Pipercross direct intake kit for Ford Fiesta ST Mk8

The Pipercross Intake System has been designed and engineered to directly replace the OEM airbox and corresponding intake plumbing on the Ford Mk8 Fiesta ST with the turbocharger 1.5L engine.

The OEM intake system on the Ford Mk8 Fiesta ST features several characteristics indicative of the ST-tier performance engineering integrated into the new 1.5T engine and Mk8 Fiesta ST chassis. These performance intake aspects serve the 1.5T engine well, when operating with OE engine programming. However, OE intake capacity falls significantly short of required turbocharger airflow demand when even modest aftermarket software is applied to Mk8 Fiesta ST vehicles – presenting the opportunity for considerable performance gain with an aftermarket intake system.
The Pipercross engineering team identified the OE panel filter size/filtration media type, OE airbox and the OE convoluted intake hose as areas of potential system performance improvement. Alternatively, the OE fresh-air ducting and OE airbox mounting points/grommets were deemed critical to maintain/reproduce in the Pipercross kit - based

Highlights:

• Large filter heatshield featuring:
o Utilisation of OE fresh-air ducting
o Significantly larger shielded intake volume vs. OE closed airbox
o Isolation edge trim at hose-heatshield pass through junction
o OE grommet plus chassis hard-point mounting system

• Bespoke Pipercross conical air filter utilising market-leading foam filtration media
o Conical air filter increases filtration surface area 158.46% over a typical foam panel filter

• Thick-walled silicone hose for optimal internal airflow characteristics, while maintaining proper engine decoupling and integrating IAT sensor
o Additional aluminium, hard-anodized female IAT bung; CNC-machined to exacting tolerances for OE sensor fitment/functionality

• Stainless steel hardware for long-term corrosion protection

• Designed, prototyped and iteratively refined using latest 3D scanning, printing and CAD technology

• Testing validation
o Power – Final design tested on a Mk8 Fiesta ST with Stage 1 aftermarket tuning, an aftermarket intercooler and a full aftermarket exhaust system

▪ 9 BHP/10.0 ft.-lb. maximum power gain, 3.11 BHP/3.0 ft.-lbs. average power gain vs. full OE intake system

The air filter:

The heart of the Pipercross intake kit is the Pipercross conical air filter. This filter utilises Pipercross’ time-tested and proven air filter construction methods to achieve the targeted airflow performance of the kit, while maintaining the OE-tier air filtration required for the long-term health of the engine. The bespoke Pipercross foam mesh blend strikes the perfect balance between increased flow and air filtration, while the coated steel backing and formed-then-coated aluminium base draws from decades of successful in-house Pipercross filter manufacturing. To further increase intake performance, the Pipercross filter increases filtration surface area 158.46% over a typical foam panel filter insert - serving as the foundation for all other performance enhancements of the Pipercross kit.

The heatshield: 

The Pipercross Mk8 Fiesta ST heatshield was meticulously designed to accommodate the largest air filter possible, while continuing to utilise the OE fresh-air duct and OE airbox mounting grommets. The heatshield is CNC laser cut from 2mm aluminium sheet, then powder coated for additional corrosion resistance/aesthetic appeal. Functionally, the part utilises all engine bay volume provided by the OE airbox, completely partitioning the large 180mm filter from ambient engine heat on three sides (plus a close seal to the underside of the bonnet).
This design creates a semi-closed cavity around the filter which is consistently supplied by fresh ambient air via the OE ducting. This semi-closed shield configuration, vast increase in filtration surface area and conical filter shape all increases induction noise, amplifying the sound of turbocharger function for a more visceral driving experience.

The intake hose: 

The Pipercross intake hose supplements the performance features of the air filter and heatshield, rounding out the overall benefits/functionality of the Pipercross kit. The intake hose mimics the flexibility and heat-resistant aspects of the OE hose, as both features are critical to the performance and longevity of the Pipercross kit. The thick-walled, silicone construction of the hose features significantly better thermal rejection properties vs. aluminium hard-pipe counterparts, which is crucial to maintain acceptable intake air temperatures into the turbocharger (especially during aggressive driving for extended periods). The silicone construction, along with the Pipercross part’s shape/size, also provides enough compliance for engine movement during this same type of aggressive vehicle operation – preventing premature wear of both Pipercross and OE components.
Similarly, the thick-walled construction prevents hose collapse under full turbocharger load and high ambient engine bay temperatures – striking the perfect balance between structural hose integrity and flexibility. Unlike the OE hose, the Pipercross part integrates

An IAT sensor take-off, allowing for correct sensor placement/functionality with almost no internal flow destabilization (as compared to in-line sensor pipes without step-matched hose connections). Visually, the exterior of Pipercross part is finished in a textured black exterior for a more aesthetic look to the Mk8 Fiesta ST engine bay.

The subtle details of the Pipercross Intake Kit are what elevate it beyond the competition.
The Pipercross heatshield utilises bracketry to connect to the OE vibration-damping chassis mounts, in addition to a fixed mounting point (via an additional bolt-on front bracket) for the perfect blend of part stability and vibration isolation. A 6061 T6 aluminium, hard anodized intake air temperature sensor mounting bung is CNC machined to stringent dimensional specifications, ensuring an OE fitment and functionality of the temperature sensor in the Pipercross kit. Fully stainless-steel hardware is provided to ensure corrosion, oil and other adverse engine bay environmental factors have no effect on the Pipercross kit’s function or aesthetic – no matter how hard the vehicle is driven.