In Part 1 of this series, we shared some big news: PRL Motorsports is expanding beyond the Honda and Acura world and entering the truck market—starting with the powerhouse that is the Ford F-150. Today, we’re diving into our initial test results for the two flagship products leading this charge: the High Volume Intake System and Intercooler.
The short version? The numbers speak for themselves.
High Volume Intake: Breathing New Life Into the EcoBoost
Our intake was engineered with one purpose: remove restrictions and maximize airflow. Featuring dual 4” roto-molded tubes that feed each turbo through custom high-flow bell-mouth filters, this system is enclosed in a massive airbox that nearly swallows the stock unit. And it's not just about size—it’s about seamless airflow and efficiency.
On our 2018 3.5L EcoBoost test truck, the intake alone delivered a peak gain of 5.5 horsepower and 3.86 lb-ft of torque over stock. But the real story is in the RPM range: we saw consistent improvements of 8 horsepower and 12 lb-ft of torque at 4000 RPM, the same 8/8 split at 6000 RPM, and a whopping 22 horsepower and 17 lb-ft of torque gain at redline. These numbers show that the intake shines when your engine needs air the most—up high and under load.
Intercooler: Built for Consistency and Real-World Demands
Our F-150 intercooler isn’t just a cosmetic swap. It's a fully engineered system built with cast and machined 6061 aluminum end tanks and a high-efficiency bar-and-plate core. It retains factory fitment points like shutters, bypass valve, and Raptor fan compatibility, but delivers much more. This intercooler is a true direct replacement—designed to seamlessly install without requiring custom brackets, tuning, or trimming. Every mounting point and flow path was engineered to match factory specs, giving you performance gains without sacrificing fit, function, or reliability.
On the dyno, the PRL intercooler alone added up to 21.33 horsepower and 34 lb-ft of torque at 6300 RPM. Even under extreme heat soak conditions, our intercooler stills boosts hp over stock. When paired with the PRL intake, the results became even more dramatic, peaking with 50 additional horsepower and 40 lb-ft of torque at redline. That’s serious performance, especially in the upper RPM range where the stock setup struggles to keep up.
Road-Tested Under Real Load
We didn’t stop at the dyno. Our towing test with a 5600 lb trailer up a sustained hill climb proved the intercooler’s worth in the real world. Compared to stock, the PRL unit cooled the charge air an additional 26.5°F at the start of the climb—and still maintained a 20°F advantage by the end. Whether you're daily driving or towing uphill under boost, this intercooler is built to keep things cool and consistent.
Stay Tuned
This is just the beginning. More PRL products for the F-150 platform are already in the works, and each one is being developed with the same precision, testing, and performance-focused design that built our reputation. Whether your truck lives on the street, the trail, or the jobsite, we’re building the tools to make it stronger, faster, and more capable.
Be on the lookout for more as we take a closer look at the intercooler’s design details—how we approached airflow, thermal capacity, and the bar-and-plate advantage. Until then, know this:
