Ideal FSD Re-location

[joescj5]

All right, my FSD appears to have taken the famous dump on me. I have ordered a cooler, FSD and extension cable. Now I want all your opinions on the best mounting places for it.

Basically I hear three main ideas.

1. Behind the drivers side headlight in front of the battery box.

2. On the front skidplate.

3. In the cab.

What's your ideal location and why? I've done some searches but I haven't really found much debate or many reports on longevity of different mounting locations. Perhaps it may be best to post up with: Location of FSD, Miles since relocating, and intensity of driving conditions.

Right now I am leaning towards the skidplate 1st, and in the cab 2nd. Let us all know what your experiences are.

[Burning Oil]

I like the pass side hole in bumper. Just get it out of engine compartment or it will run hotter than if you leave it on IP. The guys selling the blue heat sinks on ebay that mount on the intake are doing a big DISservice to there customer.

[joescj5]

[QUOTE=Burning Oil;219419]I like the pass side hole in bumper. QUOTE]

How many miles have you ran yours with tha config? Towing? Hills? Ambient temp? Post up and hopefully we can start to compare relative effectiveness of the different mounting locations.

[DA BIG ONE]

I have three 2 of which are remote, 1 at leading lower edge of driverside wheel well vertical fins facing forward into airstream, then 1 mounted horizontal at lower trailing edge of frt bumper plate in airstream.

[stingthieves]

I have three 2 of which are remote, 1 at leading lower edge of driverside wheel well vertical fins facing forward into airstream, then 1 mounted horizontal at lower trailing edge of frt bumper plate in airstream.

I have often wondered and now I have a juncture in life to ask!!! Do you have extension harness on both remotes - or what do you cover the naked plugs with when one or the other is not in service? do you regularly use both remotes? one one week or month then the other?

[Kennedy]

I have two locations pictured on my web site. In front or the headlight works very well for me and now with my new KD Cooler (not yet pictured on site) this location will work better than ever as the now orient vertically.

I know it's a lot of $$$, but believe me when I tell you that intercooling reduces underhood temps SO much you wouldn't believe it. My 96 (to the best of my knowledge) still has the same unit that I installed on the inner fender well several years back...

[Robyn]

I will second the motion that the upper air plenum mounting spot is a bad plan.
I have one down on the under side of the front pan using a 6 ft harness.
The DaHoooooley was relocated by someone to the air plenum upper area on a finned cooler but that is going to change soon.

I may move it inside the cab with a small fan on it or it may go out front of the LH battery.

The issue is not really where but rather to any place away from the heat.
Also I would say keep it from places that regularly get wet.

I have even seen these things mounted on the outside of the front skid pan. :eek:

This is an electronic device and needs to be afforded some protection.

One of our members has his inside the truck with a little computer fan on it. :)

You can get about as creative as you like. I have seen one mounted to a custom heat sink that was clamped to the AC accumulator canister over on the RH side of the truck.

I think probably any of the offerings here are good so its up to you to decide.

Bottom line "LOW HEAT AREA"

Underhood temps can reach some suprising levels especially during the summer.

One final note, I have mused over the idea of mounting my heat sink in such a way that the sucker is accessable easily so "IF" the PMD takes a poop I can get to it even if the weather or other conditions are nasty.

My current heat sink on the DaHooooley has enough room for two PMDs. :D Yup mount a second (Possibly a good used one) as a backup. Quick switch of the plug and "On The Road Again"

Robyn

[j_k_auto]

From what I read and seems to work great is behind the bumber. Alot of guys that mounted it there have very few to none fail yet. I myself went with a online site that has a 7 yr warrenty and had none fail yet if I am right. His sit behind the bumber area. I did not want to worry about this going bad for as long as I own the truck. Along the roadside just sucks. that impo. It also is weather proof...lol . To bad I only got to use it for 2 weeks before I took my engine out. Now it is sitting in my garage hopefully someone will buy this soon.

