Beta FSD Cooler Install questions

[additive]

Two problems encountered when trying to install the BETA FSD cooler.
Problem 1:
My 96 suburban was missing the "turbo power" engine cover when I bought it.
Now, I am trying to install the Beta FSD cooler and am wondering what kind of spacers are used. I went to the parts store and picked up the rubber spacers used on the cover itself, but they look awful short.

Problem 2:
The cooler looks like it is going to be hitting the bracket holding what appears to be something with vacuum lines on it (for the turbo?) not quite sure. Has anyone battled this?

Thanks,
Additive

[charliepeterson]

I mounted mine with two of the top intake bolts. The cooler overhangs the left side valve cover in front of the EGR solenoids.
You may have to get slightly longer intake bolts to make up for the thickness of the cooler.
I kept the harness the same length and only extended the ground wire slightly. At the time of my install, which was a few years ago now, we had a lot of discussion about the affects of extending the electrical circut pro/con. It seems that the circut really isn't affected when extended in length.

[G B Sisson]

I agree with Charlie. Mine came with 2 new bolts which are a bit longer than the stock intake manifold bolts. The 4 threaded holes for the Turbo Power cover are unused.I also had to extend only my ground wire(slit the cover on wire loom).....GB

[additive]

Thanks guys. 5 minutes later and I am all set. Despite some of the negative comments on this cooler, it looks kind of cool.

Does anyone have the torque settings for the 2 bolts?

Additive

[Kennedy]

Experience has taken me to this location for install:

http://www.kennedydiesel.com/images/FSD_cooler_remote_mount_96+.jpg


I too have seen the negative comments, and am disappointed. This is a heat sink, and not a slab of metal. Mounting down low is just as easily accomplished with this unit as any...

[additive]

Thanks JK. Interesting enough, that is where I had it temporarily mounted until last night. Maybe I will try the new location in a year or so.

[Tom C.]

I have to agree with John Kennedy. I originally mounted my cooler on the intake mainfold and began to have the hot start problems shortly after. Decided to try something so I left the cooler mounted to the intake manifold and disconnected the FSD from the pump so it was non functional. Took a short drive, came back home, grabbed ahold of the cooler and almost fried my hand. Metal conducts heat. The heat doesn't care which direction it goes. If you are mounting your coolers to a hot engine the heat will go into the cooler from the engine. Give it a try but you better be wearing welding gloves.

Tom C.

[Barry Nave]

I'm at a loss on this one. :confused:
3years ago I bought the Beta from JK and Installed on Intake.
40k later I did have to change the FSD. No BIG deal to me. :rolleyes:
My #2 is mounted with no pad just the heat type grease.
I do like the new Beta pad though and will install when time for a change comes. smile.gif

[Kennedy]

Originally posted by additive:
Thanks JK. Interesting enough, that is where I had it temporarily mounted until last night. Maybe I will try the new location in a year or so. My suggestion is to get it off the engine altogether. Beta had a WONDERFUL idea, and applied it very well to the 6.5. Problem being, no mating connectors to the FSD plug. The changing of heat sinks, condemning of the Bets unit that I've been seeing isn't doing anything different. The Beta Unit has excellent surface area, excellent corrosion resistance, and an excellent surface finish for heat transfer, it is just limited in it's ability to shed heat when we throw 250

[gmctd]

Recall seeing one of those oriental hand-held folding fans?
About the size of a 12" pencil, unfold it to 180deg, and it becomes 1/2 of a 24" diameter fan.

What does this have to do with heatsinks?

An electronic designer faces two problems in safely dissipating device heat.
1. Surface area required to handle thermal radiation
2. Available space vs required size

Based on those (and other) critera, he may determine a heatsink dimension of 12" by 24" to dissipate the thermal input into ambient temps.

Where could a plate that size be mounted in the engine bay?

Let's fold that 18" plate such that it now fits in a 10" x 5" x 2" area.

Ring any bells? Any lightbulbs flashing in the ole memory?

Measure both sides of each vertical fin, distance between, and the lengths, lay the results out so it produces a flat rectangle, and you have the effective size of BETA's heatsink.

So - Heath's plate or BETA's finned sink?

Only real difference is - what are your mounting requirements, or where do you want to mount it?

No myth, no magic - just simple physics.

[Marty Lau]

John, John, John;

I for one am not commdeming the Beta cooler itself. I think either I didn't make myself clear enough or you miss understood. I feel the unit is well made and thought out, I do condem BETA's mounting on the intake and you and I are on the same page here. Beta feels the intake mounting is an acceptable mounting, I don't and John it appears neither do you. I SCREWED up and cost MYSELF extra money by not getting an extension to remote mount the FDS cooler the first time out. ANYONE installing a FDS cooler of any brand SPEND the extra bucks to get an extension to remote mount it other wise you just throwing good money after bad. This is just an opinon that comes from guy that been around this page since the early days. Also my opinion if your going to buy a cooler and NOT buy an extension then DON'T. Spend the money to have the PMD replaced on the pump. It is my observation that a pump mounted driver lasts longer than a driver mounted on a cooler on the intake.
Can most of us agree on a couple of basics.
1. The PMD was a poor design to begin with.
2. To increase pump and PMD/FSD life a REMOTE mount of the modual is best.

I too hope that someone (Beta?) will come up with better FSD/PMD.

[Kennedy]

I have not singled out any particular poster here, or at least that was not my intention. My intention was to point out what GMCTD echoed in that changing brands of heat sinks is not the answer here. Location is the key, and even then, it seems to be a crap (pun intended) shoot...