Ford Powerstroke IC IS INSTALLED!! fits nice, new install options.

[GS70350]

ok guys, i put in my powerstroke intercooler, and it didnt take me much time at all. i did it a little different than the rest of you, and saved cutting the top of the core support, the hood, etc. i didnt even have to cut my inner fenders, with 2.5 inch pipes. I used the home mig welder and turned it on high, and blasted right through the sheetmetal around the headlight area, made a nice hole for the intercooler necks to fit in. this took maybe 30 minutes after i removed everything, which didnt take but 10 minutes. the holes werent as pretty as some of the other guys holes, and are square instead of perfect circles, but they will work. I did have some trouble putting on the 3 inch to 2.5 inch hoses onto the intercooler, and ended up shaving the intercooler neck down so they would fit. after this, i just set the intercooler in front of the radiator, and then test fit the header panel. i decided i would just leave the intercooler resting on the shock absorber bumper mounts at their smallest diameter positions instead of cutting the frame and stuff, and it worked. all you gotta do is cut a 90 degree area out of the inner headlight bucket area. like everyone else did, but you remove a little more. what you remove is still covered up by the headlights and the headlight bucket things, the plastic pieces with 2 holes and turn signals. only difference now is that i had to cut less, and there is now a gap between the radiator and the intercooler. i plan on using some plastic or something to fill this gap later on, when summer comes around. right now its showing no difference in cooling. with the fan off, and the 68 degree weather, it was running 160 degrees dead on. im quite happy with this. as for the pipes, the way the intercooler is mounted farther forward, makes the pipes move forward as well, and now the pipes exiting the intercooler fit right between the radiator end tanks and the inner fender. no cutting there is necessary. ill post up some pictures soon.

thanks for all your help on this project, and for sharing the word about the IC!

 

[turbo buicks]

cool! any seat of the pants difference?

 

[gnturbo]

does it look like this guys setup?http://dtcc.cz28.com/
by the way are you in jacksonville,florida?

 

[GS70350]

Hey guys, actually i havent gotten down on it. i go easy on the car except at the strip, its pretty scary on the street even with 10 pounds of boost. i did notice that the turbo starts to whistle sooner, indicating that there is less restriction holding it back i would assume. it starts much sooner, like 500 RPM sooner. i noticed no temperature difference but again its not blazing hot outside.
I cant seem to open the website gnturbo. it opens, but nothing for the GN loads. Im in Jacksonville Alabama, its like, a town that no one knows about. pretty small and empty.

I just know that the install pics ive seen were all like the one reds hot air did where they mount the cooler flush against the ac condensor, which requires trimming the hood and the top part of the core support.

Ill try to take some pictures soon.

 

[T-Type Mike]

Jacob, what year of intercooler?? A buddy of mine has one out of a 2001 model sitting in his basement and will sell cheap! I have been researching this project for a year or so but have not been ready for it. I am contemplating doing this over the winter. Is there any variance between 1999-2001 i/c's?? Thanks man, Mike

P.S. Still have yet to get my pix of the intake from buddy, Soon.

 

[GS70350]

mine is a 2001 with plastic end tanks, and fits beutifully. just go get your buddys, cut the ears off the top, and cut out some corners where your high beams go on the header panel, and then cut 2 holes in the core support, and bolt it all back up. thats all ou gotta cut. its great. i just drove all the way to reynolds GA---5 hour drive straight and it did fine, no overheating or anything, hottest i got was goin up a huge mile hill of winding roads and it hit about 178. then it dropped goin back down the hill and stayed the rest of the trip. just go do it during a weekend. its no winter project, just a days work. You have a plasma cutter or a welder? hehe, i used a welder and just blasted the holes out in aobut 15 minutes. you cant see em anyways, they are hidden way up under there.

HTH,

 

[TurboTR]

So can someone explain, why do people take this route when bolt in, higher performing pieces are available?? I'm confused.

TurboTR

 

[REDS HOT AIR]

Originally posted by TurboTR
So can someone explain, why do people take this route when bolt in, higher performing pieces are available?? I'm confused.

