[Mishimoto]

Hey guys,

We've started development of our CLA45AMG intake system! If you are unfamiliar with our company, please checkout our introduction thread here: http://www.mercedesclaforum.com/for...moto-introduction-cla-amg-product-feeler.html. We are now an official vendor for the forum and we are pleased to be a part of this fantastic community.

Feel free to follow along with our development process on our blog or posted within this thread.

Mercedes Benz CLA45 AMG Performance Air Intake 2014+ | Mishimoto Engineering Blog

Mercedes CLA45 AMG Intake R&D, Part 1: Stock System and Initial Prototyping

The CLA45 AMG ticks all the boxes for what you want to see in a performance-oriented luxury sports vehicle. Drop-dead styling, incredible engineering, an exhaust tone that promotes eargasms, fantastic seating and ergonomics, and power output substantial enough to post a 12-second quarter-mile run. All these features raised the eyebrows of our engineering team, and we absolutely had to get one into the shop for product development.

CLA45 AMG in shop

CLA45 AMG in shop

We put out feelers on a variety of forums and through our vendor channel, and we received numerous offers from vehicle owners. We eventually worked out a schedule with the gracious owner of this vehicle and set to work developing our first component for the AMG.

CLA45 AMG in shop

Stock Intake System

Before jumping into product design we needed to take a look at the stock intake system. This would allow us to properly evaluate the system to determine where improvements could be made. Below we have a few shots of the stock engine bay.

Stock engine bay

Stock engine bay

And the stock airbox and intake duct are shown in the image below.

Stock engine bay

Next we removed the intake system so we could examine each component and begin organizing our ideas and plans for the Mishimoto intake.

Stock intake removed

Stock intake removed

Let’s take a look at each individual component and evaluate their functions and locations.

Stock Intake Components

The stock inlet hose routes air from the intake airbox to the turbocharger. It is constructed from a rubber material and is accordion shaped to provide flex during engine movement.

Stock inlet hose

Stock inlet hose

Stock inlet hose

As you can see, this hose is already showing a little oil buildup from the crankcase control valve (CCV) system. Perhaps a catch-can setup is a wise investment for this direct-injected engine! We will be investigating the use of such a product in the near future.

Notice the various ports on top of this hose. Only two ports are used on the AMG, one for the boost pressure solenoid and the other for the CCV system. These will need to be incorporated into our design as well.

The smaller port mounts to the turbocharger compressor inlet, and the larger connection mounts to the airbox velocity stack, which works to provide smooth, laminar airflow through the intake system.

Stock intake velocity stack

This piece connects directly to the airbox. The flange is shown in the shot below.

Stock airbox flange

Here is a better image showing the different ports and mounting points built into the factory airbox.

Stock airbox

The front port on this piece is connected to an air duct that routes fresh air from the front grille area. This duct is shown below.

Stock airbox inlet duct

The rear of the airbox has yet another duct that provides airflow to the cooling heat sink on the ECU and attaches directly to the rear of the airbox. This setup is pretty slick. Airflow coming from the grille provides intake air and also cools the electronics.

Airbox ECU duct

Within the airbox sits a cylindrical paper air filter. This piece clips into the velocity stack shown in earlier images.

Stock air filter

And finally, we have the airbox lid that seals the filter completely from the warm engine bay.

Stock airbox cover

That wraps up the stock intake system! It’s quite complex, but we should have no problem coming up with a rendition of our own that flows better and makes a bit more power.

Inlet Hose Design

Our engineering team decided to start our project R&D with the inlet hose. This would then dictate our airbox placement and the rest of our design.

Dimensions were collected from the stock inlet hose using our coordinate measuring machine (CMM) and Romer arm. These basic measurements would provide a starting point for modeling a hose of our own.

Inlet hose on CMM table

Once complete, we printed our design using our 3D printer to check fitment and continue with designing our intake. Check out our 3D piece!

3D-printed intake inlet hose

Coming Up!

Check back next time for full details on our inlet tube and a look at the full development of our first prototype design.

Thanks for reading!

–John

 

[Mishimoto]

Project update! Check out the details below.

Mercedes CLA45 AMG Intake R&D, Part 2: Full Prototype Fabrication

Mishimoto intake 3D render

When we last left off we had finished the evaluation of the stock intake system, and the design of our prototype had commenced. Our first component is the turbocharger inlet tube, which mounts to the compressor inlet. Check out a few shots of our 3D-printed design!

Inlet Tube

3D-printed prototype inlet tube

3D-printed prototype inlet tube

3D-printed prototype inlet tube

Although our inlet piece may emulate the stock unit in terms of ports and features, the two are actually quite different. Check out the comparison shot below showing the stock inlet tube and our prototype unit.

