2.3L intercooler off roading - SPAL Fan

[SuperDave150]

... nothing wrong with the Ford OEM. By not using Ethylene glycol, the cooling would be much better. It not a coolant [yes everything has some effect] . Redline water wetter is designed for better cooling in the radiator.

But my MT25 is rolling off the assembly line now so warranty is the issue.

Going bigger does not always work. If say the thermostat is the issue.
And warrenty is the issue. and it effects the ecm... I am still trying to understand Ford's configurations... like the 2.3 does not have an oil temp sensor, the ecm figures out the temp 'calculation' so if you lower it, it does not know so it does not help performance...'

Pics when you’re done, please!

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[Q1svt]

Pics when you’re done, please!

... my priority was recovery setup, but with the north rim lodge @ Grand Canyon gone... because... I might do the BR at Moah next year.

Here are two teaser pictures...

This is the oil cooler set up on the bike, cannot see the SPAL 150cfm puller.
? on bigger, It's big and did not do much until I found a 140* oil thermostat. HD oil temp 180-190* range... StocK HD 320* +++
It's now an Oil cooled motor with air assisted cooling lol
EARL'S Pumbing 'a Holley Co' I'll Do something like it for the Bronco

#1 priority is winch set up, relocation of control box... awaiting delivery of Bronco.

 

[Q1svt]

Anyone with a pre-2025 Bronco 2.3L... I found this helpful on sensors and turbo waste gate . A long with someones post of the teardown of a pre 25 2.3L.

If some knows of the same for the new 2.3L please post...

 

[Brian_B]

I would find a way to measure your IAT (Intake air temp) which i assume is measured after the intercooler and before the throttle body. Do it while driving normally AND crawling slowly and see if theres any measurable differences. That should tell you if a fan is really needed. If youre noticing a significant rise when doing the low speed stuff, then maybe a fan is a good move.

There are sensors for both pre and post intercooler temps - just need a data logger on your ODB port. I’ve just never done it out on a trail. I might see if I can get some data next weekend and go up and putz around on one of the local runs

You can kinda sorta emulate a fan by kicking the AC on high - it will force the radiator fan to max speed to help cool the evaporator

 

[Brian_B]

My go to [hot climate] is run little or no Ethylene glycol ... all the other ingredients, but there are those Warranty Questions. So fan is maybe specific to intercooling or oil

Water defintely has better cooling capacity than antifreeze.

But I would caution you - not only does anti-freeze protect against freezing, it also raises the boiling point some. Straight water is easier to boil - the pressure cap on the radiator and the thermostats and fan control are all programmed around the boiling point for a 50/50 mix.

I don't kn ow if there would be an issue, since the thermostat control on these vehicles is in a band that's relatively safe for water use, and for normal street use I'd say you're fine... but it's all a coupled system with parameters that overlap, and if you are pushing it hard on desert runs you could end up in a situation where you overflow the expansion tank, pop the radiator cap, blow a hose, or worst case, lose suction on the coolant pump with steam and overheat everything majorly.

 

[Q1svt]

Straight water is

Yes good points…
But not straight water - Redline Water Wetter

and it effects the ecm... I am still trying to understand Ford's configurations... like the 2.3 does not

An effort to understand First…

 

[Brian_B]

And a bit more info - so did a bit of digging around here

If the point is oil temps - the intercooler only has a minor, indirect effect on that (or at least that's my theory, I haven't tested it). The oil cooler on the 2.3 is driven right off the main radiator. It's a tiny little cooler that comes right off the coolant pump. So it's wet cooled from the main radiator.

Intercooler will affect combustion temps (that's how it helps prevent pre-detonation after all), and combustion temps will affect heat rejected into the coolant loop. So there is an indirect effect there - but as said before, the intercooler will only really function if the turbo is boosting, compressing the air (and compression heats it up). Otherwise, you are using ambient temperature air to try to cool something that's coming in at the same temperature - no difference in temp = no transfer of energy.

