intercooler = heat exchanger

[TokenBlackGuy]

I took my cobra in due to loosing coolant. the dealership told me I had a hole in the intercooler. A new Ford intercooler cost $730. This may be a dumb question, but are intercooler and heat exchanger the same thing? If so, I'm thinking about going aftermarket like LFP ($279). Thanks for the help.

Travis

 

[IronTerp]

No, the intercooler is the actual device that attaches to the bottom of the supercharger that cools the incoming air after it passes through the rotors of the supercharger. It is unseen from the engine bay and requires removal of the supercharger to access. Although developing a problem with the intercooler is rare, we had two fellas this winter that developed leaks and had to have them repaired/replaced. And that price does sound a tad high, but in the ballpark.

The heat exchanger is exposed to the oncoming air and sits in the lower front bumper valence, right underneath your front tag. It cools the coolant that circulates to the intercooler. If this is leaking, you will have coolant on the ground under your Cobra. If you don't see any coolant, then the intercooler may be the right diagnosis.

Travis, you may want to consider having one of the MACA folks like Wiseguy or TRBO VNM take a look at this one if possible...........Be less expensive and you'll know it will be done correctly.

 

[N2DAMYSTIC]

The intercooler is not the same as the heat exchanger. The intercooler is attached to the bottom of the supercharger and located in the lower manifold area. The heat exchanger is located in front of your radiator.

I would definately search around for better pricing, Steve at Tousley Ford would be your best bet if buying new. Never know though, could find one NIB from someone on here or E-Bay.

Good luck either way. CSS can take care of it for you!

 

[I-CAN-STANG]

No, the intercooler is the actual device that attaches to the bottom of the supercharger that cools the incoming air after it passes through the rotors of the supercharger. It is unseen from the engine bay and requires removal of the supercharger to access. Although developing a problem with the intercooler is rare, we had two fellas this winter that developed leaks and had to have them repaired/replaced. And that price does sound a tad high, but in the ballpark.

The heat exchanger is exposed to the oncoming air and sits in the lower front bumper valence, right underneath your front tag. It cools the coolant that circulates to the intercooler. If this is leaking, you will have coolant on the ground under your Cobra. If you don't see any coolant, then the intercooler may be the right diagnosis.

Travis, you may want to consider having one of the MACA folks like Wiseguy or TRBO VNM take a look at this one if possible...........Be less expensive and you'll know it will be done correctly.

+1

 

[TokenBlackGuy]

Thanks for the input, everyone. I would like to have Jason look at it but I live in lower DE over 2 hrs away. I did call Tousley Ford and ordered one for $502 vs. $730.

 

[F8LBITEva]

noooooooooooooo if its the one in the front bumper you should have gotten an aftermarket one for cheaper and works better!!!

 

[pj_rage]

Not to highjack, but on the same topic, I've always wondered, why do all the ricers call their heat exchangers their intercooler? Is it because theirs are for turbo, aren't water to air, and they don't have an intercooler like we do sitting on/near their intake manifold. I'm pretty sure their air just passes through their heat exchanger/intercooler/whatever you call it. What gives?

 

[04yellowcobra]

I had a leak in mine over the winter. Fixed it myself. Cost me some time and about 12 bucks in coolant.

Good luck

 

[Rick James]

Not to highjack, but on the same topic, I've always wondered, why do all the ricers call their heat exchangers their intercooler? Is it because theirs are for turbo, aren't water to air, and they don't have an intercooler like we do sitting on/near their intake manifold. I'm pretty sure their air just passes through their heat exchanger/intercooler/whatever you call it. What gives?

Those are air to air intercoolers, much like the ones you see for a centrifugal supercharger.

 

[pj_rage]

Those are air to air intercoolers, much like the ones you see for a centrifugal supercharger.

Right, so is the proper name for them an "intercooler" or a "heat exchanger" ?

 

[Wiseguy]

FYI, have a customer with a used and repaired intercooler around. Pressure tested. Welded with a double bead on the back side.

 

[teongies]

Heat exchanger is cooling the coolant that runs through the intecooler.

Intercooler is cooling the intake charge after it has gone through the supercharger.

If you have an air-to-air intercooler there is no need for a heat exchanger.

 

[TokenBlackGuy]

Update

Update:

Some of the above threads (esp. Dwight's and f8lbiteva's)had me thinking. Last night, when I poured coolant into the reservoir and cranked her over. Went to the front and the reservoir was damn near empty. With my flashlight, I looked at the bottom of the car and saw collant dripping from my HE. Plus the tech at the dealership said a rock or stone had hit it and knock a hole in it.

I started thinking it has to be my HE not my intercooler. So I went back to the dealership and talked to the tech (cool guy, BTW). He took me back to my car and showed me the damage. It was the HE that was leaking.

I said "the HE is damaged?"
He: No, the intercooler
Me: You mean the HE.
He: the intercooler, we have it on our schmatics as intercooloer. I checked the part number.
Me: My friends online tell me the intercooler is under the blower.

So we walked over to parts. The parts guy shows me the engine diagram on the 03-04 cobra. The tech points to the HE on the screen. Ford, or at least this dealership, has the HE listed as intercooler P/N#2R3Z8K226AA. (I doubled check the PN w/ Tousley Ford).

Ford calls the intercooler under the blower as something like: cooler, charger assembly. Don't remember the part #. So after all that I need a new heat exchanger, which I will order aftermarket. I called Tousley and canceled my order. I probably will go w/ LFP's unit.

So what I learned is Ford calls the heat exchanger an intercooler.

Thanks for the input, everyone.

Travis

 

[kingCOBRAsvt_99]

lol... at least the problem will be fixed. Nothing beats MACA tech support :beer:

 

[IronTerp]

Good news Travis! So a new Ford OEM Heat exchanger is $730???????? And to think I sold mine too long ago for 50.......

 

["It'll Run"]

Good news Travis! So a new Ford OEM Heat exchanger is $730???????? And to think I sold mine too long ago for 50.......

Wow I had no idea they were that much from Ford