Busted Intercooler
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Junior User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 62
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Busted Intercooler
Hey Guy's, been awhile since I last posted. I currently have a 2005 F-350,PSD,CC,DRW,FX4. While heading to Myrtle Beach S.C. this past Friday on a mini camping trip we got to within 5 miles of the camp ground and it sounded as is a large air hose ruptured under the hood. The boost gauge dropped to zero and the black smoke shut us in. I lost all engine power. As only my luck would have it neither hose was ruptured. Oh no, it was the intercooler. Blew the end right off. Talk about a crap design, plastic and aluminum. The fine folks at Beach Ford in Myrtle Beach ordered a new intercooler and got me going again. My concern is, why did this happen? The truck has less than 25,000 miles on it and it's never been abused. Is this just one of those things or should I be concerned about somrthing else. The dealer checked the turbo and egr and said all is working well. He replaced the original boost hoses with new "updated" ones, they're orange on the insideand said all is well. Any thoughts or comments? Suggestions are welcome. Thanks!!!
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 710
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From: Fallon,NV
Were you towing anything on your camping trip? I figure that with a DRW truck, you should be towing something heavy. Did you notice a boost spike before the intercooler blew? It's one of two things: 1. The crappy intercooler design just doesn't hold up 2. Your turbo could've stuck open or overboosted causing the rupture. Those are the only things I could think of, but all reason to go with either Banks or Spearco intercoolers since they can handle a lot of boost. The good thing is that the intercooler should be covered under the 5/100k motor warranty.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 803
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From: S CAL
I don't believe that I have ever heard of an intercooler coming apart at that particular location before. There is also the possibility of oil build up in the intercooler from the CCV causing some restriction and back pressure there by causing the intercooler to fail. Or it could also just be that the intercooler had a weak spot from manufacturing.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,990
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From: Middleburg, FL
I've heard of the plastic end separating from the aluminum on these coolers. Not common, but it happens from time to time. Probably just a bad cooler. Glad to hear you got it fixed and back up a running.
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Junior User
Joined: Jul 2005
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Thanks Guy's. I was towing at the time. My fifth wheel weighs in at about 12K loaded up the way it is. When the end blew I think I was making around 15 to 20 pounds of boost by the factory gauge. I had just stopped at a traffic signal. I never take off really hard just because I don't want to break something. With a 4.10 gear it will pull! It did great on the way home after the repair, I guess I'm just leary of it now until it proves itself for awhile.
