PBAF Intercooler Reservoir/Ice Tank Installation with Pictures!

Just getting started with our 2008 Shelby GT500 we wanted to address a very important part which some take for granted. Cooling!! Cooling of not only the motor but the intercooler system will help in the performance and efficiency of the car. In this instance we're starting with the intercooler system by adding the PFAB Intercooler Reservoir/Ice Tank. The intercooler system circulates coolant through several different places including a reservoir, heat exchanger, intercooler and pump. The whole point of the system is to get the temperature of that fluid as low as possible as it will help with the intake temperatures as the air is pushed through the intercooler and into the engine. The cooler the temps are the better performance you'll see. By adding more fluid into the system it will help dissipate the heat and allow for better cooling. Best of all is that you can pack the PFAB tank with Ice at the track for extra cooling which has been proven to improve ET's. Our first step in improving this system is by adding the PFAB tank. This is the reservoir part of the system. The stock plastic piece holds .90 of a Quart of fluid. The PFAB tank holds just under 1 gallon of fluid which will help to dissipate heat in the system. The stock tank is also not the most attractive piece and one you see how nice the PFAB tanks looks it's just another reason to do the upgrade.. The PFAB tank is made of high quality aluminum and tig welded by hand with some of the best looking welds we've ever seen. It also uses a fuel cell style cap which has large opening which will allow you to put ice in the tank. In addition to that there's a Parker drain valve so you can easily drain the fluid.

The PFAB tanks fits in the stock location and should take less than 30 minutes to install. Below is the actual installation of the PFAB tank on our 08' GT500. The tools needed for the installation are: Pliers, 8mm open ended wrench, 8mm socket and ratchet. razor blade and 50/50 yellow coolant. The first step of the installation is draining the stock reservoir. This can easily be done by siphoning the fluid out with a 4 ft section of rubber hose or by disconnection the lower hose off of the stock tank and allowing the fluid to drain into pan. We found that siphoning the fluid out of the reservoir was the easiest and cleanest way to do this as there's too much stuff located below the tank which keeps the fluid from properly falling directly into a pan. Once the stock intercooler reservoir is drained you use the ratchet and 8mm socket to remove the one bolt on the bracket holding the tank to the fan shroud. Then by using a set of pliers you can loosen the hose clamps on both hoses that attach to the tank. Pull each hose off of the tank and remove the stock reservoir.

Now we can observe the size difference between the 2 which is definitely noticeable. Like I mentioned earlier not only are you improving the efficiency of the intercooler system the looks of the PFAB are enough to make you want to upgrade itself.

At this point you are ready to install the PFAB tank. Sit the PFAB tank in place where the stock tank was. Connect the lower hose on the right side of the PFAB tank by sliding the hose over the tube on the tank. Then by using the pliers loosen up the hose clamp and then clamp it securely on the hose. Line up the upper coolant hose to the upper tube on the PFAB tank. You will need to cut a small amount of the stock hose off in order for it to properly fit over the tube on the tank. Use a utility knife or razor blade and carefully cut the hose as illustrated in the image below. Once thehose is cut t he proper length reconnect it to the upper tube of the PFAB tank by sliding the hose over the tube and securing it with the hose clamp.

Once both hoses are secure on the PFAB tank position it so that the tab on the bottom sits in the same position as the stock tab did on the fan shroud. Line up the tab on the front mounting bracket and use the 8mm wrench to tighten the bolt down. Make sure not to over tighten the bolt as if youdo you may break the plastic tab that the bolt mounts to.

Make sure that the valve on the bottom of the tank is in the closed position and refill the tank using a 50/50 mixture of yellow coolant. Fill the PFAB tank with the coolant leaving about 1" from the top of the tank. Tighten the cap and start the car. Let it idle for a few minutes then turn the vehicle off. Open the tank and make sure the tank is still filled to the same level and add fluid if necessary. Do the same thing but this time after about 5 minutes of driving just to make sure there's enough coolant in the tank and the system is working properly.