Stock inlet tube (left) and Mishimoto inlet tube prototype (right)

The stock tube essentially bumps from the filter size directly to the small OD of the compressor inlet. This creates a wall at the end of the tube which may result in some airflow turbulence. To smoothen airflow in this area, our inlet tube is designed to provide a fluid transition from the filter to the compressor inlet, reducing the chance of restrictions or turbulence within this portion of the intake. Will this result in more power? We shall see!

Next, we installed this prototype piece to verify fitment with the turbocharger, as well as the sensors and ports that are incorporated into this component.

Prototype inlet tube, test fit

Prototype inlet tube, test fit

Prototype inlet tube, test fit

We then installed the air filter we intend to use for this kit. Since we will be utilizing the stock intake duct, positioning the filter in the path of airflow was key to obtaining cool intake air.

Prototype inlet tube and air filter installed

Airbox Fabrication

Now that we had our inlet tube designed, it was time to surround the filter with an airbox to reduce the impact of engine bay heat-soak on intake temperatures. We are starting with some steel plate and will be using our fabrication tools to construct an aesthetically pleasing box.

Airbox fabrication

Airbox fabrication

Airbox fabrication

As you can see, we will be using the stock air duct to feed our filter. Now that we have the basic shape/footprint of our box plan, we can begin making mounting points and cutting out ports for the intake tube, air duct, and ECU cooling duct.

Airbox fabrication

Airbox fabrication

Airbox fabrication

We then ensured that all the components had appropriate mounting points. We will be using this fabricated box for dyno testing, so it will be nearly identical to our final design.

Airbox fabrication

We are adding weather stripping on all the ducts to eliminate any rubbing or vibrational noises once the ducts are installed. This also gives the airbox a stock-like appearance.

Airbox fabrication

After numerous iterations, adjustments, and a few prototypes, we finally had our design completed and ready for testing. Check out a few shots showing what our talented engineering crew developed.

Completed airbox prototype

Completed airbox prototype

The airbox lid is temporarily secured at this time. We will be utilizing a few fasteners that will allow for removal and filter servicing.

Completed airbox prototype

Completed Prototype

Our initial prototype design is complete. Check out a few images showing this intake removed from the vehicle. This provides more insight into the overall design and placement of each feature.

Completed Mishimoto CLA45 intake prototype

Completed Mishimoto CLA45 intake prototype

And a few really neat renderings of our completed intake in our 3D modeling software!

Mishimoto CLA45 intake 3D model

Mishimoto CLA45 intake 3D model

Mishimoto CLA45 intake 3D model

Mishimoto CLA45 intake 3D model

Coming Up!

With our final prototype complete it was time for some dyno testing. Check back next time for a video from our pulls as well as the power increase results from our runs.

CLA45 AMG on dyno

Thanks

-John

 

[Mishimoto]

Project Update! Check it out below.

Mercedes CLA45 AMG Intake R&D, Part 3: Product Testing and Results

Inlet Tube Test Component Fabrication

Time for the fun part, dyno testing! Before putting the AMG on our dyno, we needed to make a quick adjustment for our tests. As mentioned in our previous posts, we created the inlet tube with our 3D printer for this intake, but with the close proximity of this component to the exhaust and turbocharger, we were a bit concerned with it melting or deforming during our dyno runs. We decided to fabricate an aluminum prototype to better handle the heat.

We started with some aluminum pipe and our template 3D-printed design.

Inlet tube fabrication

Inlet tube fabrication

This project has created an interesting challenge for our engineers in terms of metal fabrication.

Inlet tube fabrication

Inlet tube fabrication

Our fully tacked aluminum inlet tube!

Inlet tube fabrication

Once we verified all the dimensions, we welded all the seams.

Inlet tube testing prototype

Check out a few comparison shots of the unit from our 3D printer and this fabricated piece.

Inlet tube 3D prototype (left) and fabricated testing prototype (right)

Inlet tube 3D prototype (right) and fabricated testing prototype (left)

After completing this piece we attached our sensor housings and set this car on the dyno for some pulls.

Dyno Testing!

Below is a compilation video of pulls from our testing! Check it out!

Although it is tough to tell from the audio, both induction and BPV noise volume is increased. Not only does it sound great, but we were able to put down some decent power gains.

Another note, the burbling and popping stock AMG exhaust system is spectacular. We did not expect this on an OEM system and it’s pretty neat (although I am sure you guys know this).

Testing Results

Testing is complete and we have a few charts to analyze the gains we saw in terms of horsepower and torque.

First up, let’s check out the plot for horsepower gains.

Intake testing data

As you can see on the stock plot, the car builds power nicely through a majority of the power band but seems to fall flat at higher rpm, right around 5600 rpm. With our intake system installed, we were able to continue to build power all the way to 6200 rpm. Our intake allows for greater top-end power without sacrificing any power on the low end, which is great.

