-
Sign Up! To view all forums and unlock additional cool features
Welcome to the #1 Explorer ST Forum and Explorer ST community dedicated to Explorer ST owners and enthusiasts. Register for an account, it's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the Explorer ST Forum today!
Whipple Intercooler
- Thread starter turntablekinetix
- Start date
I used a BBQ/Wood stove flat black paint on the intercooler on my mustang's turbo kit. These paints are made to radiate heat rather than retain it like some engine paints or exhaust paints. Avoid paints with ceramics that are designed to retain heat (ie Header paint or coatings).
IAT's rarely get above 126 degrees on a 1/4 mile dragstrip run or any datalogs, even with ambient temps in the mid 90's. Typically, they stay in the 100-116 degree range. The car is pushing 17 lbs of boost.
There was a youtube video by mighty car mods claiming painting it black helped and another by engineering explained that refuted it but the differences seem to be negligible overall.
IAT's rarely get above 126 degrees on a 1/4 mile dragstrip run or any datalogs, even with ambient temps in the mid 90's. Typically, they stay in the 100-116 degree range. The car is pushing 17 lbs of boost.
There was a youtube video by mighty car mods claiming painting it black helped and another by engineering explained that refuted it but the differences seem to be negligible overall.
Now that several folks have installed the Whipple intercoolers into their 2020 Explorer ST's how about a list of any gotchas lying in wait that you wish you would have known prior to starting the project. Example - supporting the grill unit prior to releasing it from the truck so it doesn't fall over onto the garage floor, etc.
Got the grill shutters removed. I painted the intercooler front with a light coat of flat black stove paint. Now that the shutters are gone the lower portion of the radiator(which is silver) is now exposed so I may have to paint that too.
The top bracket on the driver side intercooler (rear bracket) wouldn't drop into the existing slot. I installed 3 small flat washers between the intercooler and the bracket and that fixed the problem versus bending the heavy bracket. The hole for the screw for the intercooler sensor was threaded too shallow so I had to add three washers so the factory screw for the intercooler sensor (#27 torx) wouldn't bottom out in the hole and leave the sensor loose.
The top bracket on the driver side intercooler (rear bracket) wouldn't drop into the existing slot. I installed 3 small flat washers between the intercooler and the bracket and that fixed the problem versus bending the heavy bracket. The hole for the screw for the intercooler sensor was threaded too shallow so I had to add three washers so the factory screw for the intercooler sensor (#27 torx) wouldn't bottom out in the hole and leave the sensor loose.
Last edited:
Anyone else install the intercooler and once you finish putting the front end together the bottom of hood gap over the grill isn't the same as you originally had (my gap grew by 1/8" so the grill needs to move higher to close the gap). I will look into adjusting the hood bumpers but if that doesn't work perhaps the six bolt upper plastic piece on which the top the grill sits needs to be adjusted upwards a bit so the grill sits a little higher. Any thoughts?
