Let's Talk Intercoolers

[Dambnicetruck]

Someone mentioned the rad would have a hard time keeping cool with the tanny cooler and IC and AC cooler in front of it. THis means fan on all the time which is a huge bummer. CAn we get electric fans for these trucks, then remove the motor mounted one? Then it can run all day and not cause power loss?? Any Ideas?

 

[JPR]

I would skip the electric fans and go with the bumper cutouts like the later trucks.
Plus the inside of the bumper is about the only place left to mount transmission cooler. Unless you want to mount it under the cab with its own electric fan.

 

[Dambnicetruck]

My bumper has cut outs, do you mean make them bigger? Mines a 94. So why not electric? and if you know where to get one that produces the same air flow then let me know. I can only imagine how it will pull up the hills with no fan holding me back. I'm sure it will make a huge difference, as long as I can get a fan with the same or more power.(More for when I put in an intercooler.)Sure could use some info on this.My tranny cooler is fine where it is, I'm trying to get an intercooler in there, and an electric fan to get rid of the B52 Bomber propeller under the hood.

 

[JPR]

I'm sure it will make a huge difference, as long as I can get a fan with the same or more power.

That is the problem, no one has found an electric fan or fans that moves the same amount of air. The electric fan idea comes up about once a month on the "other" board and everytime the general aggreement is that they do not move enough air. A few people have tried it and have gone back to the factory mechanical fan. I have not tried it on the truck, but did I install dual fans with fan shroud on the car. With both fans at full speeed, they don't move the air that the idi mechanical fan does.

The factory cutouts were what I was referring. For those of us with slightly older trucks, ours did not come with the cutouts.

 

[Dambnicetruck]

Good info thanks. I'll scrap the electric Idea until they get one that works. I'll go for more horsepower instead.

 

[Dave Sponaugle]

NAPA has an electric fan that looks like it would do the job, but it is almost 400 dollars.

For what it is worth, I have run electric fans for over a year on my 6.9. But I am now using the stock fan again. Reason, well I could not invest 400 in a fan at that time. I used two 18" auxiliary fans from Advance Auto that were about 80 dollars each. Driving between 20 and 60 MPH requires no fan at all even in the summer, the air flowing through the radiator is enough even with the AC on reguardless of the load on the truck. At higher speeds above 60 MPH I had to turn the fans both on to stay cool in the motor department and the AC department. Mine is an 86 4x4. At speeds below 20 MPH I had to turn on both fans to keep cool, even in the winter while plowing snow.
The problem that I had with the fans I was using is they did not last very long in a constant use application. Also I was having alternator output issues running the fans while plowing snow, to much amperage used for the 120 amp alternator I had.
On the plus side the engine had more power, the fuel mileage went up a bit and it was much quieter in the cab.
Now a word of caution, you should have a fan running when the AC is on. My son kicked the AC on while I was not in the truck, I lost freon when the high pressure fuse blew from lack of air movement through the radiator. I should have wired in a relay to turn the fan on when the AC compressor was running.

I really like the intercooler installs, I am considering one for mine since I am running a 7.3 with ATS turbo now. But I also see that my snow plow mount is going to be a big issue, I have a 3/8" steel plate from frame rail to frame rail that drops from the top of the bumper to about 7" below the bumper. SnoWay plows and intercoolers are not going to work well together without some major mods.

 

[towcat]

Dave-
your truck is prolly one of those apps that I don't reccomend a IC for. I don't know how the full height IC's are doing to cooling systems, but my half height IC does tax the cooling system pretty good. Radiator blockage is one thing, the heat transfer of a hot air charge through an IC is unreal. I too have poped off my AC overpressure valve, much of it I think is due to the R134 retrofit(R134 runs at much higher pressures)

 

[Steve]

towcat asked that I post some engine pics. This is our son's truck, which I'll be selling real soon. It's an '88 F250, 4x4, extended cab XLT Lariat. At some point in the past it's been retrofitted with a complete Hypermax turbo & intercooler system.

Sorry, this is the only pic I have right now. If you'd like to see more or anything specific, post up and I'll take more pics and post them.

 

[Steve]

By request, here are more pics of the Hypermax install on an '88 F250. The first is from the front showing the turbo & hoses to the intercooler. The second is from the passenger's side showing the same, along with the hose to the cowl induction. The third is from the passenger's side with the air cleaner on. There is really no way to take a pic of the intercooler with where it's installed.

 

[Nickbf2504x4]

sweet, wish i had an IC on mine. Junction is nice, i have family in delta

 

[reklund]

After completing the turbo install this weekend, I began thinking about adding an IC to the setup. I've got the factory IC out of my 3rd generation Supra (approx 24" x 11" x 3") That I removed when it got upgraded. (My 87 Supra runs 400HP at about 25psi...)

It looks like the factory Supra IC is about the right size, and the inlet/outlet are both on one end, which makes plumbing a little easier. Where do people get the custom intake "hats"? My ATS hat could probably be used pretty easily if I just stuck a piece of 2.25" tubing in the end of it... As for piping, I can cover that easily and I've got tons of silicone couplers lying around from my Supra projet.

Anyone ever used a Supra IC before?

Ryan

 

[towcat]

The critical part is the size of your IC and the inlet/outlet diameter. I can measure up mime so you can get an idea what a aftermarket dealer figured was good for the setup.
BTW guys, I was working on a '99 PSD the other day and noticed that the "stack" of heat exchangers was the AC condenser was in front, the IC was in the middle and the radiator was the last. Oh yea, the trans oil cooler was ahead of the AC.

 

[JPR]

Where do people get the custom intake "hats"?

The ones I have seen photos of were custom made. You could buy one from Hypermax, when I checked they were around $250.

The PSD inlet and outlet are about 3". I plan on use a step down coupler and running 2.5" tubing. Too many projects and not enough time...

Towcat, cool avatar. Where do you get these?

 

[reklund]

My Supra IC has 2.25" inlet/outlet fittings, which is pretty close to the stock ATS compressor housing outlet. I'm curious about its flow characteristics tho, as the Supra is 3.0 liters, versus the IDI's 7.3 liters...

It did seem ok at boost levels up to about 18psi with the Supra, which is moving a LOT of air for that car. With the new IC and 25psi, it just flies! I'll wait until the exhaust leaks are situated in my diesel before attempting to add any more goodies to it...

Ryan

 

[ttman4]

The critical part is the size of your IC and the inlet/outlet diameter. I can measure up mime so you can get an idea what a aftermarket dealer figured was good for the setup.

Sooooo, Has everyone kinda figured out what size IC should work best on these IDI? Still trying to figure out if a shorter or taller one will work for me....kinda nervous about covering up too much radiator & AC.
Mine is a '90 7.3, ATS turbo, non gated. Usually I can pull 10-11#, & can pull 14# with a big fire lit in cold weather.
Also, I really haven't figured out the difference between a bar & plate IC and a Tube & Fin IC, except the Bar & Plate is supposed to be better, but cost more.
It's still too early in my looking round stage for info & parts, however, I think I'll have some or all of it found & figured out in 2-3 weeks. I think my biggest problem will be fabricating all the tubing turns & bends, as well as the tube routes. And my turbo will have to be rotated....or something. I'm planning a trip to Tx around mid Dec for about a month....approx 2100 miles. I'd like to get my IC on before then.

Another 2 questions: Looks like a few of you converted some early '90 Dually F350 to 4X4. Is there a link here that gets into any of that? I really haven't had time to look.
Wonder if a ZF 6 speed will interchage with a ZF5?
TIA James