I just installed a banks kit on my 7.3 and I'm only running about 9 psi of boost Is that normal or should I be pushing more boost. Straight piped. The guy from banks told me I'd be running mid teens haven't seen 10 psi yet.. help

 

that is all you will see unless you really load it up.
at 32,000 lbs i will see between 13 and 15 lbs boost. otherwise it is under or at 10 lbs at 10,000 lbs weight.

 

My Sidewinder sits at 9.5 max on only the heaviest loads. I think you need to wire the wastegate shut if you want more than that out of them.

I am assuming, of course, that yours is wastegated!

 

7.5 - 8 psi intercooled lbs here and it's plenty for my work duties.we have steep but short hills here in Maine,so if i boost for a solid minute,im braking any local speed limit and then some.otherwise the boost gauge reads nota lol.

 

The wastegate is set for 9 or so. You can adjust it for more, or just wire it shut. I would just adjust up to around 15 or a little more, and turn up the fuel to take advantage of it.

 

Turning up the fuel screw will spool it up more but it will also melt your pistons if you're not careful. Don't go there without a pyrometer. Also, pushing a sidewinder really hard will make more pressure on the gage, but it will be out of its favorable range on the compressor efficiency map, so those psi will mostly be from heat, not density. This won't do much for you except skyrocket your egt's and upper cylinder temperatures. Even though you ~can squeeze about 20 psi out of a Banks by wiring the wastegate shut, maxing out the fuel screw and mashing your skinny pedal into the carpet, it's not advisable, and the results are nothing at all like a turbo that can flow enough air to ~efficiently make 20 lbs of boost! If you are seeing 9 lbs without totally slamming it, you are probably "there".

 

I'll second that, mine seems the best a 13, I did have the gate unhooked, but that just made my egts higher

 

That's pretty much where my non-wastegated Banks maxes out.

Mike

 

Thanks!! I run about 3 psi at 65mph and my egts stay around 600°i was just wondering if I was getting normal boost or not thanks for the tips on how to get more boost.

 

Running the highway empty, your numbers are perfect. Enjoy it!

 

Ditto, at 65 and 2000 rpms I'll sit at two or three pounds, but the power to pass is there if I romp on it.

 

I think with a new valve body from ATS and a little more fuel I'll be happy. I try not to push my truck over 900° and so far I haven't even hauling another full size truck at 55 I'm running 750 to 800° would an intercooler be a good choice? I have one but was told it would rob hp

 

i have a banks. not sure if the fuel was turned up on it when it was put on, it would run around 9lbs max unloaded. turned my fuel up one flat and the thing spools WAY quicker goes to 10 lbs now, only see about 800* tops.

havent tried it loaded, if it all goes well with the trailer ill turn it up another flat and adjust the waste gate to around 12-14.

 

I'm only able to hit high teens when towing a good load at work and that consists of of 1500gal vacuum tank system. Usually when pulling up a good hill. I do downshift and take the load off to keep from cooking the turbo, most I hit is about 900 degrees... Better than the previous driver that would take it to 1200 degrees.

 

BS. Intercooling ADDS power, it does not rob it. It can create a little bit of turbo lag, and your boost psi drops, but that is part of the physics of cooling a gas. Many owners claim adding IC is the second biggest power adder besides adding a turbo in the first place, as well as better mpg and lower egt's. Win!