Mishimoto Cooling Parts

The best Mishimoto upgrade for a hard-driven 22-26 WRX is their performance air intake paired with a baffled oil catch can for the PCV side. The intake improves throttle response and turbo spool with a bolt-on install, while the catch can traps oil blow-by before it coats your intake valves and intercooler. Mishimoto designs every part for a specific application, so mounting points line up like factory hardware instead of requiring fabrication.

Mishimoto built its name on cooling — radiators, intercoolers, and oil coolers that hold temperatures down when stock heat exchangers give up. Over the years the catalog has grown into air intakes, catch cans, drain plugs, and dress-up hardware. Small parts matter too: their magnetic drain plugs catch metal debris your oil filter misses, and they come in the exact thread pitch your engine needs, such as the M16 x 1.5 plug for FA-series Subarus. When shopping cooling, look at core thickness and vehicle-specific fitment first — a radiator engineered for your chassis will always outperform a universal unit that needs brackets.

Mishimoto leads our cooling shelf, and for comparison check CSF radiators and GrimmSpeed intercoolers, plus the full Cooling and Oil System collections. If you are choosing between intake designs first, read our breakdown of intake system differences, pros, and cons before you buy.

Does a Mishimoto intake require a tune?

Some aftermarket intakes change how the mass airflow sensor reads, which can require a tune on certain cars. Check your year and model, and consult a tuner familiar with your platform before installing.

What does an oil catch can actually do?

It traps oil vapor and blow-by from the crankcase ventilation system before those contaminants reach the intake tract, intercooler, and valves. It is a maintenance upgrade — empty it at oil changes — not a power adder by itself.

How do I pick the right drain plug?

Match the thread diameter and pitch to your engine, such as the M16 x 1.5 plug listed for 15-26 WRX, BRZ/FR-S, and Forester applications. Check your year and model; the wrong thread will not seat and can damage the oil pan.

Is the install difficult?

Intakes, catch cans, and drain plugs are beginner-friendly bolt-ons with basic hand tools. Radiators and intercoolers take more time and require draining the cooling system, so budget a full afternoon.