TurboTR

$300 total v/s $800-$1000

personally I believe the powerstroke I/C is a great I/C no heating problems and more frontage than any other one you can buy

I think im pushing more air thru mine than any other one with powerstroke (correct me if im wrong) with the 127 mph trap speed so far (soon to be more) thats proof that it works.

for those who want to talk about fin in tube technology ...ford already been there ...they are fin in tube design

 

[turbofrank]

powerstroke

seem like a project i want to try,where do the hoses and pipes come from? Can the ic come from the bone yard and i assume from a pickup?

 

[GS70350]

So can someone explain, why do people take this route when bolt in, higher performing pieces are available?? I'm confused.

Because the only thing separating this intercooler from the "highest performing Bolt in intercoolers" is the instalation and cost. Instalation is not bolt in, and it costs much less. But the others do not offer "higher performance" in fact, unless your talking about a custom built race intercooler, or liquid intercooler. This intercooler is just as good as a CAS V2, or a eastern performance front mount, and the PTE is barely ahead. it flows a little more, but has less cooling area than the Powerstroke intercooler. The powerstroke intercooler also has the fin in tube design like Reds Hot Air stated. Another plus is that htis intercooler WILL NOT increase your coolant temperature due to blockage of air to the radiator. maybe a few degrees, but other intercoolers "could" end up costing twice as much as their initial cost because you will end up upgrading your cooling system to bring the temperatures back down. I put this intercooler on, and i still run 160 degrees. pulling up a hill, it gets to 178 max, but comes back down. So you have better cooling system performance with this intercooler over other intercoolers that block airflow.

Basically, the only problem with this intercooler is instalation time. Other than that, it comes close or surpasses most other aftermarket intercoolers that can be purchased for these cars.

 

[TurboTR]

>This intercooler is just as good as a CAS V2, or a eastern performance front mount, and the PTE is barely ahead. i

I wonder how it compares to like a V1? Will you be getting log data? Haven't seen any data from a Buick Powerstroke install. Just curious.

TurboTR

 

[T-Type Mike]

Has anyone cut the top 4 rows out of the Intercooler yet? I really do not want to chop the header panel out if I was to do this mod. Also has anyone built and installed new tanks on these i/c. Any Pics?? Thanks Mike

 

[1970gsx]

J Banning has cut the top 4 rows of of his Powerstroke IC. You might want to look at his install on his webpage.

 

[BoostedBug]

Originally posted by GS70350
ok guys, i put in my powerstroke intercooler, and it didnt take me much time at all. i did it a little different than the rest of you, and saved cutting the top of the core support, the hood, etc. i didnt even have to cut my inner fenders, with 2.5 inch pipes. I used the home mig welder and turned it on high, and blasted right through the sheetmetal around the headlight area, made a nice hole for the intercooler necks to fit in. this took maybe 30 minutes after i removed everything, which didnt take but 10 minutes. the holes werent as pretty as some of the other guys holes, and are square instead of perfect circles, but they will work. I did have some trouble putting on the 3 inch to 2.5 inch hoses onto the intercooler, and ended up shaving the intercooler neck down so they would fit. after this, i just set the intercooler in front of the radiator, and then test fit the header panel. i decided i would just leave the intercooler resting on the shock absorber bumper mounts at their smallest diameter positions instead of cutting the frame and stuff, and it worked. all you gotta do is cut a 90 degree area out of the inner headlight bucket area. like everyone else did, but you remove a little more. what you remove is still covered up by the headlights and the headlight bucket things, the plastic pieces with 2 holes and turn signals. only difference now is that i had to cut less, and there is now a gap between the radiator and the intercooler. i plan on using some plastic or something to fill this gap later on, when summer comes around. right now its showing no difference in cooling. with the fan off, and the 68 degree weather, it was running 160 degrees dead on. im quite happy with this. as for the pipes, the way the intercooler is mounted farther forward, makes the pipes move forward as well, and now the pipes exiting the intercooler fit right between the radiator end tanks and the inner fender. no cutting there is necessary. ill post up some pictures soon.

thanks for all your help on this project, and for sharing the word about the IC!