[javadog]

Burning- what do you mean passenger side hole in bumper? Where? Did you make a hole?
Can you get a picture up of that? I thought you said that any location in the compartment
would be hotter than on the IP. Help a mechanically challenged brother out.

[DA BIG ONE]

I have often wondered and now I have a juncture in life to ask!!! Do you have extension harness on both remotes - or what do you cover the naked plugs with when one or the other is not in service? do you regularly use both remotes? one one week or month then the other?


Have 2 extended harnesses 1 from JK the other from Heath w/cover at end of one not used. Had occasion to switch when I had thought it went bad, Heath replaced it and after close examination found the unit to be good then told me my IP is going south. Got another 6k out before pump started throwing code for mechanical failure to internal cam ring.

Overkill? Perhaps but I'll not be stuck for pump driver failure............................

[stingthieves]

Overkill? Perhaps but I'll not be stuck for pump driver failure............................

I see the ARB locker on your front end in sig line?? Why not just put in a spool and use lock unlock feature of the stock front end? Save the money and put an ARB in the rear end?

[DA BIG ONE]

I see the ARB locker on your front end in sig line?? Why not just put in a spool and use lock unlock feature of the stock front end? Save the money and put an ARB in the rear end?

Hine sight always being 20/20 there are lots of mods I should have thought out before doing them.

As for a spool don't think there is one for the frt/ifs diff, I'm not sure it would work anyway w/NP246 autotrac t-case. With the ARB I get a fair amount binding of steering in all settings when front diff is engaged and not locked. Whats great w/ locker is I have yet to use milemarker during my off road treks in extreme remote areas............

Think the biggest waste of $$$$ was gear change out, should have stuck w/4.10's

[94 at Large]

I think the best place is probably anywhere outside the engine bay. In my case, however, I did not have a long enough extension to accomplish that so ended up mounting it on the firewall. I boxed it in, ducted fresh air (via two scoops) and added a fan for after shutdown and stop/go traffic. Has been in place roughly 3+ years now and so far has perfromed well. I will say that these things get plenty hot and quickly. On 90F plus days it will range between 120-130 at highway speed. When backing a trailer into place it will quickly exceed 160 if the fan is not used.

[Stratosurfer]

I have mounted my FSD cooler behind my bumper 'in the middle' of the bumper, as in directly behind the license plate. I gave up the direct air blast cooling to gain protection from the typically torrential Texas rainstorms I frequent. I have found nothing over about 6 degrees above ambient after some hard runs and then idling at a stop for a while.
I know the connector on my harness extension is super high quality, I just didn't want it basically semi-submerged in a direct rain situation.
Happy so far.

BTW: Anyone tried an off the shelf PC CPU Heatpipe cooler. They are extremely efficient and are only about $30 shipped to you on E-Bay. You would need 12V for the fan; that shouldn't be an issue. I think that set up behind the middle of the front bumper would really keep the PMD super cool and protected from the elements. Not sure how that Heatpipe cooler would hold up to diesel engine vibration: they only cost $30 however...
MBM

[DA BIG ONE]

I've went to extremes on one driver cooler setup thinking the elements would be an issue by sealing everything in silicone sealant then had another setup at same time w/o any additional protection.

Both setups exposed to extreme desert heat, submerged while fording, salt spray, extreme winter, flooding, rain and more rain..............


Findings: Unsealed setup eventually produced corroded screws. Suggest a bead of sealant at edge of fsd and cooler, dab of sealant at each screw pocket and back of cooler where screw holes end.

[joescj5]

I've seena lot of good tips so far. I think I have come up with my plan. I will mount my FSD and heat sink to the interior side of the skid plate. Basically I am going to sandwich the FSD between the heat sink and the skid plate.

Advantages:
Out of engine bay
Protected from direct exposure to elements
After cleaning and adding heat paste the skid plate will also act as a heat sink

Key tips:
Seal FSD from moisture (without inhibiting heat flow to sinks)
I'll probably hit the transsitor nuts with some red loc-tite


Now I'm just waiting for my new FSD :mad: