Anyone have any opinions on Banks Power?

 

Expensive....most people here put together comparable or better set-ups for less money and get a system that they are happier with....yes you get a high-quality product, but you also pay for the name....like buying a Rolls Royce over a american made luxury car....both are top-notch, but you pay for a name....

 

O-VER RATED...!

 

What would anyone recommend? I was looking at the “Get-Kit” for my ’95 manual Tranny.

I was also going to add EGT & Boost gaugess

 

everyone on here... almost... will tell you... get GUAGES FIRST..! and they are right... even set up stock you need to be able to monitor egts at least.. tranny temp for auto trannys... and the boost guage is nice to have.... so guys say it is just to look at, but i actually USE mine... it tells me, (by how much boost i am getting), how far i can run my accelorator pedal down before it will downshift when i am towing... not needed for a stick shift, but VERY usefull for us auto tranny guys...

next, the kwik filter, or the ford AIS severe duty intake system... then exhaust... you can get a real nice ss exhaust for a lot less than the $800 plus that Banks is gonna charge you... then you get a tuner or a chip to up the hp and torque...! you can do all this stuff for less than you would spend on the exhaust and tranny tuner from banks...

 

I Got a quote of just over $600 (<$625) for the Get-Kit delivered. It includes a re-programmable module and the down pipe. Is that to much?


Don't laugh at me. And I don't have a big ol' money tree in the back yard. I'm just new at this "Hot Rod Diesel" stuff.

I do need these trucks to be reliable. I use them to make money to buy more things for them.

Yes. I am going to get guages first. Well second. I already run K&N air filters on all my vehicles.
<o =""></o>

 

guages: pyro, tranny temp, boost, & 3 pod A-pillar mount $330
Kwik filter: less than $20 from fleetfilter.com, (plus shipping)
Walker BTM, (bit truck muffler): $57 shipped from blackclouddiesel.com
Two Valve Boost Fooler: $39 shipped from blackclouddiesel.com
Predator Tuner: $400 shipped from motorhaven.com

this is my list so far, (the walker BTM and the Boost fooler are on the way),

total cost = $846

having a psd that runs, tows, and shifts like it's supposed to = PRICELESS....!

now consider this... my mule with my mods vs. your mule with git kit and tranny kit

me on 40hp tow tune vs you = we probably run neck and neck...
me on 60hp perf/economy tune = i probably pull away from you pretty easy
me on 85hp street perf tune = i will beat you off the line, down the line, and at the end of the line
me on the 100hp xtreme tune = you beat me, why..? because i'm sitting on the line with my tires going up in smoke...!

just some food for thought...!

 

Why use a boost fooler?

 

stock turbo setup = about 17 lbs. of boost
unplug the wastegate actuator, (nice free mod) = 21-23 lbs. of boost
add a kwik filter and a tuner = 25 lbs + of boost...!
and we all know boost = power...!

now the problem... if the map sensor sees more than 25 lbs of boost it will defuel the motor..!
the solution.... a dual valve boost fooler that prevents the map from seeing more than 22 lbs. of boost...

 

first... get rid of the k&n filters... they are known for NOT sealing well in the stock air box and letting lots of dirt into the turbo... bad bad bad....

second... you don't get any more power out of a bigger exhaust... the ONLY way to get more power is to inject more fuel.... you need a chip or a tuner to do that...

guages let you monitor your engine and tranny.
intake and exhaust flow more air so when you inject more fuel and make more power, and heat, your exhaust gas temps don't go to high because of the increased airflow....

welcome to diesel mods 101 and the beggining of the "you've got a lot to learn" school... don't feel bad... i'm just learning to... it's just that i have a few months head start on you...!

 

Johnny8, where'd you pick up your "boost fooler" at? Also, does anyone know the max boost you can have before you start breaking things? Seems like you're having some major traction problems...what kind of tires are you running?

 

i got the twin valve setup from blackclouddiesel... i don't know about max psi.. but lots of guys in this forum report 30 psi can be reached... i don't think too many of them reccomend that for prolong periods of time...

as for my tires.. they are All-terrain type, and two sizes larger than stock... the only traction problems occur when i have 100 extra hp and 200 extra foot pounds of torque, then i try to launch from a dead stop... too much power for ANY tire if there is an empty bed sitting above them... trust me, you don't know the kind of power your mule can make till you start making 25+ lbs of boost...! But beware the "dark side"...!

 

Hmm, I think I'm going to buy this dual valve setup from BCD...but wanted to ask a few questions... For my boost gauge I'm currently running the T-tap in the MAP line and can I just take the T-Tap out and put the dual relief valve thing in place of that? Then I will tap into the intake system after the turbo to go to my boost gauge. No wonder I was getting only 15 psi with the T-Tap....Also is that Boost Tube that BCD is selling the same thing as just plugging the vacuum line with a bolt?

 

well i can tell you this, i was in your shoes a few months back. i just got my truck and wanted reliable power w/ out getting her too hot or sacraficing any longevity or mileage.

also i am a mechanic but a freshman @ diesels. so i bought my kit from banks because they were very knowledgeable and would stand behind their products.
but now i have been on FTE for almost a year, i have learned alot about mods and the safe way to do it. knowing what i know now mostly from experience putting in my stinger plus and alot of links and research on FTE and other links i would piece together a faster kit and for a few hundred bucks less too! i would also have a full 4" exhaust instead of a 3.5" tail. which is okay but i could get more for a bit less cash.
if you are new and want to get good quality parts from one place then yes get it from banks. but i would piece together my own now that i know more about it and where to get the good stuff.

do alot of searching and pricing 1st and make sure you get parts that you can add to if you want to later on. instead of throwing away stuff that you only used for a short time.
DP and gauges is the best place to start.

 

hey johnny8, i got a banks stinger plus and only hit 20psi once in a while. so do you think i may have a leak?? i sealed all the gauge lines and fittings, and checked them w/soapy water while putting 30psi to the map end of it. so it is not that. wondering if one of the boots may be seeping a bit. i saw a cool tool to check for leaks w/ made out of 4"pvc and an air chuck on BCD. think i should hit more than 20psi?? i do, from what i am reading hear.

EDIT:


i do not think that his '95 has a wastegate, my 96 does not either. did they have them on the pre-OBDII trucks??