Inter-cooler Condensation a Problem

[Cobra #3170]

Originally Posted by olddog

I've been looking at a new or slightly used Ford, and Ford is putting a lot of ecoboost engines nowadays. I was looking for reliability data and found a law suit filed in 2013 (never found the result). The complaint is that water condenses in the inter-cooler, then under hard acceleration the water is sucked into the engine causing miss-fires and power loss.

I'm certain that water can condense, when air is cooled. I'm also sure that water does not burn well. So the complaint seems plausible to me. I'm sure conditions have to be just right to happen. I know there are quite a few boosted engines in the Cobra and other performance cars. So I thought I would ask those with experience, if they have ever heard of or experienced this. If it happens, how often? Details would be interesting.

I don't know if it will help but I have had (5) F-150's now with Ecoboost engines averaging 30,000 miles on each with absolutely no issues on any of them. I pull a 7500 lb trailer with huge frontal area and have towed through the Rockies and Sierra Nevada passes many times. They are the most reliable engines I have ever had in a Ford truck including various diesels starting in 1997 through 2010. They pull well at any altitude and are smooth and quiet. The only caveat here is that maximum mileage has been 30k but I have friends with well over a 100k with no issues either. I have heard from a
service rep friend that they need plugs about 30k if heavy towing was done.
I suppose they may also have the curse of direct injection engines where carbon is deposited on the intake valves but don't know for sure.