MISHIMOTO – 2021+ FORD BRONCO 2.3L/2.7L PERFORMANCE INTERCOOLER R&D, PART 1 – STOCK REVIEW AND DESIGN PLANS

Speed Devil
Nov 03, 2021

Your unofficial Favorite Author

Nov 03, 2021

https://www.mishimoto.com/engineeri...rmance-intercooler-stock-review-design-plans/


NOVEMBER 3, 2021 NICHOLAS THOMAS LEAVE A COMMENT
Ford’s latest iteration of the Bronco is designed for the high road. Ford sidelined its purpose-built off-road machine for quite some time but wanted to ensure that the return of such a legendary model would tackle the wilderness with ease and better than the stiff competition. Ford put mountains of thought and engineering into the modern Broncos to earn the true meaning of G.O.A.T. mode. Even after the extended time spent engineering the Bronco’s return, a few aspects could leave the Bronco in the dust, precisely when it comes to the intercooling system. Lucky for you, though, we’re already on the case to ensure that your 2.3L or 2.7L’s charged air temperatures are properly managed for true off-road domination.


Before we dive into our grand intercooler scheme, though, it’s always a vital part of our R&D process to fully examine the OEM components. This process allows us to hone in on the aspects that need to carry over to our design and determine what desperately requires an upgrade.


Ford utilized the same intercooler for both the 2.7L and the 2.3L engine options. While the 2.3L is a heavy-hitting engine, two turbos are going to push more air through the system. This intercooler design splits the difference between the cooling needs of each engine.
Once we extracted the stock unit from our Bronco, we noted that this intercooler suffers from the same drawbacks that plague most other OEM intercooler units. While the core does have sufficient thickness, the rest of the dimensions still leave more to be desired. Ford also opted for a lightweight, tube-and-fin core construction, ideal for mass production, and provides adequate cooling for the daily commute but soaks with heat under heavy driving. Both available EcoBoost options under the Bronco’s hood are potential powerhouses, but an inefficient intercooler will only hold the 2.3L and 2.7L from those extra ponies.


The core might be small, but Ford had some tricks up their sleeves. Like most modern vehicles, this intercooler core uses louvered fins, forcing fresh air through the core diagonally. This increases fresh air contact with the internal fins, theoretically increasing core thickness and promoting heat dissipation.



Crimped to either side of the core are a pair of plastic end tanks, again, ideal for limiting mass production costs. Plastic technology has advanced leaps and bounds over the years, but it’s still not perfect. Over years of use and abuse, especially on tuned vehicles, plastic degrades and could spring boost leaks, leaving you to limp your Bronco off the trail.


The biggest mark against the Bronco’s intercooler is the mounting location. In theory, Ford’s placement is ideal for maximum performance since it’s located front and center on the vehicle with a dedicated port for airflow. However, given the rugged nature of this platform, winches and other off-roading necessities are also dancing through owners’ minds. The trouble is, most of these accessories would block much-needed airflow through the intercooler, so we’re going to move it.


Relocating the Bronco’s intercooler is easier said than done, of course, with the first of many hurdles to our design being the tightly packed front end. Layered under the Bronco’s futuristic fascia are levels of varying tech, which shrinks our build envelope even further. So, to clear some space for our new design, we’re opting to delete the active grille shutters and relocate the radar cruise control in the name of increased performance.


Ford incorporated oodles of tech to bring the Bronco name into the 21st century, but that came at the expense of intercooling performance. Our new design will mean sacrificing Ford’s grille shutters, but we’d rather remove these than require you to modify your brand new Bronco permanently.
With the grill shutters out of the way, our engineer, Dan, now had plenty of room to vastly increase the size of our design’s core while also clearing the way for necessary off-roading gear. Before we can physically manifest the design, Dan first virtually creates our vision.


With the help of our Faro Design ScanArm, Dan can generate a precise digital workspace for added precision during the design process.


