Mrmonk7663
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This post will be for an upcoming install and review of the CVF intercooler which should be coming to market soon. I accepted the role of independent and unaffiliated tester. I live at sea level in Texas. Pics will follow along with a full write up. Stay tuned!! I will try to get this done this evening if time allows.
EDIT-Ok Folks, here you go.
1. Remove top radiator plastic panel. 5 push pins and 2 torx bolts.
2. Remove 4 7mm bolts holding middle plastic cover which was revealed after taking off previous panel
3. Remove 2 10mm bolts on top of grille, 1 on each side. Lift up to pull grill forward.
4. Release grille tabs, 5 on bottom and 1 each side. The side ones are hidden behind the rubber intercooler trim pieces. Just pry them A bit and you will see the tabs. Remove grille.
5. Remove middle plastic panel. It is held on by 4 7mm bolts. NOTE-these bolts DID NOT fit the CVF intercooler. This has been communicated to CVF.
NOTE- Search YouTube for “Ranger Raptor Grill Install” if you want a video of above steps. Hardest part is releasing grille tabs.
6. Remove front most fender flare push pin. This gives you a bit of flex for next steps.
7. Remove side marker lights. I used my finger to depress the tab while simultaneously using a thin flare blade screwdriver slid between front bottom of light and fender flare. You are depressing the tab blind. Access is limited. Feel around and you will find it.
8. Disconnect side light. You will see a single t20 torx bolt. Remove that as well.
9. Behind the light Andre fender flare. you will see a 7mm bolt head. Pry the flare away and use a 7mm wrench to undo the bolt. Again access is limited here but you have enough room I promise.
10. Remove 5 30mm torx that are under intercooler connecting front fascia support brackets to frame. You can access 3 easily through bumper opening. 2 (1 on each end) required me to go under the truck. I didn’t have to remove anything but if you are not flexible or if you have giant arms these last 2 bolts might be difficult to get to. I used a stubby ratchet. They were not torqued tight thankfully.
11. Remove fascia bracket push pin and 10mm bolt. Bolt is behind the intercooler trim piece. Again just pry it away it’s easy.
12. Remove front fascia. Start under headlights and pull to release tabs.
13. Remover intercooler trim pieces. 2 8mm bolts, 1 up too 1 on bottom and a pushpin on side.
14. Disconnect intercooler charge pipes.
15. On bottom of intercooler there is a bracket (1 per side) and each bracket has 2 t30 torx bolts ( 4 bolts total) Remove these.
16. Up top you have 2 13mm nuts, 1 per side. Remove these and lift intercooler out. NOTE-It was NOT necessary to loosen or move good latch assembly. Leave it alone.
17. Transfer bottom brackets/rubber to CVF intercooler.
18. Transfer top rubber to CVF intercooler. Use some WD40 to aid removal and install of the rubber.
19. Remove map sensor from stock intercooler and install on the CVF unit. It was a very tight fit to seat the map sensor in comparison to stock. I advised CVF to check dimensions and consider enlarging the hike ever so slightly.
21. I removed the foam on top and bottom of stock intercooler and installed on CVF intercooler. I advised CVF that it would be beneficial to provide new peel and stick foam for market release if possible.
20. Install CVF intercooler. It drops right in. Make sure to reconnect map sensor wiring.
21. From here on out install is the reverse of the above.
Overall the fit of the CVF intercooler was perfect. A couple minor issues noted above but overall I’d say it was 98 percent perfect. If the minor issues are resolved it will be 100 percent.
Stock intercooler is 2.5” thick and weighs 10lbs. CVF unit is 3.5” thick and weighs 26lbs. Per CVF core volume has increased 46% over stock and fin density is 50% greater.
I took the truck for some quick test drives. Everything functioned as it should. No blown couplers, no. Check engine lights. Truck is stock, no Tune, with only a Roush intake. SPD 3” downpipe and exhaust will be going on in the next couple of weeks along with a proper tune. Based on my experience in turbocharged vehicles, and my tuner’s experience, an intercooler upgrade of this size WILL benefit from additional tuning, regardless if it works without additional tuning. When you decrease restriction boost also decreases, and waste gate duty cycles and volumetric efficiency tables, along with fueling tables and what not, will allow you to take full advantage of the modification.
As of right now the biggest restriction in the system is the charge pipes which CVF is addressing.
Data-stock intercooler, not heat soaked I saw temperatures from 14 degrees higher than ambient during WOT…and 30+ at times non WOT. THIS WAS IN A 74 degree day at sea level.
CVF INTERCOOLER. AT WOT I saw temps as low as 7 degrees over ambient. Out of boost just driving the average temperature was 15-16 degrees over ambient. Highest I saw was 19.5. The intercooler also recovered much much faster than stock. It did not heat soak quickly like the stocker. This is a nice reduction in boost temperature coupled with increased flow potential. I am sure the intercooler will continue to shine as my upcoming mods are added.
Peak Boost- Stock I saw 22.4 and with the CVF I saw peak of 21.3. This is actually more than I was expecting. I had anticipated 20.
I am very happy with the intercooler and I hope that this information will help you in your modding path. Thanks for reading. If you all have questions I will do my best to answer them. I included pertinent pictures. I did not include pictures of the steps that you can easily find on youtube under Raptor Ranger Grill Install. This is a great time to upgrade your grille as well (which I did)
EDIT-Ok Folks, here you go.
