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Has anyone installed a Wagner intercooler on their Bronco Raptor? Is the installation process/steps any different from Whipple’s Intercooler.
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Bronco Raptor Wagner Intercooler
- Thread starter Desert Fox
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I looked hard at them but since they didn't come in natural silver, and were out of stock at the time, I went a different route with a CP-E IC. They're literally all the same size with the only difference being end tank design and any internal baffling that might be present, like the CP-E has and why I went with them.
The main difference between the rest and the Whipple is they don't come with Whipple's bracket which helps direct airflow to the core since the front shutters are removed.
It's a simple matter of sliding out the old one, removing the rear shutters, using zip ties to secure it to the new IC (sounds cringy but not that bad actually) and sliding it back in. It's a half hour job. Even with the extra core depth, the rear shutters can fully open except for one or two which open about 75% of the way. I think it's critical to keep the rear in place for speeds below 30mph as it'll allow cool air to be pulled through via the radiator fans. The shutters are completely passive and simply react to the greatest airflow, whether that be from actual air passing through the core or from the fans sucking air through the core and causing the shutters to close.
With all that said, if I had to do it again, I would have gone with the Whipple. Even though it makes the installation more complicated and necessitates bumper removal, proper ducting is as valuable as a larger intercooler itself. The front shutters provide that in stock form where most aftermarket IC's, other than the Whipple, do not.
I am going to take the extra step to disable my front shutters but leave them installed for the time being until I can fabricate a custom front duct to seal the IC to the front bumper. The default shutter position is open (when there's no power to them). With the shutters active, you'll see the exact same temps when cruising on the highway that you do with the OEM IC. However, I did notice a good improvement in transient throttle response and turbo lag and the temps do drop a good bit as soon as you floor it.
The main difference between the rest and the Whipple is they don't come with Whipple's bracket which helps direct airflow to the core since the front shutters are removed.
It's a simple matter of sliding out the old one, removing the rear shutters, using zip ties to secure it to the new IC (sounds cringy but not that bad actually) and sliding it back in. It's a half hour job. Even with the extra core depth, the rear shutters can fully open except for one or two which open about 75% of the way. I think it's critical to keep the rear in place for speeds below 30mph as it'll allow cool air to be pulled through via the radiator fans. The shutters are completely passive and simply react to the greatest airflow, whether that be from actual air passing through the core or from the fans sucking air through the core and causing the shutters to close.
With all that said, if I had to do it again, I would have gone with the Whipple. Even though it makes the installation more complicated and necessitates bumper removal, proper ducting is as valuable as a larger intercooler itself. The front shutters provide that in stock form where most aftermarket IC's, other than the Whipple, do not.
I am going to take the extra step to disable my front shutters but leave them installed for the time being until I can fabricate a custom front duct to seal the IC to the front bumper. The default shutter position is open (when there's no power to them). With the shutters active, you'll see the exact same temps when cruising on the highway that you do with the OEM IC. However, I did notice a good improvement in transient throttle response and turbo lag and the temps do drop a good bit as soon as you floor it.
Installed the Wagner Intercooler on my 26 Bronco Raptor. Will say it was a chore, but would have been easier and faster if I had some help instead of doing it solo. The directions that came with it are horrible but luckily it is very similar to the Whipple install. Unlike other bands out there you do have to remove the bumper to install instead of a direct “plug and play”. there was some slight trimming of the rear shutters to get it to fit up against the back and to allow the reconnection of the bottom piping. If you plan installing the Wagner have a friend to help..
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