You sold me on it...Gonna go buy one....Might shoot you and email or to but I am going to try it out.

 

[REDS HOT AIR]

if you get an alum tank one it is realativly easy to chop 3 or 4 rows off the top and cap the top of the tanks back off..

JBanning has otz of info on his website about these i/c's along with plenty of picture including alot of my own pictures.

I helped with a friends car which we cut the i/c down 3 rows and got it to fit and JBanning cut his down 4 rows and got plenty of room.

I know after i make a full 1/4 mile pass i can grab the outlet pipe off the i/c and it is cool...havent felt it get warm yet except for idling and under hood temp warming it up but it gets cool so as i drive and get some air going thru the pipes

 

[1BadAssV6]

Can any one that has used the ford IC post pics?

Thanks,
Jay

 

[REDS HOT AIR]

Originally posted by REDS HOT AIR

JBanning has lotz of info on his website about these i/c's along with plenty of pictures including alot of my own pictures.

here are mine
http://www.geocities.com/jamesbanning/tech_info/ford_ic/redshotair/index.htm

heres more info and pictures of others
http://www.geocities.com/jamesbanning/tech_info/ford_ic/index.htm

 

[turbo]

Does anyone know if the Powerstroke is an extruded tube design?

If so, that's an added plus according to latest guru reports.

It really looks nice and the surface area and thinness are great to keep things cool behind it. (Like radiator)

 

[Jes]

i'm going to chime in here, though most of you won't care.
i don't have a GN, though i love the h$ll out of em !!!
no, i don't have a ferd either.

i got this idea from you guys. but what i did was remove the ac, yep, all of it. in place of the condenser i placed the powerstroke which has 4 rows cut off, yep, aluminum tanks. i am going to weld caps on the ends. this was the easy part.

the hardest part was trimming the core support to fit it in correctly. but i don't have the best tools. i used a dremel, it turned out pretty well. the hood latch will be as stock.

and i also needed a new becool radiator because my stock one is 3/4" too wide , but the becool will look great as i am going to polish the tanks

this is going to be a GREAT mod form me !!!
i'm still installing it, a winter project of sorts.

i throughly agree with the effectiveness of this cooler.
then theres the price .... well need i say more = no competion.

 

[J Banning]

How fast?
Red is the quickest and fastest that I know of with a Powerstroke IC. He's in the 10's and at 125+mph. I was hoping to beat him to the 10's, but oh well! I'll be there soon, and have already gone 11.38 & 117+mph with the Powerstroke IC. I have no doubts that I'll be able to to go 10's with this IC.

I think the IC works a lot better than most people give it credit for, however, I think that the Precision, Cotton's Performance, or CAS units are probably better. If not better, at least the install is a lot cleaner and easier.

Pictures & more info:
I have pictures of Red's install and one other GN (not mine) on my Web site. I have pictures of mine that I will try and post soon:
http://www.geocities.com/jamesbanning

If you have info that you'd like to add, email it to me and I'll post it to the site. I gathered everything I could to help myself and anyone else out that wanted to do the job.

Which version?
I used the aluminum end tank version of the IC. I believe that this is the factory piece that came with the '99-'01 trucks. The composite end tank version is what's available at the parts department now. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Removing rows:
I removed 4 rows off the top of the IC and had the end tanks welded closed. A very simple job that can be done with any hack saw and someone who knows how to tig weld.

Fitting the Intercooler:
I spent a good amount of time cutting, triming, and fitting the IC & pipes. The end result I honestly think looks VERY clean. Several people on the board have seen it, and possibly they'll chime in.

Everything fits under the header pannel. No parts of the IC are exposed, and the only way you can see it is if you look through the grill. It is so WIDE that you can not see the end tanks when you look through the grill... you have to crawl under the car.


Hope this helps
-Banning.