Intercooler experience
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Tuned
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 343
Likes: 30
From: Maryville, TN
Intercooler experience
Thought I would relay the value I found in adding an intercooler for towing.
I made two trips from Knoxville to Seattle towing holiday trailers and the only change to the truck between them was the intercooler install.
The Truck:
1997 F250 Reg Cab 4x4
Leer camper top
ZF-5 manual trans
D60 front axle with stock F350 front springs and rear blocks
Baby swamp injectors about 5 years and 40-45k miles old
TS-6 tuner with swamp tunes purchased with injectors. Stock, tow, hot and race tunes.
EGT, Oil temp, fuel pressure and boost pillar guages.
Tires are 285/75-16 Falken Wildpeak A/T on Eagle 16x9 wheels. Only 1” over stock.
S&B CAC oiled filter and sock. (Sock removed when towing a distance)
No other upgrades (original turbo, hpop, fuel system,etc.)
The intercooler is from an e99 Superduty.
1st Trailer:
2016 Sunset Trail 280BH
Empty Weight 5400lbs
Stuff Weight ~1500lbs
31’ long 11’ tall
2nd Trailer:
2017 Primetime Lacrosse 327RES
Empty Weight 8600lbs
Stuff Weight ~ 1500lbs
37.5’ long 11’ tall
1st trip was during December temps with the 1st trailer and no intercooler. 240k miles on the odometer. Somewhere around 44-4500ft elevation I had to switch from tow to stock tune. I could barely touch the pedal without blowing past 1250 degrees egt. Peak boost ~26 psI.
2nd trip was during August temps with 2nd trailer and intercooler. 245k on the odo. Highest elevation was around 7700 ft and I used the tow tune the entire trip. Had to back out of it a little a couple times but pulled like a champ. Peak boost ~22 psi.
With the 3:55 gears I cruised at 65ish in 4th gear at 23-2400 rpm for both trips. Seemed to be the best for mpg and getting the boost up when needed. I think mpg was a little better on the 2nd trip but I have no proof to say for sure.
I had read many places that an IC would buy me 2-300 degrees but I thought this may be a handy real world before and after for the haulers out there fighting egt at higher altitudes.
Bob
I made two trips from Knoxville to Seattle towing holiday trailers and the only change to the truck between them was the intercooler install.
The Truck:
1997 F250 Reg Cab 4x4
Leer camper top
ZF-5 manual trans
D60 front axle with stock F350 front springs and rear blocks
Baby swamp injectors about 5 years and 40-45k miles old
TS-6 tuner with swamp tunes purchased with injectors. Stock, tow, hot and race tunes.
EGT, Oil temp, fuel pressure and boost pillar guages.
Tires are 285/75-16 Falken Wildpeak A/T on Eagle 16x9 wheels. Only 1” over stock.
S&B CAC oiled filter and sock. (Sock removed when towing a distance)
No other upgrades (original turbo, hpop, fuel system,etc.)
The intercooler is from an e99 Superduty.
1st Trailer:
2016 Sunset Trail 280BH
Empty Weight 5400lbs
Stuff Weight ~1500lbs
31’ long 11’ tall
2nd Trailer:
2017 Primetime Lacrosse 327RES
Empty Weight 8600lbs
Stuff Weight ~ 1500lbs
37.5’ long 11’ tall
1st trip was during December temps with the 1st trailer and no intercooler. 240k miles on the odometer. Somewhere around 44-4500ft elevation I had to switch from tow to stock tune. I could barely touch the pedal without blowing past 1250 degrees egt. Peak boost ~26 psI.
2nd trip was during August temps with 2nd trailer and intercooler. 245k on the odo. Highest elevation was around 7700 ft and I used the tow tune the entire trip. Had to back out of it a little a couple times but pulled like a champ. Peak boost ~22 psi.
With the 3:55 gears I cruised at 65ish in 4th gear at 23-2400 rpm for both trips. Seemed to be the best for mpg and getting the boost up when needed. I think mpg was a little better on the 2nd trip but I have no proof to say for sure.
I had read many places that an IC would buy me 2-300 degrees but I thought this may be a handy real world before and after for the haulers out there fighting egt at higher altitudes.
Bob
Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 200
Likes: 36
From: NorCal
Any measured or seat-of-the-pants sense for power increase with the intercooler? E.g., able to take x% grade in 4th whereas before a downshift was needed?
Ballpark cost of your IC install?
I'm not battling EGTs, rarely seeing over 900*F, but read elsewhere here that IC is high on the list of no-brainer power mods.
Ballpark cost of your IC install?
I'm not battling EGTs, rarely seeing over 900*F, but read elsewhere here that IC is high on the list of no-brainer power mods.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 343
Likes: 30
From: Maryville, TN
As far as cost, I paid $100 for the 99 intercooler and boots, &150 for CSD pipes and found an e99 spyder for $150. I fabed the mounting brackets myself.
Bob
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,863
Likes: 943
From: Kaufman TX
No you can't really generate the load. You can stomp the brakes while going uphill and power through it, that simulates towing for a little while.
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 2,907
Likes: 788
From: Kinnula,Finland
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Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,863
Likes: 943
From: Kaufman TX
In under a minute you'll be as fast as the truck can go, where pulling weight you can have your foot in it for several minutes.
It's very hard to substitute legitimate load.
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