CVF High Mount Intercooler install and testing

[Gluestick]

Alright. I bit the bullet and ordered it; sure wish they had sorted out the couplings to connect with their own charge pipes ahead of release.

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[Gluestick]

Well. It arrived on Saturday. I physically obtained it from the driver on the UPS truck and he and I were both dismayed at the condition of the box. Or what was left of it. Talk about a range of emotions.

Generally, it is in good condition, with a few scuffs at the lower front face of a side tank and a few fins that are bent over. All in all, it’s nothing I’m worried too much about, going for function here.

Son of a gun is heavy to be sure and enormous.

My goal, motivated by switching bumper for a winch setup, was to stick with all CVF parts (charge pipes, intercooler, downpipes) instead of ponying up for a switch to replace the charge pipes and intercooler with mishimoto parts or trying to figure out cobbling together what I have with Wagner Tuning bits. And the CVF appears to boast the largest volume / surface area, so I can plan for the larger turbos.

At this point, i am mentally prepared for a multi-day or week+ tear down for test fitting where I’ll have to order something I don’t expect to make things work.

@CVF-Jason has been helpful - I appreciate his outreach.

 

[CVF-Jason]

Well. It arrived on Saturday. I physically obtained it from the driver on the UPS truck and he and I were both dismayed at the condition of the box. Or what was left of it.

Generally, it is in ‘fine’ condition, with a few scuffs at the lower front face of a side tank and a few fins that are bent over. But some of it appears to be pre-packing for shipment, like sharpie to cover up a blemish:

Son of a gun is heavy to be sure and enormous.

My goal, motivated by switching bumper for a winch setup, was to stick with all CVF parts (charge pipes, intercooler, downpipes) instead of ponying up for a switch to replace the charge pipes and intercooler with mishimoto parts or trying to figure out cobbling together what I have with Wagner Tuning bits. And the CVF appears to boast the largest volume / surface area, so I can plan for the larger turbos.

At this point, i am mentally prepared for a multi-day or week+ tear down for test fitting where I’ll have to order something I don’t expect to make things work.

@CVF-Jason let me know if there’s a way to move things in the right direction.

Interesting approach. I just shot you a PM - reply and we'll get you a return label and refund for the trouble.

 

[Gluestick]

Appreciate the outreach - I don’t see anything functionally wrong and I still plan to try to install it. The intercooler looks very well designed, the hardware all makes sense and looks good as well.

My post above was not intended to be as negative as it reads in a second review - sorry about that to all who read it that way: I have hastily typed my thoughts on my phone when my excitement turned slightly towards dismay at the box, followed by relief that there was no real damage.

@CVF-Jason promptly reached out and offered to return it, but I’m declining that - I just want to make sure I can make it work — I have been incredibly happy with every other CVF part I have and the support to date, and look forward to them having purpose built couplers that work with their charge pipes.

 

[irishmurph01]

Appreciate the outreach - I don’t see anything functionally wrong and I still plan to try to install it. The intercooler looks very well designed, the hardware all makes sense and looks good as well.

My post above was not intended to be as negative as it reads in a second review - sorry about that to all who read it that way: I have hastily typed my thoughts on my phone when my excitement turned slightly towards dismay at the box, followed by relief that there was no real damage.

@CVF-Jason promptly reached out and offered to return it, but I’m declining that - I just want to make sure I can make it work — I have been incredibly happy with every other CVF part I have and the support to date, and look forward to them having purpose built couplers that work with their charge pipes.

I got mine delivered yesterday. Have you installed yet?

 

[Gluestick]

Part way done. I ended up with two driver side upper L-brackets, so I’ve reached out to CVF for a passenger side bracket since the brackets are mirrored one side to the other. So, pending figuring out couplers below, that’s my impediment to reassembly.

it’s a REAL tight fit with the inner ADD inner horn reinforcement, but I think it will work without contact.

for the Cvf charge pipes, I will need an aluminum or steel joiner to connect the downpipes 90° silicone, and I’ve got some double hump silicone bellows on the way, plus the 45° silicone couplers listed above here, and a pair of 30° couplers just to figure out what works the best. Sprung for all the options and expedited shipping to get this thing back on the road.

 

[Gluestick]

Trimming the shutters was easy and straightforward though I’d note my center “channel” just barely touches intercooler, but seems ok — would be tough to remove that section without going overboard I think.

and looking at the @fullspeed6g YouTube video, my other install differences would be the ac condenser on mine bolts to the mishimoto radiator, but easy to remove the four screws and two brackets to fit the intercooler, and ample room to access those and reinstall the bracket plates and screws after.

in the land of other good news: I’m pretty convinced my ADD ACC relocation bracket may fit. I’ll test fit that today and take pics.

Anybody using this: https://www.addictivedesertdesigns.com/products/f-150-raptor-shutter-motor-kit to set the shutter motor range limits and avoid any codes?

 

[Gluestick]

Oh the other note I had was removing the OEM upper intercooler bracket is more of a chore with extremely limited room (had to unmount radiator) to get at the bolt, and I’ve got the JKS Max Clearance kit.