1. Remove top radiator plastic panel. 5 push pins and 2 torx bolts.
2. Remove 4 7mm bolts holding middle plastic cover which was revealed after taking off previous panel
3. Remove 2 10mm bolts on top of grille, 1 on each side. Lift up to pull grill forward.
4. Release grille tabs, 5 on bottom and 1 each side. The side ones are hidden behind the rubber intercooler trim pieces. Just pry them A bit and you will see the tabs. Remove grille.
5. Remove middle plastic panel. It is held on by 4 7mm bolts. NOTE-these bolts DID NOT fit the CVF intercooler. This has been communicated to CVF.
NOTE- Search YouTube for “Ranger Raptor Grill Install” if you want a video of above steps. Hardest part is releasing grille tabs.
6. Remove front most fender flare push pin. This gives you a bit of flex for next steps.
7. Remove side marker lights. I used my finger to depress the tab while simultaneously using a thin flare blade screwdriver slid between front bottom of light and fender flare. You are depressing the tab blind. Access is limited. Feel around and you will find it.
8. Disconnect side light. You will see a single t20 torx bolt. Remove that as well.
9. Behind the light Andre fender flare. you will see a 7mm bolt head. Pry the flare away and use a 7mm wrench to undo the bolt. Again access is limited here but you have enough room I promise.
10. Remove 5 30mm torx that are under intercooler connecting front fascia support brackets to frame. You can access 3 easily through bumper opening. 2 (1 on each end) required me to go under the truck. I didn’t have to remove anything but if you are not flexible or if you have giant arms these last 2 bolts might be difficult to get to. I used a stubby ratchet. They were not torqued tight thankfully.
11. Remove fascia bracket push pin and 10mm bolt. Bolt is behind the intercooler trim piece. Again just pry it away it’s easy.
12. Remove front fascia. Start under headlights and pull to release tabs.
13. Remover intercooler trim pieces. 2 8mm bolts, 1 up too 1 on bottom and a pushpin on side.
14. Disconnect intercooler charge pipes.
15. On bottom of intercooler there is a bracket (1 per side) and each bracket has 2 t30 torx bolts ( 4 bolts total) Remove these.
16. Up top you have 2 13mm nuts, 1 per side. Remove these and lift intercooler out. NOTE-It was NOT necessary to loosen or move good latch assembly. Leave it alone.
17. Transfer bottom brackets/rubber to CVF intercooler.
18. Transfer top rubber to CVF intercooler. Use some WD40 to aid removal and install of the rubber.
19. Remove map sensor from stock intercooler and install on the CVF unit. It was a very tight fit to seat the map sensor in comparison to stock. I advised CVF to check dimensions and consider enlarging the hike ever so slightly.
21. I removed the foam on top and bottom of stock intercooler and installed on CVF intercooler. I advised CVF that it would be beneficial to provide new peel and stick foam for market release if possible.
20. Install CVF intercooler. It drops right in. Make sure to reconnect map sensor wiring.
21. From here on out install is the reverse of the above.
Overall the fit of the CVF intercooler was perfect. A couple minor issues noted above but overall I’d say it was 98 percent perfect. If the minor issues are resolved it will be 100 percent.
Stock intercooler is 2.5” thick and weighs 10lbs. CVF unit is 3.5” thick and weighs 26lbs. Per CVF core volume has increased 46% over stock and fin density is 50% greater.
I took the truck for some quick test drives. Everything functioned as it should. No blown couplers, no. Check engine lights. Truck is stock, no Tune, with only a Roush intake. SPD 3” downpipe and exhaust will be going on in the next couple of weeks along with a proper tune. Based on my experience in turbocharged vehicles, and my tuner’s experience, an intercooler upgrade of this size WILL benefit from additional tuning, regardless if it works without additional tuning. When you decrease restriction boost also decreases, and waste gate duty cycles and volumetric efficiency tables, along with fueling tables and what not, will allow you to take full advantage of the modification.
As of right now the biggest restriction in the system is the charge pipes which CVF is addressing.
Data-stock intercooler, not heat soaked I saw temperatures from 14 degrees higher than ambient during WOT…and 30+ at times non WOT. THIS WAS IN A 74 degree day at sea level.
CVF INTERCOOLER. AT WOT I saw temps as low as 7 degrees over ambient. Out of boost just driving the average temperature was 15-16 degrees over ambient. Highest I saw was 19.5. The intercooler also recovered much much faster than stock. It did not heat soak quickly like the stocker. This is a nice reduction in boost temperature coupled with increased flow potential. I am sure the intercooler will continue to shine as my upcoming mods are added.
Peak Boost- Stock I saw 22.4 and with the CVF I saw peak of 21.3. This is actually more than I was expecting. I had anticipated 20.
I am very happy with the intercooler and I hope that this information will help you in your modding path. Thanks for reading. If you all have questions I will do my best to answer them. I included pertinent pictures. I did not include pictures of the steps that you can easily find on youtube under Raptor Ranger Grill Install. This is a great time to upgrade your grille as well (which I did)
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I am the furthest from knowing what I am doing when it comes to the truck except for simple, and I mean simple, bolt ons like the charge pipe kit, or CAI/exhaust.
