I just finished an install with a CVF intercooler and pipe upgrade (cold side and hot side) kit on my 2020 ST, with a Turbosmart Dual Port BOV part #TS-0223-1096.
I ran into a problem with the pipe kit.
If you are thinking about using this pipe kit from CVF (Part # CVF 1921AEXPICKIT, this is specific to the 2020 version, that has a BOV flange), before you get stuck in with the install, make sure the BOV you want to use fits on the boss. Mine did not (which I didn't discover until halfway through, which is about the worst time).
The issue is this: the Turbosmart BOV center pillar thing is solid, it does not move up on a spring like the OEM one. When I put the BOV on the flange, it would not sit flush with the mounting surface. (I'll post an image at the bottom of the issue.) This happened because the mounting surface on the flange of the CVF pipe was too tall. It was taller than the stock one by a little over 2mm. And because the center section of the TS is solid, you can't push it down any more. There is physical interference. Even with the o-ring removed from the central pillar, it was nowhere close to sitting flush. So before you start the install,
A note on the stock BPV -- it would sit flush on the CVF pipe kit, but it did so only because the center section is what moves up and down to vent. What this means is that if you installed the OEM BPV, the center section would already be "lifted" by about half, and I have no idea what the OEM electronics would make of this. I don't know if it would sense that the BPV is "stuck open" or something. When mounted on the OEM pipe, the OEM BPV center section was not "lifted" at all.
CVF Support
Support was pretty terrible. I sent them an email on Sat explaining the issue, with details and pictures. They responded Monday around lunch time, which was fine, but told me the issue is with the Turbosmart BOV, and not their pipe -- which was NOT fine. (This is the same BOV they sell on their site along with the kit, by the way.) Their support claimed it was that the o-ring was not large enough on the top -- again, look at the picture I posted here...a larger-oring is supposed to take up that gap? What about the gap between the bolt hole and threads? Obviously, the issue is that the pipe was made incorrectly -- the central pillar mount is just too high for the flange. It's as simple as that. And no set of o-rings is going to correct that, and it's certainly not Turbosmart's fault -- I tested the TS BOV on the OEM pipe. It fit perfect.
So I immediately replied to their email saying how I don't believe they are correct in their assessment of the issue, and specifically why I thought that, and how I should move forward to get this issue corrected. I didn't hear back until the end of the day the following day. So the Explorer say for another full day while I waited for support to get back to me. IMO, this is unacceptable. I contacted them with an issue, and it felt like they assumed the issue was resolved by their single email, despite the fact that I replied within 15 min of receiving their 1st email. Their second email continued with the claim that the o-ring was the problem and has resolved the issue (I can't possibly see how and besides, it doesn't help me right now), and that if I want, I can return the pipes. However, until they revise the pipe, they can't do anything except tell me to run the OEM BPV. So I gave up. It's beyond clear that there was a measurement/jigging issue with the pipe, with the mounting flange and central pillar at an incorrect height to each other. And sitting here with the truck in the garage -- my daily driver -- in pieces, sending the pipes back for a refund wasn't really going to help. What I wanted them to do was send me a new pipe, with the correct pillar to flange height. But they didn't offer it, and because communication was so poor and slow, I said eff it. I couldn't wait anymore, I need my truck back on the road.
My Solution
So what I did was take my CVF hot pipe, the OEM pipe, and the TS BOV to a machine shop. Showed them the issue, which they immediately understood the problem to be what I am describing here, and nothing to do with any o-ring on the TS BOV. They chucked the CVF pipe into one of their machines, and removed material from the central pillar. And guess what. The TS BOV fits now! As does the OEM one, without "lifting." The machine shop was able to turn the job around same day.
TL;DR
At the end of the day, everything is back together and working. No issues. The quality of the CVF parts seems really good. The issue is they jigged the hotside BOV mounting part wrong before welding (or just measured wrong?), so make sure you test fit before tearing your truck down if you are going to do this. Otherwise, no issue with the kit. Minor complaint is that they don't include instructions, so you have to waste some time playing the guessing game with which clamps go where -- it's annoying and it would be super easy for them to provide a legend. But they don't for some reason. You have to watch an HSF (not even affiliated) video to see how to install this kit.
Their website claims "Industry leading customer support" which is frankly just a big fat lie. The experience is definitely sub-par. Waiting a day or two for an initial response is completely understandable, but once support is engaged, I expect responsive replies until the problem is solved; and the problem isn't solved until the customer says "Yup, I'm all good, thanks!" But CVF doesn't do that, nor did they take the time to understand what I am saying. They just threw an answer at me, and one that doesn't make any logical sense. They make you wait that initial response delay each time you respond. It's frustrating, and doubly so when your vehicle is already in pieces, unusable, and is waiting on the conclusion of their support.
So. I would recommend the CVF intercooler and pipe kit with some caveats:
Here's that picture of the mounting problem: on the left, the un-marked picture (TS BOV on the CVF hot side pipe), on the right, same picture but with my markings: RED is the outline of the BOV, GREEN is the CVF central pillar (red and green are physically touching in this picture, without an o-ring between them -- so with an o-ring between them, the gap would be even larger), the PURPLE is the resulting gap, that is supposedly fixed via an o-ring, somewhow. The GREEN HATCH section at the top of the pillar is essentially what the machine shop cut away, which allowed the BOV to sit flush to the flange.
I ran into a problem with the pipe kit.