We plan to bring the much more robust bar-and-plate core construction to our design for a much more effective intercooling system, not to mention the increased durability. We’re also spreading the use of aluminum from only the core to our unique end tanks as well. As mentioned previously, crimped plastic end tanks are less than ideal for those looking to push more boost through their EcoBoost engines, so we’re opting for a pair of cast aluminum tanks, TIG-welded to the heavier duty core.


We’re opting to remain a bit mysterious with our full design for now. Make sure you stay tuned for future posts we’re we’ll delve deeper into the full end tank design.
Ford designed their active grille shutters as the main mounting point for most front-end components, such as the headlights and grille. Since we’re leaving the shutters out of our design process, Dan is devising a means to support the intercooler along with all of the bits that give your Bronco its distinct look with a fleet of sturdy brackets.


Getting to the high road tanks some time, and we’ve only just plotted the course. With the tools and skills at our disposal, though, the destination isn’t as far off as you’d think. So, make sure to stay tuned for the first look at our prototype kit coming soon.

Thanks for Reading!

-Nick


______

Wound up copying and pasting the whole thing. Still, here we go, your welcome
2dr Badlands 2.3 Manual w/Mid, Rapid Red
My blog, Mfcomics.net, my stories: https://payhip.com/MFComics
NiceBronco, Jalgieri

Rank V

Nov 04, 2021

#1
Looking forward to see the final design. Hopefully with the ACC and intercooler relocation, hidden winch bumpers will be a viable option.
the poacher, Mishimoto

Rank VI

Nov 04, 2021

#2
As a First Edition owner that is my concern with adding a winch/bumper. Finding a solution to the front mounted camera, ACC and intercooler is crucial to the long term reliability of the Bronco. Look forward to seeing what creative solution you come up with.
Ordered: 4-Door First Edition - Rapid Red - Black Seats - MIC Top - Build Date: 10/25
In Garage: ‘62 Red Vette - ‘07 Black Shelby Ragtop - ‘21 F150 Platinum PowerBoost - Rapid Red
dirty finger, the poacher

Rank V

Nov 04, 2021

#3
https://www.mishimoto.com/engineeri...rmance-intercooler-stock-review-design-plans/


NOVEMBER 3, 2021 NICHOLAS THOMAS LEAVE A COMMENT
Ford’s latest iteration of the Bronco is designed for the high road. Ford sidelined its purpose-built off-road machine for quite some time but wanted to ensure that the return of such a legendary model would tackle the wilderness with ease and better than the stiff competition. Ford put mountains of thought and engineering into the modern Broncos to earn the true meaning of G.O.A.T. mode. Even after the extended time spent engineering the Bronco’s return, a few aspects could leave the Bronco in the dust, precisely when it comes to the intercooling system. Lucky for you, though, we’re already on the case to ensure that your 2.3L or 2.7L’s charged air temperatures are properly managed for true off-road domination.


Before we dive into our grand intercooler scheme, though, it’s always a vital part of our R&D process to fully examine the OEM components. This process allows us to hone in on the aspects that need to carry over to our design and determine what desperately requires an upgrade.


Ford utilized the same intercooler for both the 2.7L and the 2.3L engine options. While the 2.3L is a heavy-hitting engine, two turbos are going to push more air through the system. This intercooler design splits the difference between the cooling needs of each engine.
Once we extracted the stock unit from our Bronco, we noted that this intercooler suffers from the same drawbacks that plague most other OEM intercooler units. While the core does have sufficient thickness, the rest of the dimensions still leave more to be desired. Ford also opted for a lightweight, tube-and-fin core construction, ideal for mass production, and provides adequate cooling for the daily commute but soaks with heat under heavy driving. Both available EcoBoost options under the Bronco’s hood are potential powerhouses, but an inefficient intercooler will only hold the 2.3L and 2.7L from those extra ponies.


The core might be small, but Ford had some tricks up their sleeves. Like most modern vehicles, this intercooler core uses louvered fins, forcing fresh air through the core diagonally. This increases fresh air contact with the internal fins, theoretically increasing core thickness and promoting heat dissipation.



