inter cooler question

[iviper123]

im looking at building a IC for my truck,
her is the question

How tough are they? i live in the country lots of dirt roads, and how will they handle snow, deep untouched snow, im asking because last winter i picked up a wifes friend you had a 1/2 mile driveway with 15" of untouched snow on it, i made up her driveway and out again, but i packed a lot of snow into the front end pushing a lot, my 2 bumper holes we packed, thats how deep it was.

how will the hangin IC handle that? or shoul i look into water to water IC?

 

[mitchedo]

im looking at building a IC for my truck,
her is the question

How tough are they? i live in the country lots of dirt roads, and how will they handle snow, deep untouched snow, im asking because last winter i picked up a wifes friend you had a 1/2 mile driveway with 15" of untouched snow on it, i made up her driveway and out again, but i packed a lot of snow into the front end pushing a lot, my 2 bumper holes we packed, thats how deep it was.

how will the hangin IC handle that? or shoul i look into water to water IC?

While a lot of folks say it's fine, if you just look at the thing hanging down there under the bumper, and think about how it's made, it's a recipe for trouble IMNSHO.

I won't be putting one on my truck, and it's driven 90% on road.

 

[North Maine]

You could always make an expanded steel guard for it

 

[Turbine Doc]

While a lot of folks say it's fine, if you just look at the thing hanging down there under the bumper, and think about how it's made, it's a recipe for trouble IMNSHO.

I won't be putting one on my truck, and it's driven 90% on road.

My what some would say "at risk" under bumper IC has been there almost 6 years on and off road (unimproved dirt/mud road), if I was going hard core 4x4 I'd "up-armor" the IC, but for most guys that hiway tow and lightly off road theirs, under bumper IC with a good strong IC core should be fine, no opininion just been there done that last 6 years experience.

 

[Schwind]

If snow packing the IC is your major concern, I would think that the air flow through the IC would melt the snow. Just my thought. I don’t have one but I am considering putting one on my truck.

 

[chrisk1500]

I'll let you know how mine handles living under my bumper up here. I live at the dead end of a 30 km gravel road....my truck breaks trail at 6:30 AM after huge snowstorms/heavy rains....

It also has to hold its own this year running through canola stubble fields and pushing bush through pastures....if anyone can put a hole in their IC it will be me...I'll let you know how I make out...

 

[Turbine Doc]

If snow packing the IC is your major concern, I would think that the air flow through the IC would melt the snow. Just my thought. I don’t have one but I am considering putting one on my truck.

You could run 100% snow packed, IC isn't doing anything for you until running 10+ boost as IAT doesn't really get hot until then, plus once you drop to about 60F ambient temps, then IC isn't required either.

 

[Matt Bachand]

I would be more concerned with the snow pressure doing things ... I know what you mean by packed. You mean PACKED. Fresh snow is soft enough that I would think it would gently pack it instantly, and I would have to think the snow/pressure would roll off of all the other snow that is stuck to as it does eventually. It would probably pack it in a nice tight snow shield after a few feet.

However, this same snow storm that ended being freezing rain... 14 inches of snow with 2 inches of rain on top that you can walk on without cracking through... crunch crunch when your driving.

How could that intercooler handle that abuse without some sort of shield you can put on and off fairly quickly. On second thought a winter shield might not be a bad idea all around.... Dont' really need the IC in sub zero weather.

On the IC thought. Since the hanging ATA intercooler is at the bottom of the loop, does condensation form at the intercooler itself through heat cycles especially when cold weather is here? COndensation = water , turn that to ice and bad things can happen.

 

[Turbine Doc]

You guys are really making more of this than you need to; they are robust, I've had min in driven snow/ice in mountains of Va "Fancy Gap" pass no issues whatsoever for my IC

here is mine http://myweb.cableone.net/tbogemirep/ if you get an IC close at all to this construction you will be fine unless you are into serious 4x4, but ift is really no more risk of exposure than a tranny or diff that hasn't been armored.

 

[Ratman]

You could run 100% snow packed, IC isn't doing anything for you until running 10+ boost as IAT doesn't really get hot until then...

Chris runs above 10 PSI anything above 700 RPM! :biggrin5:

-Heck, -he'll be melting the snow on the road here real soon!

 

[SnowDrift]

If you're extremely concerned about it, then maybe instead of a grate for a guard, why not make a full cover plate that you could install in the winter months. If air flow isn't important in the colder months, then maybe you could install it before the snow starts flying then take it off in the spring.

That way no snow will push into it.

I know your concern, as I have the same thing with the four wheeler with snow packing into the front, getting next to the radiator and melting and then re-freezing after it gets shut down. I'm always concerned the expanding water into ice will damage something.

 

[chrisk1500]

Chris runs above 10 PSI anything above 700 RPM! :biggrin5:

-Heck, -he'll be melting the snow on the road here real soon!

Damn straight....:thumbsup:

 

[JiFaire]

ROFL. Snow in the IC. You guys are funny.

On another board, a guy mentioned that intercoolers were bad because in the winter, they would make the truck run 'too cool'.

Yep. Here's your sign.

Seriously, I agree with the idea of a fill-plate winter cover. Ya don't need an IC in the winter, anyway.