Do the intercoolers for you guys all leak from the same point, or not? Just curious.

 

Tim...17100...6/9/99

No leak yet.

Oops......checked over the weekend....1/2 full....18000mi.

[This message has been edited by TimBurntire (edited 12-29-2000).]

 

Forgive the dumb question (I'm new to the L), but I've seen many of you mention that the intercooler was behind the passenger front bumper.....but in the pics, I see it's under the blower. Which is the case? Also, besides noticing a loss of coolant, what's the most common way an IC leak is discovered?

Thanks,
Jason

------------------
Red 99, JL Flip Chip, Kameleon Head Unit, Thunderforms.

 

Already posted on this, but will do it again. My L. was built in Feb. '00. Took delivery on March 13. Noticed reservoir level going down around 8k, it had probably started leaking well before that. Jason, the intercooler fluid reservoir is behind the radiator on the passenger side, the intercooler itself is under the blower. And I don't know any way besides loss of fluid that a leak is detected. Once the level starts going down, the leak can be verified by adding coolant tracer dye to the reservoir and running for a while, then illuminating exhaust tips and spark plugs with ultraviolet light. Like K. Schmidt, waiting on parts. Not too concerned about driving the L. in the meantime. As one member suggested, I replenished the reservoit with distilled water and alcohol, so not pumping any more anti-freeze through the motor. Freezing not a big concern in this climate, in fact, may not ever put anti-freeze back in the tank because I anticipate having to drain it every time I go to the strip in order to run ice water through the i.c. Plus, if the new one fails, I will not be pumping anti-freeze through the motor. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Maybe its stupid, someone who shall remain nameless suggested that I keep adding anti-freeze and drive it til the motor fails, then I would get a new motor with the improved i.c. Any thoughts on this?




------------------
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, G-tech Pro, JBA headers, 4.10 gears, Swanson chip, Pro-M, NGK plugs, carbon drive shaft, Roadmaster suspension kit
13.39 @ 102.5
2001 Kevlacat 2400, twin 115 Evinrude FICHT, Raytheon VHF, radar, autopilot and GPS chartplotter/fishfinder.

gmvye@pacbell.net

 

The following list contains a list of 1999 and 2000 model year Lighnings that were asked the simple question of whether or not they noticed coolent loss in the intercooler resevoir.

model year - Build date - mileage
The bold lettering indicates a coolant leak

sixpipes - 17k
noelvm - 16k
Spiro99SVT - 8k -
DHFerguson - 20k - 5/12/99
Nathan - 12k - on second intercooler no leak 2k miles
thepawn - no leak - 3/20/(00?)
Struck99 - no leak - 3400 miles
unknown - 1600 - unkown (******* as witnessed)
Twisted99 - 26k - small leak
Toadster - 17.5k - 6/7/99
R.B.C. (edited gave full name) - 13.8k
svt-tommy - 25k
4rts2nv - 6.3k
Nathan - second intercooler leaking- unk. mileage
luv2putt - 12,350 miles

GO_RILA - 18k - 5/15/99
Spiro99SVT - on second intercooler, no leaks as of late July
Twisted99 - new motor
speed - 3500 miles
mb92gt99gt99light - 27.5k miles
HIGH RISK - 12k miles - inetercooler replaced, on 2nd intercooler no probs at 19k miles
Lightning Bob - 14.7k miles - down 1"
Tundra - 19.5k miles - 8/17/99
Steve. B. - mileage unk. - 8/5/99
ZorPrime - 26k
REDHOTL - 6700 miles - '00 model
Old Kid 00 Red - 8300 miles - '00 model - 2/22/00
DHFerguson - second intercooler not leaking in 13k miles
Autothrottle - 8.5k miles
BlackLight - 35000 km.


WHAT04 - 11k miles
WA 2 FST - 11.8k miles - 8/6/99 - no leak
BadBolt - 16k miles - 00 model - no leak
adp - 5/29/99 - 10.4k miles - no leak
FORDSALES - 13k miles - 3/13/00 - no leak
DUCK01 - 12k miles - late feb/00 - leak
Ak.Silver2K - 4k miles - no leak
K_Schmidt - 12.5k miles - 6/11/99 - leak
TimBurntire - 17.1k miles - 6/9/99 - no leak
1FASTSVT - 11.4k miles - 5/99 - no leak
skydive69 - 12k miles - 6/8/99 - leak


Gotta go, I'll re-edit this list. As needed.