Within this upper range we are seeing maximum gains of over 18 whp and peak gains of 13 whp. These are great numbers, especially for a vehicle already making nearly 350 horsepower at the wheels.

Keep in mind, this plot is an average of 3 consistent runs for both the stock and Mishimoto intake. Data is not skewed by pulling the highest and lowest run for comparison. We consistently saw the gains in this area of the power band.

Additionally, we expect these gains to be even more pronounced on a vehicle with additional modifications and/or ECU tuning.

Next up, a look at the torque output comparison.

Intake testing data

Similar to the last plot, gains are focused at higher rpm. In the case of torque, maximum gains came to 16 wtq and peak gains of close to 3 wtq. It appears that torque output peaks at around 5600 rpm on the stock intake while the Mishimoto Intake produces power until around 5850 rpm.

Once again, we were pleased with these results. During each of our pulls, we monitored AFRs to ensure our intake system was not negatively impacting this vital engine reading.

What’s Next?

That essentially wraps up our project here. We have a final design as well as some positive testing data. We are working up a final prototype to ensure product fitment and we should be ready to launch this intake very soon.

Any interest in a discounted pre-sale for folks looking to pick up one of our first kits?

Thanks
-John

 

[Mishimoto]

Quick update guys! Check it out below.

Mercedes CLA45 AMG Intake R&D, Part 4: Final Prototype

Mishimoto CLA45 AMG intake system

It is a pretty exciting week here at Mishimoto! All our final prototype components for this awesome intake system have arrived. We have plenty of images to share, and we are excited to get our test vehicle back in the shop to confirm our final design.

Final Prototype Inlet Hose

One of the most discussed pieces included in this kit is our turbocharger inlet hose. This piece connects the turbocharger compressor housing to the airbox unit and is a vital component within the system. A couple of sensors are located within the stock unit and must be retained on our design.

The stock inlet hose is of a rubber material; our counterpart is constructed from a combination of silicone and CNC-machined (CNC) aluminum. We were able to mold our CNC aluminum sensor housing into the hose itself, creating a leak-free connection that will provide ample durability for a long duration.

On to the pictures of our prototype!

Mishimoto silicone inlet tube

Mishimoto silicone inlet tube

A look from the inside of this tube showing the ports. Note our subtle logo on the exterior of the hose in this shot.

Mishimoto silicone inlet tube, internal ports

You can also see a lip toward the end of this hose; this portion meets with the turbocharger compressor inlet. We have incorporated this lip so the hose will butt-up against the housing flange just like the stock unit. Below is a closer look.

Mishimoto silicone inlet tube

This image also gives you a look at the thickness of the inlet hose we have created. This piece is a four-ply unit for optimal durability and resistance against any damage.

Inlet Tube CFD Analysis

One feature of this inlet tube that we touched on earlier is the additional airflow provided due to the more streamlined inner design. We hypothesized that this design made a big impact on the gains we saw on the dyno in the previous portion of this article.

The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software we use displays the velocity of a fluid (air, in this instance) passing through a component modeled in 3D. We modeled both the stock inlet tube and our counterpart to provide a nice visual representation of what we were able to achieve with our design. See the pictures below!

Stock inlet tube, CFD analysis

Mishimoto inlet tube, CFD analysis

Now, the legend at the top left shows that red represents the quickest velocity, and dark blue the slowest. For an intake system, you want to see the highest velocity possible. By eliminating the step in this tube and by providing a smooth inner surface, we were able to improve airflow substantially over the stock inlet tube.

The stock inlet tube acts as a chamber, similar to a resonator, and works to reduce intake noise. Consequently, this reduces air velocity and will have a negative impact on performance in areas where absolute maximum airflow is required. Our design eliminates this issue.

In short, our engineering team knocked this one out of the park!

Final Airbox

Along with our inlet tube, we finished our final airbox prototype. As we discussed in the past, this piece is constructed from aluminum and ended up very lightweight. Check out a few shots!

Mishimoto prototype airbox

Mishimoto prototype airbox

This airbox is powder-coated to provide a nice clean, durable finish. We also added weather stripping to appropriate edges to eliminate the chance of vibrations and to provide a factory-like installation. The images below show the duct for the ECU cooling area on the airbox.

Mishimoto prototype airbox ECU duct

Mishimoto prototype airbox ECU duct

The ECU is held in place with the bracket shown below. Each connection point features a foam weather-strip to prevent scratching and to provide more vibration resistance.

Mishimoto prototype airbox, ECU bracket

We need a lid for this box as well! Check out a shot of this component.

Mishimoto prototype airbox lid

Coming Up!

