Last month I spent quite a bit of time justifying my decision to put a Banks kit on my truck. In case you forgot, I just bought a new-to-me 2001 Dodge Ram and wanted to give it the diesel equivalent of a Red Bull.

The beauty of a Banks System is that it is, in the very essence of the term, a true bolt-on system. If you have the tools, and pulling the transmission out of your rig doesn’t intimidate you, then this is definitely a project that can be done in the comfort of your own garage. And for those of you that take great pride in refilling the turn signal fluid, well, Banks also has a full-service shop and for a small fee, will do the installation for you.

Now, I know how to change the oil and I’ve fixed a flat and worked on a truck’s suspension, but for this, I decided to let the experts handle the install.

So, first to come off the truck is the restrictive factory exhaust, the stock turbine outlet and the turbo. Once these parts and pieces are out of the way, the exhaust manifold is drilled and tapped to accommodate the new EGT (exhaust gas temperature) sensor which will allow me to monitor real-time temps.

The turbo is bolted back into place with the new Quick-Turbo assembly and then the next cool piece of equipment is added – the Banks Brake/Power Elbow assembly. This assembly not only adds powerful engine-braking, but also gives the truck a true, 4-inch exhaust from stem to stern. Don’t worry though, if you’re on a budget and want to forgo the Braking System, Banks lets you have your 4 inches throughout by offering the Monster Power Elbow by itself.

If you were doing this in your driveway (more power to you!), now is when you would bolt on the Monster Exhaust System. Despite its name, there’s not too much that’s scary about this – because yes, it really does bolt on – no welding required. A 5” polished stainless steel exhaust tip is the finishing touch.

Moving back to the engine compartment, the stock air inlet is replaced with Bank’s High-Ram Intake Manifold. The over-sized intake allows for increased engine response and better fuel efficiency.

Since we all know that more air means more power, the factory air filter is also switched out and is replaced with the Banks version which is a reusable, serviceable air filter that even comes with a service kit.

Next on the replacement list is the Banks Billet Torque Converter. The transmission comes out for this one, and the stock converter gets replaced with the new Banks Converter, which handles all the added power that will be going through the transmission. The Banks converter has a multi-disc torque converter clutch with three friction surfaces, compared to the stock unit’s single friction surface. The furnace-brazed turbine fins, the hardened turbine hub and pump drive, and the forged-steel billet front cover all make for one heavy duty torque converter.

With the transmission out of the way, the SmartLock Transmission Controller is also installed. The SmartLock works hand and hand with the Banks Brake by activating the lock-up clutch and increasing line pressure ensuring the lock-up clutch does not slip under engine braking. The SmartLock also prevents transmission fluid temperatures from rising during braking..

With all the bolt-on, clamp-on items taken care of, next is the wiring of the Banks Brake, SmartLock, and the “brains” of the system, the Ottomind Diesel Tuner. The tuner allows all the new airflow improvements to work in harmony with the Cummins electronics by calibrating fuel delivery and injection timing to maintain the proper air-fuel ratio.

The Ottomind even safeguards the engine with Banks AutoRate programming, which adjusts the Cummins power output to a safe level for prevailing conditions. No worrying about over boost, no out of hand EGT’s and, although unlikely, if there was a malfunction with the Ottomind, the system self-monitors and will automatically return to the factory default settings. Seriously, what did they do before this?????

The wiring is pretty straight-forward and once the connections are made from the Ottomind Diesel Tuner, SmartLock Transmission Controller and the Computerized Brake Controller to the factory wire harness, all that’s left is the installation of the gauges (boost and EGT). Banks offers the popular pillar mount, but I prefer to be a little more subtle. I had the guages mounted down low behind the transfer case shifter (easy for the only person that needs to see them). The on/off switch for the Banks Brake goes next to the trailer brake control and although it’s within easy reach of the drivers seat, I’m guessing it will be in the “on” position most of the time.

If you have the tools and the time, the whole system is fairly easy to install (except for you blinker-fluid changing guys!). The directions that come with the kit are straight-forward and complete – you won’t be left with a handful of nut and bolts wondering if you should run out and play the lottery because it’s your lucky day. And should you get stuck, Banks has a 800-number tech line that will get you back on track with the install, or help you trouble-shoot if needed before, during and after the installation.

The next time you hear from me will be a month from now and we’ll see how everything above translates into the real world and what you’re really getting when you add Banks to your big Dodge. I can hardly wait…

Resource:

Banks Power
Gale Banks Engineering
546 Duggan Avenue
Azusa, California 9170
800.601.8072
http://www.bankspower.com/