Intercooler questions

Mazda Jon

Mazda Jon

Well-known member
It's time to put an intercooler on the beast. 1998 E-350 7.3 Powerstroke box truck. Now that I have to go west through the mountains to get to the Runoffs I think I need more power. (or less weight)

Going with and after market intercooler as there isn't room for the later factory ones. I now see why Ford didn't put an intercooler on these, the van needs about another foot in front to make it easy.

Tubing question. I think I can make the 3" tubing work, but it is super tight. The 2.5" would be easier.

Question #1 Is it worth the extra effort for the 3" or will the 2.5" be ok?

Question #2 I've read the bar and plate are better than the tube and fin type. Does it make a difference?

Question #3 Anyone have an early 99 intake spyder?

Thanks,
Jon
 
Jon, look at a 6.0 ltr intercooler from the later E450 van/cutoff chassis. The 6.0 ltr had an intercooler from the factory. It should be almost bolt in with the 6.0 ltr radiator/intercooler package. From what I have read real trouble is locating the air cleaner/tubing.
 
Jon,

I don't want to rain on your parade, but what you're proposing is a little trickier than you may imagine. Consider this... if you get an intercoooler in front of the radiator, it's going to do (2) things right away: (1) increase the temperature of the air to the radiator (due to heat rejection from the charge air). (2) reduce the airflow to the radiator due to the extra airflow restriction. I don't know what kind of cooling margin you have, but it's not unreasonable to expect a 20 degree F increase in entering air temp to the radiator and a 20% reduction of airflow. You're also going to be producing more power, hence you'll be having a slightly higher heat load to the radiator. It's been a while, but I believe there were two versions of the radiator in your truck. one row of 1" tubes (1.00" deep) and two rows of 1" tubes (2.25" deep). If you have version 1, I 'm pretty sure you'll be in trouble. If you have version 2, you may be OK.

Since your combination came w/o an intercooler, it's probably got pretty limited boost (I'm guessing 15 psi or under). In such a case, what you want is a cooler that has low internal flow restriction as opposed to the ultimate in thermal performance. The term "Bar and Plate" refers to a construction method and not to a specific internal fin design. So saying that it's better than a "Tube and Fin" is meaningless, because what's relevant is the internal fin design. They may each have the same internal fin design. In fact what may be optimal in your case is an extruded tube with internally formed enhancements.

I'm not saying that what you're proposing is not worth doing. For every 30 degrees F you reduce the intake temperature, it's the same as gaining 1 psi of boost. Something to think about too when you're locating your intake air.

Mark
 
Thanks Mark. This is a Cut-Away chassis and an ex-Ryder logistics truck so it has the big radiator.

Slowly getting all the parts together. Waiting on Ebay to deliver all my silicone hoses and clamps. Found an early 99 spyder for $125 and a 2001 F250 intercooler for $80, both on Craigslist. Still have a nice box of 3" alum mandrel bends left from plumbing the SIR on the race car. Looks like I'll need to space the front bumper out an inch or two so the intercooler will slide down far enough.

Need to figure out what to do with the airbag sensor thats mounted right in the middle of everything.
 
the impact sensor for the airbags are usually mounted in the front of the car somewhere- usually on the front bumper or frame horns.
 
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