F150 ecoboost drilled my intercooler

[aczlan]

Interesting. I can't seem to understand why this truck has an issue with moisture in the intercooler as I have never run into this on the other trucks and equipment I have run with an intercooler. Can't see how being gasoline would make a difference as this is just air that has been run through a turbo when it's inside the intercooler.

This will happen on any vehicle where the air running through the intercooler drops below the dewpoint. Its not Ford specific and its been happening on tirbo cars for a long time (I found references to this problem on 1980s Volvos. The fix then was the same as it is now, put a 1/16" hole in the output side of the intercooler).

As for the efficiency loss handirifle mentioned, sure there will be a little but, but its a 1/16" hole (3/4 the diameter of the lead in a standard wood pencil), you will be hard pressed to see a difference n fuel usage.

Aaron Z

 

[jejeosborne]

So is this hole left permanently open? Sounds like a worse fix than the one Ford does, IMHO. All that extra efficiency from the larger cooler is swishing out the little hole, in the form of lost boost. Not a huge amount but still a loss. You yourself mentioned a large amount of escaping air. It seems to me this is more of a plumbing design that intercooler efficiency issue.

What concern do you have for leaving the hole open?

The exhaust has to exit one of two ways from the engine. Either through the turbos or bypassed by the wastegates. Yes there is slightly more back pressure going through the turbo to create the needed air to supply this leak, but I don't think I will notice it at the pump.

An efficient intercooler will drop the air temperature lower thus more condensation. Subaru has many of their intercoolers on top of the engine so gravity prevents a buildup of condensate. The Subaru engines are boxers and flat that make this arrangement possible.

Drilling a small hole is easy but probably not well perceived from the epa.

 

[Garandman]

Subaru has many of their intercoolers on top of the engine so gravity prevents a buildup of condensate. The Subaru engines are boxers and flat that make this arrangement possible.

Yeah, they look like this.....

 

[wmonroe]

This will happen on any vehicle where the air running through the intercooler drops below the dewpoint. Its not Ford specific and its been happening on tirbo cars for a long time (I found references to this problem on 1980s Volvos. The fix then was the same as it is now, put a 1/16" hole in the output side of the intercooler). As for the efficiency loss handirifle mentioned, sure there will be a little but, but its a 1/16" hole (3/4 the diameter of the lead in a standard wood pencil), you will be hard pressed to see a difference n fuel usage. Aaron Z

Is it only an issue on turbo gas engines? I've never heard of it on diesel engines in any of the big three going back to the early 90's. Just curious.

 

[timswi]

Is it only an issue on turbo gas engines? I've never heard of it on diesel engines in any of the big three going back to the early 90's. Just curious.

I'm certainly not an expert on this but it would seem to me that in certain conditions, 2 spooled up turbos could create some condensation and given that the turbos are supplying most of the juice to these 6 cylinders this could happen. Not sure how much cycling these do and the heat levels, guess it's dependent on the loads etc..Beyond my pay grade.

 

[downslope]

I'm certainly not an expert on this but it would seem to me that in certain conditions, 2 spooled up turbos could create some condensation and given that the turbos are supplying most of the juice to these 6 cylinders this could happen. Not sure how much cycling these do and the heat levels, guess it's dependent on the loads etc..Beyond my pay grade.

Likelihood of problems, if any, would also be related to ambient conditions, temp, rel humidity, etc. when boost is being called for.

 

[sld]

I think the key is how efficient the intercooler is....i.e. airflow, volume, temp drop across inlet and outlet...some systems see the problem and some don't.

 

[aczlan]

I think the key is how efficient the intercooler is....i.e. airflow, volume, temp drop across inlet and outlet...some systems see the problem and some don't.

Exactly. This problem will ONLY happen if three things ALL happen at the same time:
1. There is enough of a temp drop across the intercooler to put the air in the intercooler below the dewpoint
2. There is enough humidity in the air that enough water can condense to cause a slug of water to collect in the intercooler
3. The flow through the intercooler is low enough that the water doesnt get sucked right out into the engine as it condenses
If ALL three of those conditions are met and you then stomp on it (bringing the velocity through the intercooler to the max the intercooler can handle), enough water can get sucked into the engine to cause a misfire and (in theory) you could suck enough in to hydrolock the engine.

Aaron Z

 

[Raspy]

Drilling a small hole is easy but probably not well perceived from the epa.

The intercooler is cooling fresh air on it's way to the engine. Why would the EPA be concerned about that?

 

[jejeosborne]

The intercooler is cooling fresh air on it's way to the engine. Why would the EPA be concerned about that?

Because traces of oil can be found in the intercooler and will exit the hole.