As one might assume, the more tricked out you get, the more challenges you have following other people’s instructions and figuring out how to get things to work together.

And sometimes you have to get inventive (which will be be the case with my winch control pack and fog lights). On the fun side, my TMR Customs machete arrives today, so I’ll be bending brackets w the best of ‘em soon.

 

[irishmurph01]

Oh the other note I had was removing the OEM upper intercooler bracket is more of a chore with extremely limited room (had to unmount radiator) to get at the bolt, and I’ve got the JKS Max Clearance kit.

As one might assume, the more tricked out you get, the more challenges you have following other people’s instructions and figuring out how to get things to work together.

And sometimes you have to get inventive (which will be be the case with my winch control pack and fog lights). On the fun side, my TMR Customs machete arrives today, so I’ll be bending brackets w the best of ‘em soon.

Damn, sounds like I need to plan a week of driving my f150 while I chip away at this lol. Do you have the 2.3 or 2.7? I have the 2.3 with no real engine mods beside a turbo smart BOV and the ford tune. I really don’t want to run into the shutter error code.

 

[Gluestick]

Damn, sounds like I need to plan a week of driving my f150 while I chip away at this lol. Do you have the 2.3 or 2.7? I have the 2.3 with no real engine mods beside a turbo smart BOV and the ford tune. I really don’t want to run into the shutter error code.

I have the 2.7 with injen intake, CVF charge pipes, CVF low mount intercooler (with this being my migration to the CVF high mount intercooler), turbosmart BOV, ported throttle body and intake manifold, CVF downpipes, and ford performance tune.

 

[irishmurph01]

I have the 2.7 with injen intake, CVF charge pipes, CVF low mount intercooler (with this being my migration to the CVF high mount intercooler), turbosmart BOV, ported throttle body and intake manifold, CVF downpipes, and ford performance tune.

Sounds pretty sick. They don’t have much for the 25’ 2.3 yet. No CAI that are worth it, no pipes, just patiently waiting

a”

 

[Gluestick]

I made some progress. I tried a variety of couplers and joinery pipes before settling on this. Couple of notes when using CVF Charge Pipes - parts and tools required:

Parts:

• 2x Vibrant Aluminum Tubing 30 Degree Bend Polished 2.75" O.D. Aluminum 30 Degree Bend
• 1x HPS 2-3/4" Silicone Single Hump Coupler Hose Hot Side, Ultra High Temp 4-ply Aramid Reinforced, Max. Temperature: 500F - 4" (SHC-275-L4-HOT)
• 1x HPS 2-3/4" (70mm) ID, Silicone Straight Hump Coupler Hose, High Temp 4-ply Reinforced, Max. Temperature 350F - 4" / Blue (HTSHC-275-L4-BLUE)
• 4x HPS Performance Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Spring Loaded T-Bolt Hose Clamp - 2.99" - 3.31" (76mm - 84mm) (SLTC-300)

Tools:

• Pipe/Tube cutter that goes up to ~3” - doesn’t have to be fancy - this QWork from Amazon arrived overnight and I could finish the job this morning.
• Pipe/Tube bead roller to put the coupler/clamp retention bead on the aluminum pipes - got this X Autohaux one.

I mount the silicone couplings to the intercooler, adjusted CVF 90° couplers up the charge pipe slightly to align best with new setup, held up aluminum pipes to mark length to remove, cut the pipes, added the retention bead, deburred the edges, and got all shavings out, and installed.

 

[GreyZ]

I made some progress. I tried a variety of couplers and joinery pipes before settling on this. Couple of notes when using CVF Charge Pipes - parts and tools required:

Parts:

• 2x Vibrant Aluminum Tubing 30 Degree Bend Polished 2.75" O.D. Aluminum 30 Degree Bend
• 1x HPS 2-3/4" Silicone Single Hump Coupler Hose Hot Side, Ultra High Temp 4-ply Aramid Reinforced, Max. Temperature: 500F - 4" (SHC-275-L4-HOT)
• 1x HPS 2-3/4" (70mm) ID, Silicone Straight Hump Coupler Hose, High Temp 4-ply Reinforced, Max. Temperature 350F - 4" / Blue (HTSHC-275-L4-BLUE)
• 4x HPS Performance Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Spring Loaded T-Bolt Hose Clamp - 2.99" - 3.31" (76mm - 84mm) (SLTC-300)

Tools:

• Pipe/Tube cutter that goes up to ~3” - doesn’t have to be fancy - this QWork from Amazon arrived overnight and I could finish the job this morning.
• Pipe/Tube bead roller to put the coupler/clamp retention bead on the aluminum pipes - got this X Autohaux one.

I mount the silicone couplings to the intercooler, adjusted CVF 90° couplers up the charge pipe slightly to align best with new setup, held up aluminum pipes to mark length to remove, cut the pipes, added the retention bead, deburred the edges, and got all shavings out, and installed.

Whats your plan for closing that huge gap in the fan shroud to radiator?

 

[Gluestick]

Duct tape n bubblegum

 

[Gluestick]

Also note that’s the Bronco raptor fan installed as well, since I have a bunch of stuff taken apart, might as well fool with it at the same time

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