Next time we will be bringing in our test vehicle to confirm the fitment of our final prototype. Assuming everything fits correctly, we will be launching a discounted presale for folks interested in picking up our intake system.

Thanks for reading!
-John

 

[Mishimoto]

Final update before our pre-sale! Check it out below.

Mercedes CLA45 AMG Intake R&D, Part 5: Final Prototype Installed

We’ve been working on this Mercedes cold-air intake for months, and finally we have arrived at our last test fit. After constructing a final prototype of our Mercedes air intake, we phoned our test vehicle owner and wrangled him into coming down to our headquarters for another day. A big “thank you” to the vehicle owner for the use of his CLA!

Installed Shots

Everything fit into place perfectly and looks fantastic! First, take a look at our final silicone intake inlet hose and pressure-sensor flange.

Mishimoto silicone intake inlet hose (left) and pressure-sensor flange (right)

As we’ve discussed in previous portions of this series, these components are key in producing the power gains we saw when we tested our kit. Next, we installed the intake into the vehicle. Check it out!

Mishimoto intake system installed

Mishimoto intake system installed

And here’s a close-up shot of our inlet tube fully installed with all stock equipment!

Mishimoto intake system installed

With the airbox lid removed, you can see the cooling duct provided for the ECU heat sink. Pretty slick!

Mishimoto intake system installed

Here’s a look in the airbox with the filter installed.

Mishimoto Mercedes air intake system installed

Discounted Presale!

With a successful test fit of our Mercedes CLA45 AMG Performance Air intake and positive results from our dyno testing, we are all set from an R&D standpoint on this particular kit. To show our appreciation for the folks following along with our development process, we are launching a discounted presale!

Check back tomorrow for full details regarding an estimated ship date as well as pricing.

Thanks
-John

 

[Mishimoto]

Our pre-sale is live! Check out the details below!

Pre-Sale Link!!



Mishimoto Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG Performance Air Intake

Pre-Sale Price: $374.95
MSRP: $450.00
Pre-Sale Expiration Date: 8/17/2015
Estimated Ship Date: 8/17/2015
Product Specs

• Direct fit for the 2014+ Mercedes CLA45 AMG
• Dyno-proven maximum gains of up to 20 whp and 17 wtq on the stock tune
• Air filter placed to receive maximum airflow from the front of the vehicle
• 4" high-flow filter operates at up to 2,000 CFM, and eliminates the restrictive 3" inlet in the stock air intake system
• Powder-coated black airbox keeps unwanted hot air from entering the air filter
• Airbox made from Aluminum, for extra weight savings, and added corrosion protection in harsh climates
• Silicone turbo inlet hose features CNC-machined ports and added reinforcement rings for durability under load
• Highly aggressive intake tone under acceleration
• Fits with the stock inlet duct in the front of the bumper
• Installs in one hour with no need to remove the front bumper or splash guard
• Mishimoto Lifetime Warranty
  
  
  Images
  
  
  
  

Product R&D
Mercedes CLA45 AMG Intake R&D, Part 5: Final Prototype Installed | Mishimoto Engineering Blog

Tech Specs



Pre-Sale Link!!

Feel free to follow-up with any questions regarding this kit!
Thanks
-Sara

 

[Mishimoto]

Check out a few images of our final kit!

Just a reminder that our discounted pre-sale expires next week!

Let me know if I can answer any questions about our intake system.

-John

 

[Mishimoto]

Thanks for all of the orders guys! Our kits have officially shipped, all pre-sale customers should have tracking information.

This kit is officially released, check out the final details below!



Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG Performance Air Intake, 2014+

Product Specs

• Direct fit for 2014+ Mercedes CLA45 AMG
• Dyno-proven maximum gains of up to 20 whp and 17 wtq on the stock tune
• Mishimoto High-Flow Oiled Air Filter placed to receive maximum airflow from the front of the vehicle
• 4" high-flow filter operates at up to 2,000 CFM, and eliminates the restrictive 3" inlet in the stock air intake system
• Powder-coated black airbox keeps unwanted hot air from entering the air filter
• Airbox made from Aluminum, for extra weight savings, and added corrosion protection in harsh climates
• Silicone turbo inlet hose features CNC-machined ports and added reinforcement rings for durability under load
• Highly aggressive intake tone under acceleration
• Fits with the stock inlet duct in the front of the bumper
• Installs in one hour with no need to remove the front bumper or splash guard
• Designed in Delaware, USA and filter made in USA
• Mishimoto Lifetime Warranty

Tech Specs


Features & Benefits

Installation

Product R&D
Mercedes Benz CLA45 AMG Performance Air Intake 2014+ | Mishimoto Engineering Blog

Images







Feel free to follow-up with any questions!

Thanks!
-John