Problem I've noticed with the `03s

[Crunch]

Not a big problem, by a long shot. But I've noticed this a lot on the `03s I see out on the road. The black paint around the intercooler and radiator comes off in big patches, usually to the left or right of the unit. It happened to mine a few years ago when I was at a car wash and using the pressure washer to clean the radiator grills and surrounding areas. Now I am seeing that on about 30%-40% of the `03 Dodge trucks I pass. I wonder if the same thing happened to most of them. Anyone else notice this, or have the same problem?

 

[MFalkinham]

It is happening on the intercooler of my '03 as well. This spring I am planning to scrape off the rest of the loose stuff and repaint it. I agree that it does look bad.

 

[04 Diesel Power]

I have a 2004 and it is doing it too.

 

[JHardwick]

I posted pics of mine a year ago or so and nobody responded.



Aluminum is hard to get paint to stick to. When I raced, I found this stuff called Bulldog "adhesion promotor". I found it at AutoZone and it comes in a purple can ... ... ..... worked great on the aluminum and fiberglass parts of a sprint car. I haven't redone mine yet, but I'll be using this Bulldog.

 

[ParsonsDRW]

It is happening on the intercooler of my 03. My dad has a 03 also with the same problem.

 

[JHofmann]

Mine is fine still, but i've got pretty low miles @47K.

 

[Semicrazy]

I have 178K miles... and over 50% of the paint missing on the end caps of my intercooler.



I keep thinking that a new shiny aftermarket one would take care of the problem.

 

[Andy Morrison]

My '05 is doing it also.





Andy

 

[mberry]

Mine is doing it also. Both sides, but the drivers side is worse. Semicrazy has a good idea.

 

[Crunch]

OK... so it is obviously not an isolated issue for owners or year of make. And just as obvious, the warranty won't cover it and unless we can stretch this into a safety issue it's something we have to take care of ourselves. I have a friend who purchased on `03 last year and his is doing the same thing. I actually saw the pressure washer at the car wash take the paint off mine. Does everyone who has the same problem attribute it to pressure washing, or some other cause?



BTW, good info about Bulldog. I wasn't aware of the aluminum problem and would have just bought a can of flat black Rustoleum. I've never had good luck with spray paints when it comes to durability. My brother works for Harley Davidson and tells me that the only thing that will hold up these days is powder coatings. Paints suck since they took out the lead and all the other stuff that made it good. A powder coated intercooler and radiator bracket would look cool, though!

 

[Alphacowboy]

The problem is the aluminum contracts and expands due to the nature of the beast. The factory paint I dont think is heat rated that they use on it. I painted mine with rustolium, and what do ya know, it hasnt flaked off in 3 years. Whats funny though is that the 01. 5 and 02 models dont have paint at all. Even though they are much more noticable through the grill, I kinda wish mine was not painted. I would think that a none painted intercooler would be more efficiant than a painted one.

 

[rbattelle]

At almost 77k my intercooler paint is fine. I've never used a pressure washer on it.

Ryan

 

[JGoss]

My 04. 5 is starting to peel.

 

[Shelby Griggs]

Whats funny though is that the 01. 5 and 02 models dont have paint at all. Even though they are much more noticable through the grill, I kinda wish mine was not painted.

Actually, my 01. 5 is painted, I think it was only the 02's that came without paint.



SHG

 

[Turbo1Ton]

111,000 on mine and recently the paint started flaking off of the AC condenser. The intercooler end caps still look good.

I've used pressure washers on them but I keep a pretty good distance because I'm always afraid of damaging the fins with the pressure.

Jeff

 

[JRMora]

At 93k my '04 is peeling on the drivers side. I have an area about 2" x 3" missing paint. I don't use a pressure washer on it either.

 

[HBarlow]

The paint on my '06 disappeared within only a few months but I was rolling up the miles as an RV transporter. I was putting on as many miles each month as most owners do in a year.



I ignored it. The best solution would probably be to remove all the black paint and leave an aluminum finish.



Harvey

 

[Cattletrkr]

Dad's '03 is either unfinished or painted grey/silver.

My '04. 5 is black except where the bugs and other debris have removed the paint. It gets washed a lot with either a pressure washer (1000psi at home) or the wand wash in town (unk. psi) or the firehose-like hose at the truck wash. Never seen any paint fly off while washing.

 

[BHolm]

I'm just glad that our trucks are so reliable that talking about intercooler paint is enough of an issue to start a post about



Seriously guys? You are concerned about what it looks like through the grille? This is right up there with painting the driveshaft. These are TRUCKS right?

 

[HOBrian]

92,000 miles and mine is still fine, no signs of peeling paint. Oo.