I have 29,500 miles on my 99 L and have had a leaking innercooler for 10,000 miles! Surely someone can find out what is being done to fix this and how much longer we are going to have to wait. I can save Ford a grand if I can wait for the fix. I don't want to have it changed twice!!! I'm running out of time. Any ideas?

Jerry

 

Jerry

I am amazed that you have let the I/C leak for 10,000 miles. I discovered that mine was leaking and had it fixed within 100 miles of discovery. After the dealer got my parts in, it took 7 hours before I got the L back. Go get it fixed

Just my .02

 

Jim is a wise man, and I usually agree with him, but this time I have to take an opposing point of view. My intercooler has been leaking since October, maybe 3000 miles. I could have had it replaced with an OEM unit, but I know if I did that I would just be faced with another replacement somewhere down the line. Jim has lots of cars he can drive while his truck is in the shop, I do not. So, I have been waiting for the reengineered intercooler that supposedly is due to ship next month. I already have an appointment with the service department set up. My strategy is tempered by the fact that I do not live in a climate that necessitates anti-freeze, so since I discovered the leak I have added only distilled water and water pump lubricant. I suspect you could get away with this in your area, too, Jerry. Having waited this long I think you should wait a little longer and get a fix that lasts. Go to your dealer and have the service manager call Jake Doss at the Tech Service Hot-Line if he needs part numbers or more info. Rotsa Ruck.

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I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.

'84 Alan Record Carbonio, Aerospoke wheels, Campy brakes.

'00 SVT Lightning, silver, built 2/9/00, #133 of 4966, G-tech Pro, JBA headers, 4.10 gears, Swanson chip, Pro-M, NGK plugs, carbon drive shaft, Roadmaster suspension kit, TransGo shift kit,
13.39 @ 102.5

2001 Kevlacat 2400, twin 115 Evinrude FICHT, Raytheon VHF, radar, autopilot and GPS chartplotter/fishfinder.

gmvye@pacbell.net

[This message has been edited by alphadoggy (edited 02-28-2001).]

 

Jim, I have been driving with the cooler dry for all this time. Here is why. I will take it in and have it replaced. Then 10 to 18 thousand miles later it WILL fail again! Ford will say, too bad, warrenty is over. Cost to me, $1000.00 to $1500.00 or more. Also the fewer times those A-holes get under my hood the better. I told them about the cooler leak, and the driver's seat, and the front-end noise (six months ago) and they told me they never heard of any of these problems!!!


Alpha, Thanks for the name but what good will that do? Ford is still putting in the same crap parts under warrenty aren't they?


Sorry I had to vent, but Ford should have fixed this by now! The biggest lie ever told (except for: The checks in the mail, I'm from the government and I'm here to help you, and I won't ___ in your mouth) is that only 1% of these coolers have failed. Everyone knows that is B.S. Everyone I know personally that has an L (except the Wildman) has had this problem. I JUST WANT IT FIXED RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!!!

Jerry

[This message has been edited by Jerry Jordan (edited 02-27-2001).]

 

Jerry-
Mine hasn't started leaking with 15,000 on the odometer but mark my words. It's cheaper for Ford to fix one i/c leaker at a time then it is to do a recall. And a recall for what to put in the SAME faulty part AGAIN. No thanks. IF mine starts leaking and they don't have a permanent fix then they'd better order a crate engine because mine will ingest alot of anti-freeze while I wait, believe me.
Also do the i/c pumps have a fuse when you run them dry or do they replace the pumps when they burn up,also?

Dan

 

Jerry,take it to Covert and get it fixed. Two days max for warr. work.

 

you all are forgetting what the anti- freeze is doing to the eaton all this time.

 

I'm no mechanic, but I am learning more and more about the workings of an engine. Could someone explain to me what to look for in an Intercooler Leak? Will there be a smelly, discolored liquid on my garage concrete? Will I overheat easily? What should I look for before I blow up my beautiful baby boy?



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2000 Silver Lightning
#2798 of 4966
Born on date: May 9, 2000

 

looking for the Intercooler leak is simple. Open your hood and look at the Intercooler reservoir. If it's low, it's leaking. If the level is within the tolerances, it's not leaking. Most leak, some don't. And, it's an internal leak, you won't see it on your garage floor


Guys, YOUR WARRANTY pays for a rental car! If your service advisor tells you it doesn't, go one step further and speak/yell at the service manager. Granted, it's not a Lightning rental, but it's transportation. I was relocated into a 01 Taurus with less than 500 miles while the truck spent 12 days in the service dept for it's issues. (non intercooler related).

If you have the intercooler replaced now, before some "new design" part is available and it leaks again, it's not going to be too difficult to have it replaced again. It will either be at the shop's expense, or a part warranty (yes, it's common).

These trucks have an obvious problem, sometimes the bureaucratic BS takes a while to find it's way to paper, but it will happen in time. There's already a TSB on the Intercooler. I'd much rather have the original engine and the truck not having a "story" come time for resale than to waste an engine because of stubbornness.

YIKES! I'm opinionated tonight!
Trace

[This message has been edited by Trace (edited 02-27-2001).]

 

Your first good indication of an intercooler leak is: The tank doesn't have any more green stuff in it!! Or if it is a slow leak, there is less and less of the green stuff, and it isn't on the floor.

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Red 99

 

Yes, Jerry, Ford is putting in the same crap parts for now, because the new ones are not shipping yet. That's why I advised you to wait a few more weeks, supposedly the "fix" is almost ready to ship. And most of the dealers either don't know doo doo, or pretend they don't know doo doo about this problem, but Jake knows a lot about it, and he will set them straight. But if you are running your i/c reservoir empty I hope you have disconnected your i/c pump, or you are going to have another, unnecessary problem.

 

Hey everybody -
I have a couple of questions:
So far I'm lucky, 13K miles and no leak, but I'm expecting it any day now,
If the IC fluid does leak, where does it leak into...and won't it harm the engine?
Next, will the 01 IC when it's available work with the 99 and 00 engines? I thought I heard it was incompatible.
k


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2000 Silver Lightning
#2372 of 4966
SnugLid
BedRug
dual Ravin Z-33 Exhaust
Valentine 1
Hyper Bright Headlamps and Foglamps
Mobil 1 Tri Synthetic and Mobil1 Filter
Mobil1 FactoryFill Plaque in Engine Bay
Matter/Antimatter Exchange Unit
Thinking about those Nitto Tires

http://www.zing.com/album/?id=4293534625

[This message has been edited by kobiashi (edited 02-28-2001).]

 

Thanks Alpha, and no I did not disconnect the i/c pump (I forgot) but it still runs!

Jerry

 

Trace:

I am curious as to your comment about the warranty covering a rental car. My service manager says that a loaner car is not covered under the standard Ford warranty. Why would he lie if Ford pays?

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Sandy (Spider) Scott
Skydive69@msn.com
Apopka, Florida
99 White Lightning #2091 DOB 6-8-99
Airaid air box (S&B Filter) & Superchip
Kills:
Last 4 generation Mustang GT's (Including Cobra)
Audi S4
Dodge R/T
IROC Z

 

Trace
Remember when I had the truck in for my intercooler issues and they kept telling me that they would have Sean call as soon as he came in per my request because I refused to bring it in and let anyone else do it then come to find out Sean was in a class they knew he was going to be in the whole time that whole week...He still can't believe they did that. He didn't think I was coming in thought I was gonna wait. I had to throw a damn fit to get into a rental at Ford's cost.