Crimped to either side of the core are a pair of plastic end tanks, again, ideal for limiting mass production costs. Plastic technology has advanced leaps and bounds over the years, but it’s still not perfect. Over years of use and abuse, especially on tuned vehicles, plastic degrades and could spring boost leaks, leaving you to limp your Bronco off the trail.


The biggest mark against the Bronco’s intercooler is the mounting location. In theory, Ford’s placement is ideal for maximum performance since it’s located front and center on the vehicle with a dedicated port for airflow. However, given the rugged nature of this platform, winches and other off-roading necessities are also dancing through owners’ minds. The trouble is, most of these accessories would block much-needed airflow through the intercooler, so we’re going to move it.


Relocating the Bronco’s intercooler is easier said than done, of course, with the first of many hurdles to our design being the tightly packed front end. Layered under the Bronco’s futuristic fascia are levels of varying tech, which shrinks our build envelope even further. So, to clear some space for our new design, we’re opting to delete the active grille shutters and relocate the radar cruise control in the name of increased performance.


Ford incorporated oodles of tech to bring the Bronco name into the 21st century, but that came at the expense of intercooling performance. Our new design will mean sacrificing Ford’s grille shutters, but we’d rather remove these than require you to modify your brand new Bronco permanently.
With the grill shutters out of the way, our engineer, Dan, now had plenty of room to vastly increase the size of our design’s core while also clearing the way for necessary off-roading gear. Before we can physically manifest the design, Dan first virtually creates our vision.


With the help of our Faro Design ScanArm, Dan can generate a precise digital workspace for added precision during the design process.


We plan to bring the much more robust bar-and-plate core construction to our design for a much more effective intercooling system, not to mention the increased durability. We’re also spreading the use of aluminum from only the core to our unique end tanks as well. As mentioned previously, crimped plastic end tanks are less than ideal for those looking to push more boost through their EcoBoost engines, so we’re opting for a pair of cast aluminum tanks, TIG-welded to the heavier duty core.


We’re opting to remain a bit mysterious with our full design for now. Make sure you stay tuned for future posts we’re we’ll delve deeper into the full end tank design.
Ford designed their active grille shutters as the main mounting point for most front-end components, such as the headlights and grille. Since we’re leaving the shutters out of our design process, Dan is devising a means to support the intercooler along with all of the bits that give your Bronco its distinct look with a fleet of sturdy brackets.


Getting to the high road tanks some time, and we’ve only just plotted the course. With the tools and skills at our disposal, though, the destination isn’t as far off as you’d think. So, make sure to stay tuned for the first look at our prototype kit coming soon.

Thanks for Reading!

-Nick


______

Wound up copying and pasting the whole thing. Still, here we go, your welcome


There seems to be a lot of parts of the grill/front bumper that need to be removed to gain access to the intercooler. How long did it take you?
2022 Big Bend in Race Red
Mishimoto, Speed Devil

Your unofficial Favorite Author

Nov 04, 2021

#4
There seems to be a lot of parts of the grill/front bumper that need to be removed to gain access to the intercooler. How long did it take you?

Im just sharing the article, Im curious as well though
2dr Badlands 2.3 Manual w/Mid, Rapid Red
My blog, Mfcomics.net, my stories: https://payhip.com/MFComics
Burtoni Motors

Rank V

Nov 04, 2021

#5
Im just sharing the article, Im curious as well though

Ahhh, my bad I should have looked at it closer.
2022 Big Bend in Race Red
Speed Devil

Your unofficial Favorite Author

Nov 04, 2021

#6
As a First Edition owner that is my concern with adding a winch/bumper. Finding a solution to the front mounted camera, ACC and intercooler is crucial to the long term reliability of the Bronco. Look forward to seeing what creative solution you come up with.

me too, wondering what they do, also looking at is a longevity upgrayedd, aluminum vs plastic end tanks
2dr Badlands 2.3 Manual w/Mid, Rapid Red
My blog, Mfcomics.net, my stories: https://payhip.com/MFComics
Rgwinn

Your unofficial Favorite Author

Nov 04, 2021

#7
Ahhh, my bad I should have looked at it closer.

All good, you’re not the only one who thought so.

