Adding an intercooler to a 1995 7.3 Diesel Van!

[TomsBeast]

My search has turned up very little on the subject for adding an intercooler to a 7.3 van, mostly adding one to an OBS (older Body Style) 7.3 pick up, but the van has some special challenges.

Can anyone steer me toward a thread that addresses the challenges a van owner has with this conversion?

I've been slowly gathering parts to do just that... I just scored a key part for $100 last night, an intake spyder from a 1999 7.3, so it's time to restart this project.

Mounting an intercooler ahead of the radiator:
The hood latch is in the way. I might be able to shorten it, or find a more compact latch from another brand, and adapt it... I guess
Boost tubes, I know I have to make my own in and out of the IC tubes, but the routing, with dual batteries and the van radiator, where the heck do I best route the tubes?
I may need to push the grill forward on spacers or something...

Other stuff:
Can I just buy a 4" turbo outlet pipe for a 7.3 truck and replace that section of the van outlet pipe? Or do I buy one and cut-to-fit, weld to seal?

 

[Bbasso]

I only know of one person who has successfully done an intercooler on a 7.3 van, but it was also converted to the newer front end to fit the 6.0 intercooler. The underhood battery was relocated.
As for more details it's not up to me to release them, and I highly doubt that person will give away that info easily. There was a lot of work involved.
Best of luck and be sure to post as you make progress

 

[mgmetalworks]

Where there's a will, there's a way...

Lots of room for an intercooler with the '08-up front clip. I had to push my radiator forward a bunch to clear the fan but even then I had room to spare. If you look close in the second pic, you'll see that the hood latch was raised about 1.5" on the core support and the latch bar shortened. Obviously not a 7.3L (thank goodness) but this is about as big of an intercooler that will fit in a van and it wasn't super difficult to get everything stuffed in there (barely had to trim the grill support to fit around this beast). It's a custom job, think aftermarket parts. I looked at a lot of stock parts over the course of this build and they just didn't work out.

 

[DetroitDarin]

For slow-speed crawling and off-road stuff, are you worried the FMIC won't get enough airflow to affect the air temps? Had you considered air-to-water?

 

[ujoint]

We did it on Alpha, quite difficult to package it all. You can see some of the details and things we changed/moved around in this video


We used a 6.0 van intercooler & radiator, nothing forward of the stock core support.

 

[TomsBeast]

I love your work MG, top notch stuff, I'd been watching your Fummins conversion on SMB forum. Although I'd love to do a late model front end change (better headlights, updated look, room for a Kenworth-sized IC) it just isn't in the cards for my 22yr old '96 SMB, budget and schedule. I've got too many other projects waiting in the wings, I have to be careful to not turn this into yet another huge project.

BTW; That IC looks like one out of a big rig, looks like one I saw at a car swap meet... all of the sudden I have Intercooler-envy! The all-aluminim one I bought from a retired Honda street racer, looks tiny in comparison. Are you worried about the Cummins intake tract now having a much larger volume?

DetroitDarin: Water to air IC's are great for drag racing and Bonneville LSR, but in a street rig, once the water gets warm, then hot, there's no benefit to that type of IC system. I have thought about spraying the IC external fins with water from the windshield washer or other reservoir, while pulling a long grade out on the highway. I've built similar little systems for the aircooled VW's I play with, water evaporation is more effective than you'd think, according to the oil temp and cyl head temp gauges. Trail dust is your enemy, though. I'm not sure where I'd put a dedicated reservoir, the underhood already looks like a bag of snakes.

 

[DetroitDarin]

^^ I guess all systems need airflow - makes sense. I've been in some great street cars with aftermarket w2a - I don't like them personally because it's one.more.system. to fail (the pump).

have you looked to military applications to control dust in desert environments? Maybe there's something you could adapt? Just brainstorming here.

 

[DetroitDarin]

another random stupid question - what about a smaller but efficient top-mount IC ala Subaru? Would mean hood modifications.

 

[hogasm]

DetroitDarin: Water to air IC's are great for drag racing and Bonneville LSR, but in a street rig, once the water gets warm, then hot, there's no benefit to that type of IC system. I have thought about spraying the IC external fins with water from the windshield washer or other reservoir, while pulling a long grade out on the highway. I've built similar little systems for the aircooled VW's I play with, water evaporation is more effective than you'd think, according to the oil temp and cyl head temp gauges. Trail dust is your enemy, though. I'm not sure where I'd put a dedicated reservoir, the underhood already looks like a bag of snakes.

WOW and to think the Hell Cat is water to air

 

[mgmetalworks]

I love your work MG, top notch stuff...

Thanks! Much appreciated!

BTW; That IC looks like one out of a big rig... ...Are you worried about the Cummins intake tract now having a much larger volume?

Nope. The intercooler pictured is designed for the 6.7L Cummins in a 2011 Ram truck. Mishimoto brand, modified by me to fit the core support. These big diesels love to breath. You can throw a lot of air and fuel at them and they'll take it (right up until the point the head gasket blows).

 

[dazdconfsd]

I love your work MG, top notch stuff, I'd been watching your Fummins conversion on SMB forum. Although I'd love to do a late model front end change (better headlights, updated look, room for a Kenworth-sized IC) it just isn't in the cards for my 22yr old '96 SMB, budget and schedule. I've got too many other projects waiting in the wings, I have to be careful to not turn this into yet another huge project.

You say that now, but the extra room may save you money and effort in the IC install itself. Otherwise it sounds like using the 6.0 setup will be a start either way since it's available in both front end looks.

 

[TomsBeast]

Thanks Chris, that's some rig. 6.0 radiator and 6.0 intercooler from a van fits if you move the alternator and the dip stick, ok. I'll look at those things.

 

[CaptainBuilt]

I'm planning on 550hp on my van and plan on adding a 6.0 intercooler, and doing the lower alternator mount like Chris has done. Fuel bowl delete, and a custom t4 mount turbo with stainless intercooler piping.

It can be done, from what everyone else has said, not an easy job.

 

[djbonsu]

I'm planning on 550hp on my van and plan on adding a 6.0 intercooler, and doing the lower alternator mount like Chris has done. Fuel bowl delete, and a custom t4 mount turbo with stainless intercooler piping.

It can be done, from what everyone else has said, not an easy job.

Thats going to be an awesome running 7.3 but im curious...why sooo much power?

 

[ujoint]

Thanks Chris, that's some rig. 6.0 radiator and 6.0 intercooler from a van fits if you move the alternator and the dip stick, ok. I'll look at those things.

Thanks, its a monster! Eats up the road.

You'll also valve cover mods, fuel bowl delete, custom radiator hoses, all custom intercooler plumbing, oil fill, PS res, customized down pipe. I'm sure there's something else I've missed!