2010 F250, Runs Poor In Rain, With a Twist.

[SVOSHOP]

Hey guys,

I lurk more than I post. However, I have come upon a problem.

My truck began to run poorly in the rain. I never saw any white smoke, however it drove like a Gas car with a plugged catalitic converter. It fit the bill of the TSB that is all over the place about a intercooler.

However, Ford checked and I have the most current intercooler. I pulled the upper intercooler charge hose ( cold side ) and it is full of water. It has enough water in it that it is causing my aftermarket boost gauge to read crazy ( I am tapped into the metal hose ).

They did a pressure test on the intercooler and it comes back ok. They read me a line about a TSB with following to close in the rain and making the air filter plugged. So today in the rain, when it acted up, I stopped and pulled the filter. It is dry.

They are offering to replace the intercooler, as I am sure that this is what the problem is. However, I am losing my faith here.

Anyone care to comment.

Mike

[troid123]

Already problems with the 2010 models to huh....? Here is a free Someone should have some info for you shortly..

[Tarheel_6.4L]

I had the same problem last week driving from IL to NC in the rain. The truck would pour white/blue smoke when I got on it and it would shift funny kinda like the traction control was engaged but it wasn't. Where can I find this TSB for my problem?

[SVOSHOP]

Yours being an 08 is part of the TSB. It is known that when that happens to yours, you replace the CAC ( intercooler ).

I had them replace mine even though it appears fine during the pressure test. I guess we will see if it changed anything next time I drive in the rain. I hope it is fixed. I can not see water entering anywhere else.

Mike

[ZeroOne]

Originally Posted by SVOSHOP

....I pulled the upper intercooler charge hose ( cold side ) and it is full of water. It has enough water in it that it is causing my aftermarket boost gauge to read crazy ( I am tapped into the metal hose )....

When you say "full of water", do you mean water-droplets inside the tube? You aren't saying you took off the cold side (upper tube) and saw the intercooler itself full of water, right? That would be insane.

As far as water entering... it would not fail a pressure test because the water is introduced as humidity that eventually condenses, not a leak. Even if it did fail a pressure test, it would be blowing air out of a leak, and not allowing anything in. A one-way leak from high (turbocharged) to low (atmospheric) pressure.

Mine only does it in the rain (not high humidity, so far) and the only explanation I can think of is, the warm, humid air is being cooled below its dewpoint by the colder rain water going through the intercooler, making the intercooler a water-to-air cooler. That would be the only way to get the charge air below its own dewpoint.

[SVOSHOP]

Correct. Not full of water. However, it is enough that water is going up my boost gauge tube and causing erratic readings.

I pulled it off and there was too much condensation. When I reinstalled the boost hose, I did not clamp it tight enough. When it blew off ( haha ) it soaked the entire motor compartment with water.

Mike

[ZeroOne]

I wonder how much water you would get out of the lower (hot-side) intercooler tube, if you disconnected it? That is... after it has some time to fill back up, after dumping the water into your engine compartment.

[SVOSHOP]

I had a new intercooler installed. I hope not alot.

I need a nice wet day to take a highway run. That is when it seems to happen worst.

Mike

[goingnorth]

I had mine changed and went camping last week, in the rain , still had same problem but not as bad, it would only stumble for maybee 2 seconds just enough to notice but would stop before you could really think about it. With the onther cac it would last 6 seconds. I could not tell if I had white smoke coming out and it didn't do it on every hill, 280 miles and 50% rain. The trip home was dry and I never had a hesitation.

I guess its one more thing to live with.

[SpartanDieselTech]

Originally Posted by ZeroOne

Mine only does it in the rain (not high humidity, so far) and the only explanation I can think of is, the warm, humid air is being cooled below its dewpoint by the colder rain water going through the intercooler, making the intercooler a water-to-air cooler. That would be the only way to get the charge air below its own dewpoint.

You raise a VERY valid point with this, and it is being overlooked by even Ford.

This problem has never surfaced on other vehicles because typically, the intercooler is behind other coolers and this effect doesn't occur.