Banks Power System

[Oaf]

I want to know if I should go with a Banks Power System or build it up with different companies. I have looked at the K&N air with a gibson cat-back and adding a superchip to my 2001 F-250 4x4 V10. What should I expect in terms of cost for each system?

Thanks
Greg

[webguyrich]

Greg,

IMHO I suggest going with the Banks kit. Yes it is on the expensive side, but I feel the extra money is well worth it. The entire kit is designed to work together and provide you with the performance promised by the company. All of the components are throughly tested and matched for each truck. I am running the TorqueTube system and the TransCommand from Banks and I am very satified with their product. I would have gone with their cat-back system, but I had already replaced the stock cat-back with a 3 chamber Flowmaster and 3" pipe. The faster you can move the air in and out of your truck, the more HP and torque you can make.

-Rich

[V10man]

A complete Banks Power Pack system can be had for about $1350. What ever you do don't buy directly from Banks. As far as seperate prices this is a rough estimate.

Headers $550-$1000
Cat-Back $350-$500
K&N $40-$250
Chip $240-$400

[JohnRoss]

95 F260 Powerstroke, EO4D overdrive, 4.10 gears.

Put in an ATS 4" CAT back exhaust plus 3 B&D downpipe. Drove it 10 miles and then put a 50hp/105lb torque chip, K&N air filter in it. Comes on strong 1300 to 2300 rpm. Sounds good!

I next installed (Jeff and myself) a ATS inter-cooler on a Saturday afternoon. See no significant change in performance from the previous mods, in town driving (13.36 mpg). Maybe smoother accelleration. I also put in an 18000 lb tranny cooler. I was warned the extra plenum area may cause a lag in the turbo bootstrapping.

Very happy with the performance and will see next week the difference in towing my 12300 lb 5th wheel. Then I'll decide regarding a smaller turbo housing.

I prefer the ATS (Garrett) intercooler to the Banks. It sits just behind the front bumper, below the radiator. No cutting of any metal parts, just use two lockwashers on each bolt to space out the front bumper for clearance between it's mounting bolts and the inter-cooler housing. The installation is much easier to do if one removes the bumper 1st. The hardest part is routing the tubes thru the inner wheel wells and the engine compartment. You'll definitely have to trim the rubber on the fender wells and the front bumper's air deflector.

Truck makes plenty of power for city/highway driving. None of my friends believe a diesel can accellerate such a truck so fast and smoothly.

John

[Steve38]