band. Perhaps this will help promote some gains during our dyno testing. We will see!

This prototype was then bolted into place in preparation for some dyno testing!


Mishimoto Nissan 350Z intake prototype installed


Mishimoto Nissan 350Z intake prototype installed


Mishimoto Nissan 350Z intake prototype installed

Coming Up!

Our team is very excited to get this Z on the dyno so we can hear our new intake prototype and see what power gains it can achieve.


350Z on dyno for intake testing

Check back next time for a video featuring a comparison of the stock and Mishimoto intake systems. We will also be taking an in-depth look at the data acquired from dyno testing!

Thanks for reading!
-John

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

Considering your company makes aftermarket larger radiators. I would make sure it fits with a bigger radiator, from the pics I doubt it would fit with my AMS radiator. Probably wouldn't even fit with your little radiator

Mishimoto

Great question here. Our aluminum radiator for the Z measures at around 1.4" core thickness, which is quite a bit larger than the stock unit (5/8" thick). We've designed this intake to fit with both the stock and Mishimoto radiator, but fitment may be rather tight with a thicker unit such as the AMS you mention. If we are able to test our intake with such a radiator, we will certainly provide information in regards to fitment.

Thanks
-John

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

I'll take some pics over the weekend for example, it's combined with an aftermarket shroud and JWT popcharger

Mishimoto

Looking forward to the images. I should be able to provide a fairly good assessment of compatibility with a larger radiator with a few images from above the intake looking downwards.

Thanks again!
-John

hotdawwgman

iTrader: (1)

Sub'd

Mishimoto

Thanks!

Project update, check it out below!

Pure VQ Sound! Mishimoto’s 350Z Performance Intake R&D, Part 3: Dyno Testing and Results

With our initial design completed, it is time to strap our Z to the dyno and make a few pulls. We would be evaluating power output and engine sound, both of which are important aspects of our Nissan 350Z intake design.

Dyno Testing


Setting vehicle up for Nissan 350Z intake testing

Once we had the car lined up properly, we were ready to make some pulls!


Setting vehicle up for 350Z air intake testing

Check out a compilation from our dyno runs! You can really hear the VQ sing with our intake system installed.


Man, what an engine! The VQ sounds so good and is quite refreshing compared to the turbo four-cylinder vehicles we focused on for previous intake designs. The Mishimoto 350Z air intake elevates the volume and seems to deepen the overall tone, especially during initial throttle application. Overall, we had positive results for the sound produced, and we are very pleased.

So how did we do with power?

Keep in mind that we made numerous pulls with each setup (both stock and Mishimoto) until a consistent power curve was produced. Once we had three consistent runs, they were averaged to produce the comparison in power output shown below.


350Z intake dyno plot comparison

As you can see, very nice results! We made power throughout the entire powerband, from 3,000 rpm all the way to 6,400 rpm. Our maximum gains were achieved in the midrange, equating to 10 whp and 13 wtq. At the peak of the rpm band, our gains were 6 whp and 9 wtq.

When adding an intake, one of the primary concerns is the impact on the stock ECU tune in terms of air/fuel ratios. A review of the results showed that the ratios of our intake are extremely similar to the stock intake ratios. This setup is entirely safe and will not have a negative impact on engine integrity during any driving conditions.

Airflow and elimination of restriction are big contributors to our power gains. Our filter features a substantial improvement in surface area. Check out the actual data in the chart below!


350Z air intake filter surface area comparison

Using our cone filter more than tripled the surface area of the stock air filter!

Creating a 3D Model

After recording successful testing data, we were pleased with the performance of our existing design. The next item on our list is to put these components into a 3D model. First, we collect dimensions for the airbox and MAF adapter using our CMM (coordinate measuring machine) table and Romer Arm!


Collecting dimensional data from Mishimoto Nissan 350Z intake prototype


Collecting dimensional data from Mishimoto 350Z intake prototype

Coming Up!

We need to make a few final tweaks to our 350Z air intake box design for improved fitment, which will be completed in the 3D modeling phase of development. Once done, we will be constructing a final prototype that reflects our full production design.

Check back for a look at our Nissan 350Z intake 3D models and our complete prototype!

Thanks for reading!
-John