Still, excited for this
2dr Badlands 2.3 Manual w/Mid, Rapid Red
My blog, Mfcomics.net, my stories: https://payhip.com/MFComics

Rank 0

Nov 04, 2021

#8
Looking forward to more details and final design for this
Speed Devil

Your unofficial Favorite Author

Nov 04, 2021

#9
Looking forward to more details and final design for this

me too, im definitely doing this asap

this aint a Mustang or FoRS, so not looking at yuge power gains
2dr Badlands 2.3 Manual w/Mid, Rapid Red
My blog, Mfcomics.net, my stories: https://payhip.com/MFComics
Mishimoto

Rank V

Nov 04, 2021

#10
Yes! Go Dan!
Speed Devil

Rank II

Nov 15, 2021

#11
Hey Guys!

Nick here from Mishimoto! I just came across this thread and wanted to jump in since y'all had some questions! We're really excited to finish this kit and also dive into the long list of products we have planned for this platform. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to reach out!

There seems to be a lot of parts of the grill/front bumper that need to be removed to gain access to the intercooler. How long did it take you?

It looks like a lot, but, for the most part, it's all centered around the grille shutters. Since we wanted to refrain from serious permanent modification, those will stay off for our kit to install and our engineer is working on some seriously tough bracketry to ensure everything else goes back in its proper spot.

me too, wondering what they do, also looking at is a longevity upgrayedd, aluminum vs plastic end tanks

Aluminum! More specifically we're planning on cast aluminum end tanks TIG-welded to a much more robust bar-and-plate core. We'll have more details coming on the specifics of our design in the coming weeks!

-Nick
Jakob1972, the poacher

Rank 0

Nov 16, 2021

#12
@Mishimoto -- having done an intercooler upgrade on performance VW build years ago, I can confidently say that this will make a noticeable difference for those looking for a little more pep. This is definitely on my "list" if I ever can get my hands on a Bronco! (y)
Mishimoto, the poacher

Your unofficial Favorite Author

Nov 16, 2021

#13
@Mishimoto -- having done an intercooler upgrade on performance VW build years ago, I can confidently say that this will make a noticeable difference for those looking for a little more pep. This is definitely on my "list" if I ever can get my hands on a Bronco! (y)

Second that, on an Ecoboost Mustang and B7 A4

@Mishimoto, patiently waiting for pt2
2dr Badlands 2.3 Manual w/Mid, Rapid Red
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Mishimoto, savethewheels

Rank V

Nov 16, 2021

#14
@Mishimoto for the Badlands and First Edition broncos that don’t have active grill shutters (potentially due to auto sway bar disconnect) will this Inter cooler solution work? Or is there something else occupying that space for these models?
Speed Devil, the poacher

Rank II

Nov 17, 2021

#15
Second that, on an Ecoboost Mustang and B7 A4

@Mishimoto, patiently waiting for pt2

Part 2 will be here before you know it!

@Mishimoto for the Badlands and First Edition broncos that don’t have active grill shutters (potentially due to auto sway bar disconnect) will this Inter cooler solution work? Or is there something else occupying that space for these models?

That's a great question and something that we'll dive more into. Our Badlands does have the grille shutters and the stabilizer bar disconnect, but we'll dive more into the models that aren't equipped with the shutters and see what's mounted there instead

-Nick
Speed Devil

Rank V

Nov 20, 2021

#16
@Mishimoto are you looking into camera relocation as well?

Rank II

Nov 22, 2021

#17
@Mishimoto are you looking into camera relocation as well?

We also looked into the front camera and that will all fit just fine with our intercooler!

-Nick
the poacher

Rank V

Nov 27, 2021

#18
We also looked into the front camera and that will all fit just fine with our intercooler!

-Nick
I'm more interested in raising the camera up to the top of the grille so I can add a winch (or anything, really) without completely blocking the camera.

Libations MOD

Nov 27, 2021

#19
I'm more interested in raising the camera up to the top of the grille so I can add a winch (or anything, really) without completely blocking the camera.
Several AM have relocation hardware for their bumpers/winch mounts
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