JIT

4 years ago (before I became a memebr here and purchased my truck) my best friend decided to start modding his 98.5 24v. We went down to the local Diesel Performance shop and they talked him into the Banks products. He went with the whole Banks Kit... Intake, Exhaust, Quickspool Turbo housing, Bighead wastegate, Chip and High Ram intake. It was supposed to add like 250hp and we couldnt wait to get it installed.

The three days waiting for it to arrive were the longest three days of his life. Even I was excited for him. The day they arrived we ran down there to pick them up and get them installed. We waisted no time and did everything to the book. It took us all day and everything looked really nice!

We took it for a test drive and went through the settings. Something seemed wrong. It did have more power but it certainly didnt feel like 250hp. We went back to the shop and had them look it over. Everything was perfect! Just wasnt performing like we expected. Put it on the Dyno and got just over 300hp. I guess thats not bad for $3000 worth of Banks parts!

When I bought my truck I knew better and did more research on the Subject. I Purchased the Edge Juice w/att when it came out and added a BHAF & Holley Blue. I spent less than $900 and my truck was much stronger than his. He ended up selling everything except the High Ram intake and picked up an Edge Comp Box and some injectors. He couldnt be happier!

J Lent

How could he be happier with all the new found smoke that the Edge provides? I laugh every time that I see Banks on tv or in magazines ever since my friend said "Look who's on tv, doesn't he remind you of Mr. Mackey on South Park, every time that you see him on tv he says "Smoke is Bad". I hear Mr. Mackey's voice every time that I hear Gale "Smoke is BAD".

halerazor

every interview he does about the worlds fastest duramax he makes it a point that it didn't smoke. he says we need to start making power without the smoke and that we can buy the same parts that he uses. i have yet to see him offer the 3lbs nitrous kit that he used to make that run. if everyone used a 50/50 mix of diesel and nitrous we wouldn't smoke either. but of course he fails to mention that in his interviews. sorry he just rubs me the wrong way mitchell,piers,haisley and schied are the real pioneers of diesel performance.

J Lent

Yeah I agree, "That is Bad!" because "Drugs are bad!"

one54ton

i think something is up with that test. ive seen dmaxs with just the ppe hot +2 run MID 13s!

stuckey200224

bottom line is there stuff works exactly like they say it will. but there are cheaper ways to make the same or more power. but it may smoke some.

JIT

"Smoke is Bad Mmmkay"

Lil Dog

Yup, the PPE is just all out fuel on the DM's.. Truely nasty, something like over 280Hp on one tune.. Nutz...

You could "tune" out the smoke with EFILive. Be your own Bank$..LOL...

J Lent

You'll think of that every time that you see Banks now. Trust me. Mmmkay.

Crimedog

I'm going to think of that every time I see Banks, and I'm going to think of Banks everytime I see South Park. That's an awesome analogy

J Lent

Mmmkay.

cougar1559

Everyone seems to tee hee and tah hah here about smoke. Smoke is unburned fuel. Ya'll are correct about the pre-electronic diesels. Ya gotta smoke to produce power in a mechanically timed engine. Having said that, with an electronic engine (04.5 and beyond) it is a very different world. If you are smoking, there is a good chance that your fuel timing is advanced to the point that the cylinder is getting sprayed so early that it is actually reducing your HP. If you have severe rattle at WOT you are injecting too early. If you have no rattle and are smoking you need more air. (boost) Keep in mind that I am only interested in getting from point A to point B as quickly as possible. The only thing I haul is butt!
There is a lot of chatter about Banks. I am driving a 04.5 that I bought used with all sorts of issues. The truck is now quiet, stock tires, and stock height and a 3:73 gear. No stickers or badges. It is a true 0-60 in 5 seconds street sleeper. The only thing that gives it away is the 5 inch stainless turn down at the back bumper.
If ya wanna fill some unsuspecting car with the windows down full of soot, my approach is not for you. But if ya wanna haul butt from light to light, try the Banks 6/SL with a Quad boost fooler. Very little smoke, 40 lbs of boost on a mechanical gauge, and 16.8 mpg in the city.

BTW if you are sick of Cummins drone with a 5 inch system, put a 5 inch Magnaflo cat back on it with a 5 inch X 50 inch Donaldson muffler. You have to be making tons of HP for this exhaust to even be seen on a dyno.

John_P

---------------------------------------
VERY GOOD POST halerazor!! I agree with you 100%!

While some of what DTR Member cougar1559 says about smoke etc. is right on,..... Banks and his "mistruths and wild smoke claims" are pure BULL!!!!

Like you said halerazor, for Banks to get "NO SMOKE" he is spraying the HECK out of that engine with nitrous and I have personally seen it at various drag race events across this country! And, he has blown several 6.6 Duramax Engines doing it! Of course, he doesn't mention that either!! And, even with all the nitrous on his Banks Rail Dragster he STILL has not matched Dan Scheid's E.T.'s on his Scheid Diesel Rail Dragster!! So what are we are talking about here?? Alot of "talk and NO ACTION" from Mr. Banks. But, this old news..............

Personally, you will NEVER see a Banks Product on any of my trucks!!

---------
John_P

Fibrestar

Smoke is bad... He's right those big smoking tractor pullers don't make any horse power... LOL..

I have a 1st gen and I went all Banks but this was back in the dark ages.. it was expensive at that time! The intercooler still works just fine, The exhuast is long gone... And I paid Banks way to much for the 14cm turbo housing. I had no internet back then sooooo. I gained about 30hp.. ha ha.. I at least can merge into traffic!! LOL
It can be done for cheaper for sure! The thing that beats my dick is that when I bought it I asked what happens in 10 years and my exhuast goes bad, or the intercooler gets a hole.. basicly what if I need replacement parts?? They said they have been around for a long time and they will be around a long time... fast forward to today and nothing is made for first gen Dodge Cummins from Banks (not that I needed anything)..