Blown intercooler and soaked air filter

[Digahole78]

My rwd 350 engine warning came on and went into limp. On close inspection noticed air filter was wet. I think this was due to pipe from window gutter mysteriously being missing so water poured ontop of air box. New airfilters fitted and now I hear loud air whooshing noise under acceleration and same issue with loss of power. Looks like the intercooler has blown. I can only assume because of restricted flow from wet air filter. Does that sound about right to you guys?

[KevofCov]

I had this - sorry this is throwing the bolt after the horse has gone but it may help others.

viewtopic.php?f=64&t=195795&hilit=air+filter&c=1

I got lucky. New air filter and mod my scuttle drain rubber moulding and all is well.

Go out and check your moulding now. Really do it now.

[Digahole78]

Thank you for the advice Kev. That's now on my to do list today

[Trev-again]

Just posted a bit about the same thing here: https://fordtransit.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=203070&p=1710811&c=1#p1710811, relevant to both my van AND the intercooler that came with a replacement engine for it. Took me half hour and 3 litres of HOT diesel to wash all the crud out (2kW heat gun on the intercooler whilst sloshing it about)! Now I REALLY want to find a water resistant air filter element - sometimes it's so damp in the southwest where I am that I'd worry about the same thing happening again.

[Digahole78]

Local ford mechanic wasn't suprised to see wet filter and mentioned he had seen more that one that had sucked a soggy airfilter through. Baffles me how major manufacturers make such fundamentally bad design decisions.