 

15,500 miles. No leak but I'm watching it like a hawk! Built 3-21-00.

------------------
Red '00 Lightning
#1388/4966
14.020 @ 97.97 mph B4 mods
A.R.E. LSII tonneau
K&N air filter
Mobil 1

[This message has been edited by RedShift (edited 12-28-2000).]

[This message has been edited by RedShift (edited 05-14-2001).]

 

SB
I sometimes wish it would commit suicide! I lost power after the second one was changed, but no way to prove it. The second time they also changed the blower with it, as one unit.

I don't have the mileage right now but, the build date is 5/03/99.

 

No leak but if it does,then i will definatley bring back in for a new motor.

 

Not sure of build date but no leak so far at 7300 miles. I am keeping my fingers crossed though!

------------------
00 Black Lightning
No mods yet
00 Honda Civic
01 Pontiac Grand AM GT

 

Going in tomorrow for fix, started leaking at 13,000
3 1/2 weeks for parts to arrive.

 

No leak yet - 7,500 miles. Production date 3/30/00.

------------------
Jim
Black '00
#1,757
Clear corners
J.L. single stage
J.L. Stage II Ram-Air


[This message has been edited by gforce (edited 12-14-2000).]

 

I just got off the phone with Cal Worthington, talked with someone that was helpful. I made another appointment, for 12/18, they are gonna get me a loaner car.

Funny thing is, I tried telling him to call SVT and ask about it, as it is a broad problem. I went so far as to tell him which part it was and strongly advised him to try to order it. He told me he'd like to help me as much as possible, but they have to diagnose it first. All the snow melted, so I am going to drive it in and get some dye.

I wont be returning the loaner car until it is fixed...

I will also be there to take as many pictures as I possibly can. Nothing like 2 different sets of pictures. When I bring it in, I will also ask to see the new part, and the old one, just to compare.

Now I have to print out the pictures.

Once again, I'd like to thank everyone that has posted.

PS, when I bring the list in, just to show the techs, I will edit my reply and put **** after the first initial of each name. The sun is getting low, I better get going.

 

Got my intercooler replaced Nov.27-Dec.1 11000 + - miles.Truck is 2000 year.Built Feb.21,2000

Jim

 

Thanks for the help guys. I noticed a lot of pinging recently and when installing my Airaid this afternoon noticed my reservoir was completely empty! Sh*t. Filled it up with 80% water and 20% coolant and the pinging is gone. Unfortunately the reservoir level dropped an inch in just 20 min. of hard driving

Build date 5/99 18k miles.

Jason

------------------
Red 99, JL Flip Chip, Kameleon Head Unit, Thunderforms.

[This message has been edited by NvrFastEnuf (edited 12-06-2000).]

 

I had an intercooler replaced. At 14,400 miles, I noticed that my coolant reservoir was a few drops short of bone dry. I topped it off and lost another inch or more in a week (about 300 miles). I took it in, they pressure tested it, couldn't find anything. I told them it had happened to quite a few people. Service manager looked it up online and didn't find anything.

They had replaced the o2 sensors and plugs due to the coolant leak, and wanted me to drive it a while to do a consumption test.

I told them, "sure, I'll drive it around and blow more coolant into the engine, as long as you guys want to replace the plugs and sensors again, and install the new engine when this one dies." The service guy asked me to hold on, called SVT and they said replace the intercooler.

The new one has had no problems (not a drop short) since then and now has almost 23k miles.



------------------
Aaron Luck
'99 Red SVT Lightning
Superchip, Downs Air Filter, Safe-t-stop, Ford soft tonneau cover, 6 disk changer, ford bedliner, CL III tow package, 15+ coats of Zaino

'00 Black (Green got totaled) SVT Contour
KKM Induction Kit, Superchip, 73mm MAF

'90 Cardinal Red 5.0 LX Convertible Mustang
Removed intake silencer