For those of you who own one of the OBS (old-body-style) Ford F-250 Power Stroke diesels, you may or may not know that when you are towing, your EGT (exhaust gas temperature) tends to spike a little more than you’d like. One of the biggest reasons for that is because these trucks were not equipped with an intercooler. In today’s world of diesel-powered vehicles, it is not uncommon to see a truck equipped with an intercooler from the factory.
This is a look at the engine before the install.
When Chevy, Dodge, and Ford started offering turbocharged diesels, they were fine. And the manufacturers did not need to do anything extra to help cool the motors. But in this day and age, turbodiesel trucks are not only your standard work truck, but they are also built for performance! For the next couple of months, you are going to follow along with us to see how you can make your very own OBS F-250 diesel a towing machine with performance parts from Banks Power. In this segment, you will see how Bill Cohron at Power Hungry Performance in Winder, Georgia, installs a Banks Techni-Cooler on our ’96 Ford F-250.
01. To begin the disassembly,...
01. To begin the disassembly, Bill Cohron removed the front grille.
PHP shows you how this kit is a complete bolt-on kit, with no welding and very little in the way of modifications. It only took Bill three hours for the install using basic tools. If you own one of these trucks and you tow a lot or plan on installing some performance stuff, make sure to check out
bankspower.com for your performance needs. And if you’re near Winder, Georgia, hit up Bill Cohron at:
powerhungryperformance.com or
bill@php.comOnce the install was complete and a few test runs had been conducted, there was a 100 to 150 degree drop in EGT. This is especially good to know if you tow a lot of heavy equipment and/or run Stage 1 or larger injectors. Knowing the truck is running cooler always makes it a little less stressful going on those long trips.
02. Next to be removed were...
02. Next to be removed were the headlight bezels. Note: There are two bolts tucked behind the headlight. You can see from the picture where Bill is reaching in.
03. Once the headlight bezels...
03. Once the headlight bezels were removed, next to come off was the header panel.
04. Once everything on the...
04. Once everything on the front end had been removed, it was time to unbolt the trans cooler.
05. Next, Bill used the supplied...
05. Next, Bill used the supplied templates provided by Banks to make exact markings where the intercooler pipes would fit into the core support.
06. To allow the new intercooler...
06. To allow the new intercooler to fit, Banks supplies you with two blocks to lower the sway bar the 2 inches it needs to fit properly.
07. Once we had everything...
07. Once we had everything marked up, Bill then used an air saw to make his cuts. He followed that up with a grinder to smooth out the rough edges. A Sawzall can be used here.
08. Here are the lower intercooler...
08. Here are the lower intercooler mounts after they were installed.
09. Next to be installed...
09. Next to be installed were the trans cooler mounts. Yes, you do have to relocate the trans cooler. Banks supplies the brackets. You may also notice the bumper was removed to allow more room to work.
10. Here, we installed the...
10. Here, we installed the heat shields. This will help prevent engine heat from reaching the intercooler.
11. Next on the list was...
11. Next on the list was installing the Techni-Cooler.
12. We had to remove the...
12. We had to remove the stock fuel filter cover (door) to allow room for the pipes.
13. Once the stock “Y” pipe...
13. Once the stock “Y” pipe was removed, the new one could be installed. Here is a picture of the stock version (left) and the Banks version side by side.
14.0 At this point, we were...
14.0 At this point, we were on the final steps of finishing the install. We fit the intercooler pipes to the intercooler then to the new “Y” pipe. We used the supplied boots that are in the kit.
14.5. At this point, we were...
14.5. At this point, we were on the final steps of finishing the install. We fit the intercooler pipes to the intercooler then to the new “Y” pipe. We used the supplied boots that are in the kit.
15. Here is a look at everything...
15. Here is a look at everything that was installed. We made sure to double-check and tighten all the bolts.
16.0 Once everything under...
16.0 Once everything under the hood was complete, it was time to start putting the front end back together. Before the header panel could be reinstalled, we had to make a couple of quick cuts to allow it to fit around the intercooler.
16.5. Once everything under...
16.5. Once everything under the hood was complete, it was time to start putting the front end back together. Before the header panel could be reinstalled, we had to make a couple of quick cuts to allow it to fit around the intercooler.
17. Finally, everything was...
17. Finally, everything was back together. We started the truck and checked for leaks. It was good to go.