If you are thinking about using this pipe kit from CVF (Part # CVF 1921AEXPICKIT, this is specific to the 2020 version, that has a BOV flange), before you get stuck in with the install, make sure the BOV you want to use fits on the boss. Mine did not (which I didn't discover until halfway through, which is about the worst time).
The issue is this: the Turbosmart BOV center pillar thing is solid, it does not move up on a spring like the OEM one. When I put the BOV on the flange, it would not sit flush with the mounting surface. (I'll post an image at the bottom of the issue.) This happened because the mounting surface on the flange of the CVF pipe was too tall. It was taller than the stock one by a little over 2mm. And because the center section of the TS is solid, you can't push it down any more. There is physical interference. Even with the o-ring removed from the central pillar, it was nowhere close to sitting flush. So before you start the install,
A note on the stock BPV -- it would sit flush on the CVF pipe kit, but it did so only because the center section is what moves up and down to vent. What this means is that if you installed the OEM BPV, the center section would already be "lifted" by about half, and I have no idea what the OEM electronics would make of this. I don't know if it would sense that the BPV is "stuck open" or something. When mounted on the OEM pipe, the OEM BPV center section was not "lifted" at all.
CVF Support
Support was pretty terrible. I sent them an email on Sat explaining the issue, with details and pictures. They responded Monday around lunch time, which was fine, but told me the issue is with the Turbosmart BOV, and not their pipe -- which was NOT fine. (This is the same BOV they sell on their site along with the kit, by the way.) Their support claimed it was that the o-ring was not large enough on the top -- again, look at the picture I posted here...a larger-oring is supposed to take up that gap? What about the gap between the bolt hole and threads? Obviously, the issue is that the pipe was made incorrectly -- the central pillar mount is just too high for the flange. It's as simple as that. And no set of o-rings is going to correct that, and it's certainly not Turbosmart's fault -- I tested the TS BOV on the OEM pipe. It fit perfect.
So I immediately replied to their email saying how I don't believe they are correct in their assessment of the issue, and specifically why I thought that, and how I should move forward to get this issue corrected. I didn't hear back until the end of the day the following day. So the Explorer say for another full day while I waited for support to get back to me. IMO, this is unacceptable. I contacted them with an issue, and it felt like they assumed the issue was resolved by their single email, despite the fact that I replied within 15 min of receiving their 1st email. Their second email continued with the claim that the o-ring was the problem and has resolved the issue (I can't possibly see how and besides, it doesn't help me right now), and that if I want, I can return the pipes. However, until they revise the pipe, they can't do anything except tell me to run the OEM BPV. So I gave up. It's beyond clear that there was a measurement/jigging issue with the pipe, with the mounting flange and central pillar at an incorrect height to each other. And sitting here with the truck in the garage -- my daily driver -- in pieces, sending the pipes back for a refund wasn't really going to help. What I wanted them to do was send me a new pipe, with the correct pillar to flange height. But they didn't offer it, and because communication was so poor and slow, I said eff it. I couldn't wait anymore, I need my truck back on the road.
My Solution
So what I did was take my CVF hot pipe, the OEM pipe, and the TS BOV to a machine shop. Showed them the issue, which they immediately understood the problem to be what I am describing here, and nothing to do with any o-ring on the TS BOV. They chucked the CVF pipe into one of their machines, and removed material from the central pillar. And guess what. The TS BOV fits now! As does the OEM one, without "lifting." The machine shop was able to turn the job around same day.
TL;DR
At the end of the day, everything is back together and working. No issues. The quality of the CVF parts seems really good. The issue is they jigged the hotside BOV mounting part wrong before welding (or just measured wrong?), so make sure you test fit before tearing your truck down if you are going to do this. Otherwise, no issue with the kit. Minor complaint is that they don't include instructions, so you have to waste some time playing the guessing game with which clamps go where -- it's annoying and it would be super easy for them to provide a legend. But they don't for some reason. You have to watch an HSF (not even affiliated) video to see how to install this kit.
Their website claims "Industry leading customer support" which is frankly just a big fat lie. The experience is definitely sub-par. Waiting a day or two for an initial response is completely understandable, but once support is engaged, I expect responsive replies until the problem is solved; and the problem isn't solved until the customer says "Yup, I'm all good, thanks!" But CVF doesn't do that, nor did they take the time to understand what I am saying. They just threw an answer at me, and one that doesn't make any logical sense. They make you wait that initial response delay each time you respond. It's frustrating, and doubly so when your vehicle is already in pieces, unusable, and is waiting on the conclusion of their support.
So. I would recommend the CVF intercooler and pipe kit with some caveats:
- You check the fitment of the BOV before you start taking your vehicle apart.
- You don't need support for anything, because based on my experience they will be usesless.
- Given that there are other, good kits available for roughly the same price, I would have expected a little more attention to detail here (such as a clamp guide and installation instructions)
Here's that picture of the mounting problem: on the left, the un-marked picture (TS BOV on the CVF hot side pipe), on the right, same picture but with my markings: RED is the outline of the BOV, GREEN is the CVF central pillar (red and green are physically touching in this picture, without an o-ring between them -- so with an o-ring between them, the gap would be even larger), the PURPLE is the resulting gap, that is supposedly fixed via an o-ring, somewhow.
The GREEN HATCH section at the top of the pillar is essentially what the machine shop cut away, which allowed the BOV to sit flush to the flange.Attachments
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