I searched and haven't found anyone thats completed the intercooler Power Stroke van project. I have a E-350 cutaway with a 16' box and tow a 28' enclosed trailer with the racecar and sleeping arangements. Most of the longer distance races I go to I try and drive at night for the cooler air and it makes a heck of a differance. I have a full shop so I figure, how hard can it be?

It's a 1998 Power Stroke with an April 98 build date so it's the late motor. Took the 99 up fuel filter and oil sender.

Couple questions.

When looking for an intercooler is there anything I should stay away from? I found one from a Volvo but it only has 2 3/8 hoses and I'm thinking that may be to small.

Anything else I need to know so it doesn't burst into flames?

Thanks for the help / advise.

I've fixed everything that has come up with this truck with info from this site.

Mazda Jon
SCCA GTL 2009 MX-5 12A

 

I've read that there just isn't enough room on the vans for an intercooler, and that's why they had a slightly larger turbo than the pickups. Anyway, if you can figure out a way to get one in, I have a stock 7.3L intercooler from my 2002 F250 with no problems that I would be willing to talk to you about. I pulled mine to insert one from a 6.0L a couple years ago.

 

I looked at a factory P/U intercooler and the inlet/outlet are on each side of the radiator. Not enough room on the van with everything crammed in there. I'm going to have to go under, over or somewhere around the radiator.

This one I found has the inlet/outlet low enough I might be able to slide up from the bottom, but it has 2 3/8 fittings.

 

Im all ears if you ever figure it out, I've looked around my vans and just seems their is no room anywhere.

 

I think the hardest part will be getting out of the turbo and then back into the engine. Now the turbo goes directly to the "Y" into the heads. The air plenum box (or whatever it's called) is in the way.

 

Keep in mind that if you get an intercooler that's too small, you'll just end up restricting airflow and making things worse. How handy are you around your shop and how concerned are you about looks? What if you put a spacer on there and moved the bumper and grill forward so you had room to slide an intercooler in there?

The Y in front of the turbo going to the intake plenums would need to be replaced with the X shaped piece from a truck so the intercooler tubes have a place to mount up.

 

Thanks, Chris. I'm going on a search on Monday for a P/U intake, I'm finding it's called a "spider." That and I need some pics of under the hood so I can see what I'm trying to make without recreating the wheel, so to speak.

I'm more about function than beauty. Already cut up the hood and made it ram-air to the airbox and have a 4" straight pipe on it. Wife can hear me coming up the mountain 10 minutes before I get home.

I've been looking on Ebay for an intercooler and I'm planing on using something like this.

31"x12"x4" Universal Front Mount Alum Large Intercooler | eBay

Thanks,
Jon

 

We can help with pictures. Be sure to post pics of what you've done so far with the hood, as well as some views of what the van looks like so we can offer suggestions too. Most of us are used to staring under the hood of a truck so our perspective is off.

The spider or X shaped piece we're talking about is this.


I can get more and better pics later. Since you're going to have to think outside the box to get this done, consider all options. You might even consider something crazy like the guys over at Jobe. Jobe Performance - Intercoolers

 

Thought of that!! Didn't want to have it to close to the engine because of heat soak.

Like what the Subi STi has with the intercooler mount on top of the engine.

 

Hillbilly hood air intake mod





Not much room at the top.

Underhood right side



Underhood left side



From the inside, back of the engine





Not sure why the van has the air plenum between the air cleaner housing and turbo. I don't see anything like that on the P/U's.

Thanks,
Jon

 

i looks like you have a leaking up pipe that can make higher egts. i should be simple ti check with it right there.

 

Yea, saw that when I pulled the dog house and heat shield. Replaced the gaskets a few years ago. The bolts were alittle loose so I snugged them up, see if they leak again. Not sure if it's worth doing the pipe upgrade.

 

ok then that should not be a problem. i dont see room to put a cooler but the best of luck to you.
the dog house is the only thing it like on a van more than a truck you can get to the turbo in seconds.

 

You can get to the turbo, but not the fuel filter!

 

hello E350cargo
I have a 2001 E350 SuperDuty Cargo Van with a 14' box. I am modding mine too. 3in1 guage, DP140 tuner, just put in a wicked wheel, Changed out the glowplugs and the relay. My relay was like the trucks, not the digital one that is supposidly for a van. Rebuilt my turbo tonight because that extra black intake box which seems useless exploded and the turbo sucked in plastic parts and chipped my wheel. So I eliminated it. I took a plastic cup and cut it down like a frost plug and it fit great and has a taper so it wont suck in. I hope that extra black intake/plenum box wasn't important. Injectors are going in this weekend too. About your exhaust. I'm going to go 5" but my question is did you buy a van exhaust and add pipe or did you buy F350 exhaust? By the way, your snorkel scoops are a great idea. I personally think the van intake is superior to the truck based on where it draws in and the fact that it has two huge filters which keeps the flow higher than a truck. Not to mention there isn't anthing aftermarket and you'd have to make your own intake and it would literally be just like the stock one except without all the ribs to slow down flow.