Drilled the intercooler drain 2011 F150 Ecoboost,
- Thread starter Cujet
- Start date
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Would be nice if there was a drain plug, but you know, that would make sense.
I have a much larger volume than factory CP-E aftermarket intercooler waiting to go onto my 1.6 EcoBoost, and installing THAT^^^ into it sounds like a GREAT idea!!
Would be nice if there was a drain plug, but you know, that would make sense.
I have a much larger volume than factory CP-E aftermarket intercooler waiting to go onto my 1.6 EcoBoost, and installing THAT^^^ into it sounds like a GREAT idea!!
Never thought about that. Wish my BMW would build up enough water to clean out the intake.
Easy to just add a plug to open to drain.
Originally Posted By: Audios
Youre not going to plug the hole you drilled? You wont get faults for boost pressure deviation?
The leak is so small, it's well within the capabilities of the turbos to overcome. Runs incredibly better.
Plugging it would simply allow the moisture to accumulate tomorrow morning. It takes only a few minutes for water to condense in quantity.
Youre not going to plug the hole you drilled? You wont get faults for boost pressure deviation?
The leak is so small, it's well within the capabilities of the turbos to overcome. Runs incredibly better.
Plugging it would simply allow the moisture to accumulate tomorrow morning. It takes only a few minutes for water to condense in quantity.
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The Volvo's intercooler also has a tiny drain hole. I've been told by others it was to drain excess oil, which it does into the plastic air dam. Never had any issue with hesitation though. Boost is cut back quite a bit here when it's very hot & dry. When it's cold though, the whooosh returns.
Last time I changed radiators, I flushed the inside of the IC with aluminum-safe degreaser. Amazing what came out...cleaned external fins and shined it up. It's about due for another as the radiator now has a persistent, small leak right at a fitting.
Last time I changed radiators, I flushed the inside of the IC with aluminum-safe degreaser. Amazing what came out...cleaned external fins and shined it up. It's about due for another as the radiator now has a persistent, small leak right at a fitting.
My wife has a 2014 Ecoboost 3.5. Does this yr require the same weep hole? If so I'll be doing it too. I guess you just leave it open? right?
Originally Posted By: sleddriver
The Volvo's intercooler also has a tiny drain hole. I've been told by others it was to drain excess oil, which it does into the plastic air dam. Never had any issue with hesitation though. Boost is cut back quite a bit here when it's very hot & dry. When it's cold though, the whooosh returns.
Last time I changed radiators, I flushed the inside of the IC with aluminum-safe degreaser. Amazing what came out...cleaned external fins and shined it up. It's about due for another as the radiator now has a persistent, small leak right at a fitting.
I wonder if the S60 has the oil drain. Interesting.
Very interesting with the degreaser too. Never heard of it, but I don’t know much about turbos.
The Volvo's intercooler also has a tiny drain hole. I've been told by others it was to drain excess oil, which it does into the plastic air dam. Never had any issue with hesitation though. Boost is cut back quite a bit here when it's very hot & dry. When it's cold though, the whooosh returns.
Last time I changed radiators, I flushed the inside of the IC with aluminum-safe degreaser. Amazing what came out...cleaned external fins and shined it up. It's about due for another as the radiator now has a persistent, small leak right at a fitting.
I wonder if the S60 has the oil drain. Interesting.
Very interesting with the degreaser too. Never heard of it, but I don’t know much about turbos.
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Originally Posted By: onemig
Just a thought, but if not under boost, I would think unfiltered dirty air is entering through that whole. Yeah?
Even at idle, the turbochargers create some (albeit tiny) positive pressure. I can't think of a time where there is a negative pressure in this location. I suppose it's possible. A 1/16th inch hole is quite small.
Originally Posted By: Blaze
My wife has a 2014 Ecoboost 3.5. Does this yr require the same weep hole? If so I'll be doing it too. I guess you just leave it open? right?
I don't know the answer to that. The Ecoboost 3.5L is known for the condensate problem, and owners in certain locations experience significant problems. You'd know it if you had issues, as the engine bucks, shakes, and goes into limp mode under hard acceleration, after driving in the rain.
Thinking aloud here, but the plumbing on the intercooler outlet is quite large. I suspect it's possible that airflow is so slow in this area that condensate can accumulate during normal operations. I've never seen an intercooler outlet so large on 600HP+ engines. So there is that. Possibly other vehicles with more normal intercooler plumbing avoid the issue by more rapid airflow?
Just a thought, but if not under boost, I would think unfiltered dirty air is entering through that whole. Yeah?
Even at idle, the turbochargers create some (albeit tiny) positive pressure. I can't think of a time where there is a negative pressure in this location. I suppose it's possible. A 1/16th inch hole is quite small.
Originally Posted By: Blaze
My wife has a 2014 Ecoboost 3.5. Does this yr require the same weep hole? If so I'll be doing it too. I guess you just leave it open? right?
I don't know the answer to that. The Ecoboost 3.5L is known for the condensate problem, and owners in certain locations experience significant problems. You'd know it if you had issues, as the engine bucks, shakes, and goes into limp mode under hard acceleration, after driving in the rain.
