I've got a 76 F250 with a 4-53t detroit that isn't currently intercooled. I'd like to add an intercooler before I put my injectors in and was curious what all you swappers out there are doing. My truck has factory a/c and the factory radiator. There is like zero room behind the grill. I've got an intercooler off a 96 cummins dodge. My question is which intercooler is everyone using and retaining the stock a/c and rad?

Thanks,
Wayne

 

no help here.

but a big. for having a 2stroke diesel in a dent!!!

awesome

 

I used a 91.5-93 dodge intercooler. I have the same 96 ic still sitting in my garage and they are an awkward shape.

My ic is behind the grill, I had to trim he grill some and I don't have ac on my truck. The 99-03 powerstroke intercoolers are similar dimensions to the early dodge they are just a little taller and would fit almost as easily as the dodge.

Hopefully you can find something that works.

 

Cool, thanks for the help. Looking more and more like I'm going to have to ditch the a/c.

 

is bed mounting the radiator an option? sorta like the mud trucks

 

no, i would like the truck to be useful, otherwise i might as well put the motor in a rat rod.

 

Could you find a smaller condenser for the ac?

What about an air to water intercooler under the hood? That's how the ford 6.7 diesels are I think they had the same issue with space.

 

I never held an IC like the one you have up to my truck but after measuring one I figured it was too wide to mount easily. A little research backed that up. Sorry, I don't have any photos of it right now but I'll take some when Mama gets home with the truck later. I used a 99 Ford IC which fits quite well. I looked at the early Dodge ones too and they seem like a good candidate but they are smaller than the Ford one and I believe they have a smaller inlet and outlet. Mine is all aluminum which makes adding your own mounting tabs easy if you want to. A couple years later Ford switched to plastic side tanks. You have to do a fair amount of trimming on the grille shell and inserts and the condenser will have to be moved. I actually have space to squeeze one between the IC and radiator with custom brackets but it wouldn't be effective and the AC wouldn't blow cold if it was there. It really needs to get the air first. The owner of a local custom AC shop looked at my truck and said that the best spot for a condenser would be under the bed with an electric fan.

 

OK, I got some pics. Also, I forgot to mention that the hood latch needs to be completely reworked.

Mounting tabs. I did 4 just like this.

<a href="http://s742.photobucket.com/albums/xx65/Fordworth/Intercooler%20Mounting/?action=view&amp;current=2012-03-17_13-53-17_723.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx65/Fordworth/Intercooler%20Mounting/2012-03-17_13-53-17_723.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


Grille clearance.

<a href="http://s742.photobucket.com/albums/xx65/Fordworth/Intercooler%20Mounting/?action=view&amp;current=2012-03-17_13-53-44_300.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx65/Fordworth/Intercooler%20Mounting/2012-03-17_13-53-44_300.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s742.photobucket.com/albums/xx65/Fordworth/Intercooler%20Mounting/?action=view&amp;current=2012-03-17_13-53-35_42.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx65/Fordworth/Intercooler%20Mounting/2012-03-17_13-53-35_42.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s742.photobucket.com/albums/xx65/Fordworth/Intercooler%20Mounting/?action=view&amp;current=2012-03-17_13-53-56_52.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx65/Fordworth/Intercooler%20Mounting/2012-03-17_13-53-56_52.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


Driver's side tube. The 96 Dodge IC might cause clearance issues with the inner fenders because it is wider.

<a href="http://s742.photobucket.com/albums/xx65/Fordworth/Intercooler%20Mounting/?action=view&amp;current=2012-03-17_13-54-28_982.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx65/Fordworth/Intercooler%20Mounting/2012-03-17_13-54-28_982.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


Passenger side tube.

<a href="http://s742.photobucket.com/albums/xx65/Fordworth/Intercooler%20Mounting/?action=view&amp;current=2012-03-17_13-54-44_775.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx65/Fordworth/Intercooler%20Mounting/2012-03-17_13-54-44_775.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


Space between the IC and radiator. This could vary with different radiator mounts.

<a href="http://s742.photobucket.com/albums/xx65/Fordworth/Intercooler%20Mounting/?action=view&amp;current=2012-03-17_13-55-00_447.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx65/Fordworth/Intercooler%20Mounting/2012-03-17_13-55-00_447.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


And my cheesy hood latch for now.

<a href="http://s742.photobucket.com/albums/xx65/Fordworth/Intercooler%20Mounting/?action=view&amp;current=2012-03-17_13-55-18_451.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx65/Fordworth/Intercooler%20Mounting/2012-03-17_13-55-18_451.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

Where your from there should be no need for ac. On a serious note that might be the easiest way to put it in there. Roll down the windows and top out the truck for best country ac results.

 

I forgot to mention that you also need to notch the core support below where the IC core and tanks meet on each side.

 

Mine looks very similar to fordworth's setup. The 1st gen Dodge intercooler is a little shorter so I didn't have to trim my core support. The rest is almost identical only he did a nicer job trimming the grill.

 

I used 12/24 valve Dodge turned upside down and an aftermarket condenser. The grill center was made out of 1/2" square tubing except for the corners that are solid so they wouldn't collapse. See my gallery.

 

Water to air intercooler, though a little more expensive, would be less hassel, and are usually more effective then a Intercooler cause a Water to air is actually a aftercooler.

Water to Air Intercoolers at FROZENBOOST.COM

 

thanks for all the pics and advice guys!!! definitely a big help.