So to really affect oil temperatures (and make sure you want to do that - overcooling the oil will affect operating viscosity and is a generally bad idea and probably worse than overheating) - running water versus 50/50 is not a bad idea, it will transfer more heat more readily, but beware of the potential of boiling. A cooler-running thermostat, or upgrading the radiator or radiator fan. The poor man's fix of turning the AC on high to force the radiator fan on max speed is what I have always done out on the trail, but "estimated" oil temps upwards of 220-230 don't really bother me.

But then again, I'm not out in 120° desert in direct sun most of the time too running wide open throttle, and I can just pull over in the shade and let it idle for a few minutes to cool down and steady out if I had to.

#25 is a coolant manifold/thermostat housing
#26 is the coolant pump
#27 is the oil cooler

Anyway, that's all my theory, I don't have data to back it up right now. I could be off base.

 

[Q1svt]

Which 2.3L motor?
Bronco Pre 25 or 2025

 

[Brian_B]

Which 2.3L motor?
Bronco Pre 25 or 2025

That would be the pre-25. I don't have the diagram for the 25 handy, would be interested to see if it changed. I would suspect - the location changed a bit, but probably still a radiator-cooled oil cooler.

 

[Q1svt]

If the point is oil temps -

Not really... I've got a new vehicle and I'm doing what I learned and have done [different for each vehicle] for almost 60 Years, yea an old FK ;^)

If I talk just oil ... I'm in hot climate and generally run a 40xXw oil... but ford say 30x5w and would use that for warrenty claim... If I get the oil just a little cooler then 30w is okay?

Engine temp, again hot climate... normally like a 180* thermostat ... but have no clue what the 2025 2.3L uses... so until I know no answer... 200, 195, 190, 180?

The oil cooling in the picture shown and you describe is the same chit ford used on my 1995 Lightning... it's NOT a cooler. It's there 1) to get the engine uo to temp asap so emissions can kick in... and to help maintain a stable temp. higher than I want and took it off of my Lightning...

Yes changes in engine operating temptress are important to know/understand...
I had a 1993 ski boat with the same engine as my 1995 Lightning except the boat was Carbed. The boat sucked cold water straight out of the cold lake... through the motor... Differenes I ran different oil specification.

No reply needed just putting some background out there

Like your thinking... just stay a little broader in view

I noticed your in Kalifornia the cold water was Nacementmo same 351W w/GT40 heads, from Fords industrial program

 

[Brian_B]

No reply needed just putting some background out there

Like your thinking... just stay a little broader in view

I think you get it. Just have to be careful what you say in open forums - lot of people will just use a Google Search, read one post that says "use a hyperspanner" and then proceed to blow their engine up because they didn't read a couple of posts before or after.

 

[bf4445]

... nothing wrong with the Ford OEM. By not using Ethylene glycol, the cooling would be much better. It not a coolant [yes everything has some effect] . Redline water wetter is designed for better cooling in the radiator.

But my MT25 is rolling off the assembly line now so warranty is the issue.

Going bigger does not always work. If say the thermostat is the issue.
And warrenty is the issue. and it effects the ecm... I am still trying to understand Ford's configurations... like the 2.3 does not have an oil temp sensor, the ecm figures out the temp 'calculation' so if you lower it, it does not know so it does not help performance...'

I thought the 25 had digital gauges? My jeep trailhawk had lots of info you could select, tran fluid temp, engine, others but the Bronco doesn't?

 

[Brian_B]

I thought the 25 had digital gauges? My jeep trailhawk had lots of info you could select, tran fluid temp, engine, others but the Bronco doesn't?

Oh this is true - can't see numbers any more (or at least yet, someone will figure it out)

But can always hook up a ODB scanner and watch it on a third party screen - ProCal, Forscan Lite, etc

 

[Q1svt]

I thought the 25 had digital gauges?

Same as an old marketing ad...

Is it live ... or Memorex [music tape recording]

As mentioned Ford does not have an oil temperature sensor...

 

[Q1svt]

I think you get it. Just have to be careful what you say in open forums - lot of people will just use a Google Search, read one post that says "use a hyperspanner" and then proceed to blow their engine up because they didn't read a couple of posts before or after.

LOL... great thing about the internet information 'it's free' the bad thing about the internet information 'it's free, until you use it, then $$$$$$$ to fix it' or a fool and his money is soon parted' '

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