Antifreeze in your intercooler?

[Steve@Tasca]

Might be a bit late for this post but I hope all you guys down South have antifreeze in your intercooler systems right now.

Last time we had an unusual cold snap like this into the deep South I heard from a number of guys with cracked intercoolers.

You don't want to be this guy.

 

[WhiTriCobra]

Sorry to hear and that would suck. I usually swap it out during Nov before the cold hits. Especially since I only run water and water wetter in the intercooler.

 

[Steve@Tasca]

Sorry to hear and that would suck. I usually swap it out during Nov before the cold hits. Especially since I only run water and water wetter in the intercooler.

Tennessee was one of the states I heard from last time these things froze, good to hear you switch it out. :beer:

 

[Tex Arcana]

We hit 15deg last night; thankfully, it was in the garage, and the intercooler was drained (just had replaced the rotted lower intake elbow ).

And, thankfully, it's in the garage tonight, as the block coolant is ancient and I don't think it'll hold up to another night like that. :-\

 

[SID297]

Are there many L cores left in the system Steve?

 

[cobrakidz]

I am so glad we don't have to deal with much freezing here.

 

[Steve@Tasca]

Are there many L cores left in the system Steve?

For an '04? Ford shows one. Just one.

For the old recall kit, plenty.

-Steve

 

[Lt_Crazy]

man am i glad i store my truck, but beeing a canadian truck they prolly put antifreeze in it anyways!!!

 

[SVT-BansheeMan]

I run 50/50 all year around.

My Killer chiller keeps temps down all summer long and even down the track.

Thanks for posting it up though!

 

[Tex Arcana]

For an '04? Ford shows one. Just one.

For the old recall kit, plenty.

-Steve

How 'bout for a 2001?

 

[Steve@Tasca]

How 'bout for a 2001?

2001-2004 used the same intercooler.

 

[Tex Arcana]

2001-2004 used the same intercooler.

So what's a viable replacement for a 2001-2004 intercooler that doesn't cost the GNP of a small nation?

 

[Steve@Tasca]

So what's a viable replacement for a 2001-2004 intercooler that doesn't cost the GNP of a small nation?

You got me.

Honestly though, the intercooler can be repaired in most cases if it's just cracked.

My main reason for the warning about this is for the guy that might have this happen without knowing or thinking about it and have their car/truck sit for another month or two or three with the engine full of water.

It'll make a mess of an engine.



.

 

[Tex Arcana]

You got me.

Honestly though, the intercooler can be repaired in most cases if it's just cracked.

My main reason for the warning about this is for the guy that might have this happen without knowing or thinking about it and have their car/truck sit for another month or two or three with the engine full of water.

It'll make a mess of an engine.



.

Well, yeah, hydrolocking comes to mind. :-(

What if just the fins are damaged?? When I cleaned mine recently,I left it in the cleaner for a bit too long, and it ate up the fins in a 2" band.:cryying:

 

[Steve@Tasca]

Odds are if it ate the fins it probably damaged the tubes a bit as well but if it's holding it might be okay.

Only time will tell.

 

[SID297]

Well, yeah, hydrolocking comes to mind. :-(

What if just the fins are damaged?? When I cleaned mine recently,I left it in the cleaner for a bit too long, and it ate up the fins in a 2" band.:cryying:

Gesh, what did you use to clean it? HF?

 

[Tex Arcana]

Gesh, what did you use to clean it? HF?

Purple Power, but then added another cleaner that's purple (from VatoZona) that turns out is harsher on aluminum; then, I compounded the error by letting it soak too long (the weather turned COLD --we had that big ice storm blow thru), and I got sick, so it ate up a 1-1/2" band of fins. :-(

They didn't disintegrate altogether: it was the area where air met solvent, and they oxidized the fins. The tubes seem utterly unaffected, however.

I cleaned it all up with a combination of water, vinegar, Berryman's Carb Cleaner, and (the most effective it seems) Marvel Mystery Oil--it just picked up any oxidation and floated it off the fins. It still took a couple weeks in good weather to finally get it clean enough to put back together.