Ecoboost intercooler guard
02-22-2012, 02:51 PM
#11
Despite all the 'experts' jumping in on this discussion since when I bought my truck in early July '11 I bought the grill the second week I had it. Fact of the matter is unless the cooler is made of titanium, granite, diamond, etc. a rock hurling towards it at a high rate of speed when kicked up from a semi-tractor trailer rear tire or any other vehicle tire can NOT have a good effect on such an important link in the power train. Do all the math ya' want about restricting airflow, or mention any company who doesn't cover thier intercoolers......facts of the matter are the laws of physics and plain ol' common sense. Thanks for posting this picture and I love this truck despite all it's nuances and idyosyncracies. I will buy another cover when this one rusts or they come out with a better looking one.
02-22-2012, 03:49 PM
#12
Don't get me wrong I don't think it made that big of a power loss. But you could feel and hear the air coming out of it. And I was just afraid of when you let of the acceleration and the turbos spool down then it creates a vacuum and sucking in dirt, water, mud etc.
02-22-2012, 05:45 PM
#13
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
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I'm seeing eye to eye with Rangerdeepv on this one!! With all the so-called experts' opinions, I went ahead and did a protector myself for my new truck last Summer. Ran some tests and I haven't seen any difference at all. Temperature and airflow is just about the same with or without the protector. Mind you, it was a part originally made for a F18 fighter jet that I used, but still!
Here's a link!!
To the OP, it sucks you have to replace it! Call some scrap yards, maybe you could find a used model from a crashed F150, Mitsubishi Lancer EVO or Subaru Impreza... Look aftermarket as well, maybe it would cost less... Good luck!
Here's a link!!
To the OP, it sucks you have to replace it! Call some scrap yards, maybe you could find a used model from a crashed F150, Mitsubishi Lancer EVO or Subaru Impreza... Look aftermarket as well, maybe it would cost less... Good luck!
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FX4_2014F150 (10-05-2014)
02-22-2012, 06:00 PM
#14
Senior Member
I picked up an after market one off Ebay for pretty cheap and installed it on mine. Good thing about is it's aluminum so it won't rust. I'm sure I'll have to touch up the black paint occasionally as rocks and things hit it but at least I know they won't be hitting my inter cooler!
02-23-2012, 08:58 AM
#18
Senior Member
Question: How do these guards have the ability to cause significant damage by restricting airflow but I can drive through a blizzard and have every fin plugged with ice and snow and thats ok?
02-23-2012, 10:09 AM
#20
There were a couple 'expert' opinions on that. Supposedly the cold air flow won't hurt or contact with the ice and/or snow won't hurt anything.....ya' know what???? 75% of the time my truck is on the road is on a very busy highway with semi's, box trucks, flatbeds, etc. going close to Mach 1 all around me. Needless to say there are lots of projectiles, rocks, mufflers flyin' around. I have experienced NO loss of power, mileage or performance by putting a billet grille over this opening. Did I mention some pretty decent hunks of ice get thrown around also??? I don't want to be on a country road in Southern Illinois pulling my boat and have engine failure because of a cooling system leak. Can a billet grille restrict airflow??? Heck yes it can, maybe if I was doing 110 mph and owned a sports car it could make a difference. I will stick with my 100 buck billet grill and drive with a little more piece of mind.
