I would like to hear your opinions on options for an OSB intercooler. I have looked at the Banks setup, guys who have considered doing a 6.0 cooler(have not seen and good threads on completed installs), and the threads on here where some have used a 7.3 cooler. I can fab my own piping however was looking for some input on the best bang for the buck setup.... which route would be the best decision. Mounting a cooler seems fairly simple, the tubing is simple enough. My questions are finding an x pipe out of a 99 that will work, or just paying for the banks piping kit. The intercooler is my big hangup and which one is the best choice.

Once again I ask my self how much of a difference will it make going one route or the other. Banks is the easiest but is the 1450 price tag worth it... I'd figure not so much. So then the 6.0 vs 7.3 vs Banks intercooler comes into question. Is there that much of a difference between the three? 7.3 CAC would be the easiest per cost. The 6.0 seems like quite a bit more work but not unreasonable. The banks is overall just a plug and play mod that requires very minimal time and alterations.

For those who have installed an intercooler... what EGT difference did you see?

I'm not too interested in power difference, but was it noticeable?

I am solely doing this for towing capability and heat. I currently cruise at 60-65 and see 600-800 at DP here in Colorado depending on the route (900-1100) with nothing behind me. Towing the race trailer over the mountains all summer has me worried with a chip... I normally cruise at 65 but when traveling long distance towing I'm not too worried about fuel mileage and will run around 75-80 since mileage is shot anyways and keeping the momentun going up hills IMO.

Please give me reasoning and any experience you have between the three rather than sole opinions.


Specs on the truck now are
97 350
ZF5 w 4:10's 285's
DP chip w pyro
6637
straight 4 inch/ dp

I do not plan on going up in injectors, but may consider a larger turbo in the future.... only when the stocker crashes...same with HPOP...when that fails a terminator will go in.

 

Anybody have a hook up who makes a 3 inch intake pipe for the spyder. Or at least plans I could fab off?

Ford is around 400 bucks for an x new.....F that and finding a used one here locally will not be an easy taks.


Found some good info in here: 94-97 Intercooler Piping Kits - PowerStrokeNation : Ford Powerstroke Diesel Forum

 

The banks kit is not worth the money, you could build two or three of your own kits for that price. The difference between the 7.3 and 6.0 coolers is the size and mounting tabs. The 6.0 is larger therefore cools a little more than the 7.3 but not by any significant amount, 25-50 degrees at most. Also the 6.0 has plastic mounting tabs, so if you plan on making 40+ pounds of boost get a 7.3 IC. Because it is an all aluminum IC even the mounting tabs, so the mounting tabs will not crack or break under big boosting. You will see about a 200 degree drop in egts with an IC installed.

And you cant run a 3 inch spyder unless you convert to a SD setup. Or you could make your own spyder and buy 3 inch plenums, our stock plenums are 2 inched. But you would have to keep the stock size turbo piece thats 2 inches unless you upgrade to a bigger turbo that has a 3" outlet that feeds the engine.

 

If your not going to make big power and just want it to run as cool as you can get it go with the 6.0 cooler.

 

Huh. Why do you say that?

 

Spiders are the hard to find and expensive part. I have a Banks spider and Ford 6L IC, made pipes from 7.3SD tubes. Only the early 99 IC's are aluminum, the rest are all plastic. Tuned 6L guys make way more boost than we ever will with few problems.

I had way too much power that I could not use when towing without the IC. Now I can flog it hard and keep at or under 1200 F. You really need to move your probe pre-turbo if you want to run it hard and have any confidence that you're running safe EGT.

 

You're right, the 6.0 has plastic end tanks and mounts, but so do most of the 7.3's. Only the 99, 00 and some of the 01's built in 00 had the all aluminum ones.

I've had a 6.0 cooler in mine since Feb. 06 and I've seen 45 pounds of boost a countless number of times and it will go to 50 when I have enough road.

 

Negative. The '99, '00, and early '01 Super Duty's have the aluminum end tanks.

If you can find the Banks piping used, it will work with a 7.3 intercooler without modification. The Banks piping will work with the 6.0 intercooler, but will require modification.

 

Good info guys!

 

True some 7.3 IC have the plastic mounting tabs. And i would feel better running a 7.3 IC, but some like the 6.0 one.

 

Forgot to mention that you can get custom pipes made by Chris Lahmon for use with an early '99 spyder and either a 7.3 or 6.0 intercooler for $200 shipped.

 

Good info... I am in need of a 7.3 intercooler.
Now I know what years to ask about for the all aluminum!

If anybody has an intercooler (ill consider all of em for the right price) I am looking! Ive got my spyder... and I have a guy who might be ready to pull the trigger on sellin me some pipes.. just need the cooler.

 

Riffraff Diesel: Riffraff Diesel Billet Intake Manifold Plenums

can I not use these with a 3 inch spyder....anyone make one?

That is what I am planning on doing. Like I said this is strictly for towing purposes and maybe some day a little bigger turbo.

I totally agree with you here... Before I drop the money for the intercooler I will be putting in a second pyro in the header and a boost guage... really not sure what having a fuel pressure guage is useful for besides troubleshooting issues that may pertain to low fuel pressure. Advise taken.

I hope this is not the fellow on PSN that has welding skills that would scare most high school shop teachers.

On a serious note do you think he could fab up a dpyder that would run for a 3 inch? I no longer have access to a tig, but may be picking one up next week for my place. Ihave plenty of fab skills and could make them myself if I had plans of some sort.

 

I guess I should ask first but is there any reason I can not run this on the pre 99 blocks? Is the intake bolt patter not the same? Sort of like 460 carb vs FI intakes..... I guess I came off the notion that that it would bolt up but would not work with the factory y, but in this case isn't the purpose to pretty much try to setup the X pipe identicle to the 99+SD's? Are there turbo Issues I need to consider?

http://www.riffraffdiesel.com/mm5/me...Store_Code=RRD

and use the 3 inchers instead of 2". Anyone know FOR SURE?

Sorry for all the questions.... just want to do it once and do it right....

 

Those will work on your truck.
94-95 trucks have heads with 8 bolts holes for the intake plenums, 96 and later use heads with 10 bolt holes.