Intercooler cover on Sport?

[adamantium]

Anyone know why Ford covered approximately 81 cubic inches of the driver side intercooler core with a stick on plastic piece preventing air from flowing through that section? It's just an adhesive backed plastic rectangle stuck to the intercooler front and could be peeled off fairly easy increasing the cooling capcity. Just wonder the purpose of it.

 

[vteckiller2000]

I removed that the first week I owned my car.

 

[adamantium]

Any idea what in the hell purpose it serves? Seems counter productive.

 

[Mr_Wiggles]

I don't really see why they would do this, but would be very interested to understand the reasons what.

Also, what effect does this have on the vehicle (or the warranty if removed)

 

[plumbago]

That is the cool temperature side of the intercooler. I believe it was installed to cut down the efficiency of the intercooler, in order to solve the condensation problem causing the poor idle, misfire, etc. problems. All this, somewhat if not, directly related to the pending law suite on the 3.5 motor.....best regards Plum

 

[adamantium]

Driver side is hot side where the turbos input into the intercooler merge inside and come out a single outlet on passenger side to the throttle body intake manifold. Still could be the reason though. Never heard of an intercooler creating condensation. Wonder if it was up north in colder weather.

 

[plumbago]

Ok, you may be right on which side is the cool side on the Sport, however it is as stated on the I4 Ford 2.0 turbo. Still I'm sure it is to alleviate a condensation problem. The Range Rover Evoque, which uses the Ford 2.0L turbo motor and intercooler has experienced this very same condensation, misfire problem, which often causes a limp mode condition. The fix on that vehicle was to decrease the cooling air flow by installing a screen deflector on the intercooler and a reflash update. We may be talking apples and oranges here, but this is part of the concern and the 3.5 law suite. If the hot turbo air is cooled to much and too fast, condensation can form....This is not really a case of the intercooler being too large or too efficient, more as case of poor design and simply a remedy

 

[Mr_Wiggles]

So I can remove this "patch" from the intercooler (seeing that i live in a hot climate).

Would this effect the warranty in any way?

 

[mhikeboy]

is this cover in the ex sport only, or will the 3.5 v6 engine have this cover too?

 

[Harley#356]

is this cover in the ex sport only, or will the 3.5 v6 engine have this cover too?

Being that the Sport is the only one with an intercooler for the turbos, your 3.5 v6 n/a won't have the intercooler let alone the block off lol


Interesting to see the cover on there though, I guess the condensation thing makes sense. Wonder if there's any way to make it easy to remove/reinstall for only running on the street, and removing for the track.

 

[vteckiller2000]

This condensation thing needs to be put to rest. If the intercoolers on our cars were that efficient, the tuners wouldn't see the kind of high IAT's they do when they tune the car. Even Ken Bjonnes (Lund) said that he didn't like the high IAT's at the back end of the racetrack.

 

[T-1000]

So the current answer is we're not sure why it's there and not sure what will result if it's removed? I'd like to assume Ford had a good reason for slapping it on there but if it has anything to do with cold weather I guess I can peel it off!

 

[plumbago]

Why don't you folks just google ford 3.5 motor law suite This intercooler thingy is certainly in the forefront of the issue....Now, I didn't say the intercoolers were too efficient, others have in other articles, and I'm with those that think it's actually pretty inefficient, and of a poor design. Ford by putting the blocker plate in front of the cooler, has actually decreased the efficiency of the intercooler, as it would for any intercooler. It's not too much efficiency they are correcting, its to much condensation produced by a poor design.......Normally adding a larger intercooler would be the way to go for improved cooled air, and more horsepower for a turbo motor; but not at the cost of more condensation laden air. Again design is everything, ford had to correct a problem, but at the cost of efficiency.....best regard Plum

 

[vteckiller2000]

Why don't you folks just google ford 3.5 motor law suite This intercooler thingy is certainly in the forefront of the issue....Now, I didn't say the intercoolers were too efficient, others have in other articles, and I'm with those that think it's actually pretty inefficient, and of a poor design. Ford by putting the blocker plate in front of the cooler, has actually decreased the efficiency of the intercooler, as it would for any intercooler. It's not too much efficiency they are correcting, its to much condensation produced by a poor design.......Normally adding a larger intercooler would be the way to go for improved cooled air, and more horsepower for a turbo motor; but not at the cost of more condensation laden air. Again design is everything, ford had to correct a problem, but at the cost of efficiency.....best regard Plum

You will get stuff about the longitudinal 3.5 EB in the truck if you do that and anything you find will be about the truck engines. Our transverse engine is almost completely different, including the intercooler.

 

[Ryan327]

You will get stuff about the longitudinal 3.5 EB in the truck if you do that and anything you find will be about the truck engines. Our transverse engine is almost completely different, including the intercooler.

And yet plenty of us have seen eerily similar stuttering and stalling....but hey, i'm sure its in now way related to moisture in the IC!

 

[vteckiller2000]

And yet plenty of us have seen eerily similar stuttering and stalling....but hey, i'm sure its in now way related to moisture in the IC!

It's not. It is a calibration issue. I have talked to Dan Millen about this very issue. I think it actually makes him a little angry when anyone implies that there is condensation in the ic.

 

[Ryan327]

It's not. It is a calibration issue. I have talked to Dan Millen about this very issue. I think it actually makes him a little angry when anyone implies that there is condensation in the ic.

Well we are all a bit angry that they can't fix a simple calibration issue...best way to silence the critics and potential false claims here is to FIX IT!

 

[vteckiller2000]

Well we are all a bit angry that they can't fix a simple calibration issue...best way to silence the critics and potential false claims here is to FIX IT!

There are more than a few calibration issues. Stock and tuned. They will get them ironed out, but this platform needs to age so Ford and the tuners can get properly acquainted to the best tuning parameters.

 

[Nightcrew]

There are more than a few calibration issues. Stock and tuned. They will get them ironed out, but this platform needs to age so Ford and the tuners can get properly acquainted to the best tuning parameters.

I hate to be pessimistic and i agree that tuners need time to learn what is essentially proprietary programming, but FORD (and all major manufacturers) should have their R&D done before a motor is released to market...

 

[blichy]

I hate to be pessimistic and i agree that tuners need time to learn what is essentially proprietary programming, but FORD (and all major manufacturers) should have their R&D done before a motor is released to market...

Let's not go and start throwing logic into the mix now... That would be the sensible way to approach it. With the Flex and SHO already running the engine, it would be thought that this was already done.