For about the last year I have been working on a build. I bought a 1993 E-350 and have converted it to 4x4, installed a 12 valve Cummins, manual transmission, divorced transfer case, etc. The project is 90+% done, and it's just some of the little things remaining. I haven't been posting on here (I might put together a build thread when it's all said and done), but I figure that this information that I'm sharing in this post could be helpful to others.
A while back I picked up the intercooler from a 2006 6.0 diesel van for my project. I figured it would be easy to install, since the vans are basically the same. It actually took more effort than I thought, but it came out nicely so I'm not complaining. Initially I tried to install the intercooler, and it physically would not fit! It was clear to me that the sheet metal was significantly different between mine and the 2006. Even if I were to get the intercooler in there, there's not a chance that I could also get the factory 1993 radiator and A/C condenser to fit. I needed to take a trip to a wrecker so that I could review the exact setup of a 6.0 van to see how it all went together.
While I was at the wrecker I discovered that there was indeed a difference between the sheet metal of my van, and the 6.0 van. After reviewing a handful of other vans I discovered that this is just another one of the changes that were made for the 1997 model year.
1993 - 1996 Van
- Lower core support is integrated into the body and drops down between the frame rails. A/C condenser mounts on small tabs that come off of this, but this is the only function it serves.
- The radiator mounts via sheet metal ears on the sides of the opening
1997 - 2007 van
- Lower core support bolts on and passes straight across from one side to the other.
- Radiator is mounted via the upper and lower core support. The lower core support has 2 provisions that hook underneath and support the radiator. Due to the fact that the radiator is probably further back due to the intercooler, my hypothesis is that the lower core support is different than on the gas or 7.3 models, but I can't confirm this.
When I was scoping out the 6.0 van at the wrecker I noticed that the intercooler was the central piece in the setup, and both the radiator and the A/C condenser bolted to it. I decided to grab the radiator and A/C condenser to complete the package. I took them home and bolted them all together. I also grabbed the lower core support, as I suspected it would make my installation easier.
I knew that my next step was to start cutting away all of the excess sheet metal that my early model had, but the late models did not. After that was complete, the rad/ic/ac package fit nicely! In the photos below you may wonder about the 4x4 square steel tube between my front frame rails. I welded this in there because I was cutting out the engine cross member, and this was needed for structural support.
Due to the shape of the metal on my older model, I could not simply bolt-in the lower core support the way Ford did it starting in 1997. I would need to cut the ends off the core support so that it was the width of the opening. Here I was figuring out exactly where I needed it cut.
After cutting it, I tack welded it in place so that I could fabricate brackets to hold it there. It needed to be removable if I ever intend to get this engine out again.
I bent a couple of pieces of flat bar to be my mounting brackets, welded them to the lower core support, and then bolted them to the outer sheet metal. The rad/ic/ac combo is now fully mounted.
The heater box support bracket would have been in the way of my piping. I cut the lower piece of it off, bent it 90*, and welded it back to the rest of the original bracket so that it would share a bolt with the washer fluid reservoir. Pipe routing will still be a bit tight, but I can work with it.
The only part that I have yet to complete is securing the top of the radiator to the upper core support. Honestly this is the easy part. If you're capable of duplicating what I've done so far, you should have no problems with securing the top. I will try to share any relevant updates to this thread. If anyone has any questions I'll do my best to answer.
A while back I picked up the intercooler from a 2006 6.0 diesel van for my project. I figured it would be easy to install, since the vans are basically the same. It actually took more effort than I thought, but it came out nicely so I'm not complaining. Initially I tried to install the intercooler, and it physically would not fit! It was clear to me that the sheet metal was significantly different between mine and the 2006. Even if I were to get the intercooler in there, there's not a chance that I could also get the factory 1993 radiator and A/C condenser to fit. I needed to take a trip to a wrecker so that I could review the exact setup of a 6.0 van to see how it all went together.
While I was at the wrecker I discovered that there was indeed a difference between the sheet metal of my van, and the 6.0 van. After reviewing a handful of other vans I discovered that this is just another one of the changes that were made for the 1997 model year.
1993 - 1996 Van
- Lower core support is integrated into the body and drops down between the frame rails. A/C condenser mounts on small tabs that come off of this, but this is the only function it serves.
- The radiator mounts via sheet metal ears on the sides of the opening
1997 - 2007 van
- Lower core support bolts on and passes straight across from one side to the other.
- Radiator is mounted via the upper and lower core support. The lower core support has 2 provisions that hook underneath and support the radiator. Due to the fact that the radiator is probably further back due to the intercooler, my hypothesis is that the lower core support is different than on the gas or 7.3 models, but I can't confirm this.
When I was scoping out the 6.0 van at the wrecker I noticed that the intercooler was the central piece in the setup, and both the radiator and the A/C condenser bolted to it. I decided to grab the radiator and A/C condenser to complete the package. I took them home and bolted them all together. I also grabbed the lower core support, as I suspected it would make my installation easier.
I knew that my next step was to start cutting away all of the excess sheet metal that my early model had, but the late models did not. After that was complete, the rad/ic/ac package fit nicely! In the photos below you may wonder about the 4x4 square steel tube between my front frame rails. I welded this in there because I was cutting out the engine cross member, and this was needed for structural support.
Due to the shape of the metal on my older model, I could not simply bolt-in the lower core support the way Ford did it starting in 1997. I would need to cut the ends off the core support so that it was the width of the opening. Here I was figuring out exactly where I needed it cut.
After cutting it, I tack welded it in place so that I could fabricate brackets to hold it there. It needed to be removable if I ever intend to get this engine out again.
I bent a couple of pieces of flat bar to be my mounting brackets, welded them to the lower core support, and then bolted them to the outer sheet metal. The rad/ic/ac combo is now fully mounted.
The heater box support bracket would have been in the way of my piping. I cut the lower piece of it off, bent it 90*, and welded it back to the rest of the original bracket so that it would share a bolt with the washer fluid reservoir. Pipe routing will still be a bit tight, but I can work with it.
The only part that I have yet to complete is securing the top of the radiator to the upper core support. Honestly this is the easy part. If you're capable of duplicating what I've done so far, you should have no problems with securing the top. I will try to share any relevant updates to this thread. If anyone has any questions I'll do my best to answer.