Chargecoolers

[tomfraser]

Hi all,

I believe the chargecooler core is slowly leaking on my 2003 Focus RS. There is only one left in Ford dealer stock across the whole of Europe and they want nearly £3,000 for it so that option is out. Most owners simply swap to a frount mounted intercooler when their cars reach this point, but I want to keep as much original as possible and I'm sort of blazing a trail for other owners as of all the other owners on the Facebook group I use, none of them has the first clue where to start with this.

I haven't been able to find a company so far willing to open up the intercooler box, repair/replace the core and re-seal the box. I am in touch with Pace cooling products, and I've also contacted PMA Group in Leicester who I believe originally made the boxes for Ford, but I haven't heard back from them yet.

I know chargecooler setups are used on plenty of other cars although I couldn''t name any off the top of my head. Can anyone recommend a company who'd be able to adapt an existing box to fit a Focus or would be willing to chop mine open and replace the core? Obviously price is a factor, anything more than about £700 and I'll just convert to a frount mounted cooler and put the intercooler box in the garage.

Any help anyone gives me is greatly appreciated, and if it's anyone from south Wales I'll buy you a breakfast at the next meet

[mighty kitten]

Pwr do some compact units , air to air makes more sense in a front engined car than air to water

[stevieturbo]

Just a case of calling round all the alloy rad fabricators. Just google, there is no lack of them.

Pace, Docking, A&H, Forge, Spec-R MJS Fabrications, Serck to name a few.

But sourcing a suitable core will be the hardest bit.

What exactly leaks in them ? And how is it constructed ?

[tomfraser]

@mighty kitten, yeah I know but I said why I want air to water - purely originality.

@Stevie, I have no idea how they're constructed internally but it seems the core leaks water into the box, this then pools and can be sucked into the engine.

[Evoluzione]

Possibly caused by corrosion from the water, if so no-one will touch it with a welder. The only way would be to have 10+ made to OE spec, any less and neither party would be interested.

[mighty kitten]

It was a couple of years back but I found one on eBay for a project and it wasn't a lot of money £50 from memory for the cooler .

[stevieturbo]

Looks to be one on egay at the min around £200.

Of course as it's used...you wouldnt know it's condition without testing

[tomfraser]

I can find a used one easily, this post wasn't about that.

It was about trying to find a company to re-make/repair existing boxes.

[chuntington101]

What are the core dimensions? You might be able to get an off the shelf core and just make the end tanks for it.

[George111]

Wayne at Pro Alloy might be able to help, they have done some interesting things in the past with Fords and the work they did for me was outstanding.

[tomfraser]

I'm not sure on core dimensions, I haven't been able to find anyone who's cut one open yet, and I don't have a spare to try.

Thanks George, I'll give him a call tomorrow.

[stevieturbo]

tomfraser said:

I'm not sure on core dimensions, I haven't been able to find anyone who's cut one open yet, and I don't have a spare to try.

Thanks George, I'll give him a call tomorrow.

Buy one off ebay or another "broken" one and cut it open. If it'already bust there isnt much to lose.

[tomfraser]

True Steve but I don't have £100 to waste in that way unfortunately.

[mighty kitten]

I suspect the bonding used won't come apart without destroying the core or end tanks . From memory one end is a an odd shape to get the outlet at the right angle so would be a lot of work to fabricate from scratch .
I doubt you'd get any change from £800 to re make it to the original dimensions