Thinking aloud here, but the plumbing on the intercooler outlet is quite large. I suspect it's possible that airflow is so slow in this area that condensate can accumulate during normal operations. I've never seen an intercooler outlet so large on 600HP+ engines. So there is that. Possibly other vehicles with more normal intercooler plumbing avoid the issue by more rapid airflow?
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Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Yeah, it's a boost leak, but the turbo just has to run a little faster to pump up the boost to reach the programmed limit. Could add to turbo lag or time to achieve max boost. Have you noticed a difference?
No perceptible difference in lag or power. Boost onset is still quite low in the RPM range.
It does run smoother though. The accumulated moisture was clearly causing daily problems.
Yeah, it's a boost leak, but the turbo just has to run a little faster to pump up the boost to reach the programmed limit. Could add to turbo lag or time to achieve max boost. Have you noticed a difference?
No perceptible difference in lag or power. Boost onset is still quite low in the RPM range.
It does run smoother though. The accumulated moisture was clearly causing daily problems.
Originally Posted By: Blaze
My wife has a 2014 Ecoboost 3.5. Does this yr require the same weep hole? If so I'll be doing it too. I guess you just leave it open? right?
I believe it was fixed by 2014. I had issues with the 11 but my 16 never had a hiccup.
Btw if you have the issue you will know it. It is not subtle.
My wife has a 2014 Ecoboost 3.5. Does this yr require the same weep hole? If so I'll be doing it too. I guess you just leave it open? right?
I believe it was fixed by 2014. I had issues with the 11 but my 16 never had a hiccup.
Btw if you have the issue you will know it. It is not subtle.
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I also would install a plug and drain it occasionally. Good work though
There is zero chance of sucking in dust, right? The inter-cooler would always be blowing OUT? Is this right?
Originally Posted By: Blaze
There is zero chance of sucking in dust, right? The inter-cooler would always be blowing OUT? Is this right?
I would not make the claim that there is absolutely, positively zero chance of sucking in a grain of dust through that tiny hole. However, as a general rule, there is positive pressure inside the intercooler so much of the time, it can be considered "all the time" .
Consider that the F150 is an automatic, so there is no lift throttle between shifts as there might be with a manual transmission. And consider that Ford programmed the ECU-Throttle By Wire to hold RPM at 1500 during deceleration to keep the catalytic converters hot. So even during lift throttle + braking, the engine is powering the wheels a bit.
With that in mind, there is little chance something will be drawn into a 1/16th inch hole.
There is zero chance of sucking in dust, right? The inter-cooler would always be blowing OUT? Is this right?
I would not make the claim that there is absolutely, positively zero chance of sucking in a grain of dust through that tiny hole. However, as a general rule, there is positive pressure inside the intercooler so much of the time, it can be considered "all the time" .
Consider that the F150 is an automatic, so there is no lift throttle between shifts as there might be with a manual transmission. And consider that Ford programmed the ECU-Throttle By Wire to hold RPM at 1500 during deceleration to keep the catalytic converters hot. So even during lift throttle + braking, the engine is powering the wheels a bit.
With that in mind, there is little chance something will be drawn into a 1/16th inch hole.
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Whenever the engine is compression braking it will create vacuum. So yes, dirty air will be sucked in. Like I said earlier, I would plug it.
No one has really posted the long term effects of drilling the hole. Lots of people have done it with seemingly no consequences.
I opted for the Ford fix on my 2011 and noticed no performance difference. I was glad the stuttering was gone because in Florida water intake was a certainty.
I opted for the Ford fix on my 2011 and noticed no performance difference. I was glad the stuttering was gone because in Florida water intake was a certainty.
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Originally Posted By: Cujet
Originally Posted By: Blaze
There is zero chance of sucking in dust, right? The inter-cooler would always be blowing OUT? Is this right?
I would not make the claim that there is absolutely, positively zero chance of sucking in a grain of dust through that tiny hole. However, as a general rule, there is positive pressure inside the intercooler so much of the time, it can be considered "all the time" .
Consider that the F150 is an automatic, so there is no lift throttle between shifts as there might be with a manual transmission. And consider that Ford programmed the ECU-Throttle By Wire to hold RPM at 1500 during deceleration to keep the catalytic converters hot. So even during lift throttle + braking, the engine is powering the wheels a bit.
With that in mind, there is little chance something will be drawn into a 1/16th inch hole.
Is the intercooler before the throttle body? If so, it will not run under conditions of high vacuum. Of course, it's downstream of the air filter, so some vacuum is inevitable, but only mildly so.
Originally Posted By: Blaze
There is zero chance of sucking in dust, right? The inter-cooler would always be blowing OUT? Is this right?
I would not make the claim that there is absolutely, positively zero chance of sucking in a grain of dust through that tiny hole. However, as a general rule, there is positive pressure inside the intercooler so much of the time, it can be considered "all the time" .
Consider that the F150 is an automatic, so there is no lift throttle between shifts as there might be with a manual transmission. And consider that Ford programmed the ECU-Throttle By Wire to hold RPM at 1500 during deceleration to keep the catalytic converters hot. So even during lift throttle + braking, the engine is powering the wheels a bit.
With that in mind, there is little chance something will be drawn into a 1/16th inch hole.
Is the intercooler before the throttle body? If so, it will not run under conditions of high vacuum. Of course, it's downstream of the air filter, so some vacuum is inevitable, but only mildly so.
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