Inter-cooler Condensation a Problem

[mikeinatlanta]

I thought it was a TSB and not a recall. Either way, there are several easy fixes out there. Ford's initial fix was adding a plate inside the intercooler that directed more airflow to the bottom so that it would keep condensate out.

This was only a significant issue during the time it took for technicians to become aware of the problem. When it first appeared there was a lot of head scratching and troubleshooting going on.

EDIT: The issue only happened during extended periods of operation at low power in very high humidity. Condensate would form in the intercooler and get sucked in the motor when you gave it sufficient throttle. With later models it's a non-issue. Also a non-issue with any of the available fixes.

[olddog]

I always felt the turbo was a perfect fit for the needs of a diesel. Also diesel exhaust gas temp drops at idle, which if you let it idle a few minutes before shutdown it will not cook the oil and the turbo will last a long time.

In the past, I didn't care for turbo quarks on gasoline engines for a daily driver. The torque was low at lower rpm and the turbo lag was very noticeable. The hot exhaust gas cooked the oil after shutdown and shortened the turbos life.

I have to say that Ford has outdone themselves on the ecoboost. The small ecoboost engines are making more torque at lower rpm than the larger NA engines that they replace. Many of them are hitting peak torque around 2500 rpm or less.

I still have to say that I am hesitant to trust the long term reliability. My last four autos, I have driven 160K to 210K miles and kept them 10-18yrs. All Fords and none had anything go wrong other than tires, belts, brakes, and batteries. A couple other odds and ends, but nothing major.

[mikeinatlanta]

Do some researching and you will see the torture tests Ford has performed on the ecoboost. IMO, long term reliability isn't an issue. For an entirely new engine the initial issues were minimal and they are taking huge power gains with bolt ons without reliability impact.

[olddog]

Originally Posted by mikeinatlanta

Do some researching and you will see the torture tests Ford has performed on the ecoboost. IMO, long term reliability isn't an issue. For an entirely new engine the initial issues were minimal and they are taking huge power gains with bolt ons without reliability impact.

Yea I have read the torture test and have followed it for a few years now. The engine (well the 3.5tlr has had the most testing) itself is as solid as a brick. Although I have not seen much torture testing on the smaller 4 poppers. My concern is mostly two turbos that will someday need rebuilt. That was about $600 back in the 80's on the Chrysler, if you took the turbo off yourself and all it needed was bearings and seals. I expect two newer higher tech turbos might set you back $2000 in the future, when these will need rebuilt. Of course that is total speculation.

The second thing that concerns me is the high pressure direct injection. Of course diesels have a similar system, but diesel fuel is a better lubricant than gasoline. I expect this would be costly to repair should anything go wrong.

That is my main concerns. Thanks for all the info to all who have replied. Hearing what gear head owners have to say is much more valuable to me than the opinions of the general populous (most of whom cannot point out a spark plug).