Banks Power is well known for their gasoline and diesel performance products, so we knew that scheduling a tech shoot on their turf for this, our heavy-duty issue, would up the power and torque levels of our project F-350. The Power Stroke 6.0L diesel engine in our '03 Ford F-350 is already a beast capable of heavy towing, hauling, and enduring daily driven abuse, but Banks has a power parts lineup that would tremendously increase the truck's overall performance and efficiency.
On top of the pile of goods that were to be installed by Banks' installation technician, Kevin, was the Techni-Cooler intercooler system, which is far superior to the stock system as it features 31/2-inch mandrel-bent, high-flow boost tubes and all-aluminum end tanks, which are vast improvements over the plastic OEM parts. The beefy High-Ram intake manifold also serves as a great passageway for a higher volume of cool, dense airflow. The hearty helping of oxygenated air that the Techni-Cooler offers improves combustion and engine efficiency in the form of increased fuel economy and higher continuous power at any given exhaust gas temperature. Also helping with cool, steady airflow is Banks' Ram-Air intake, which delivers a smooth, aerodynamic path for air to travel to the throttle-body without sharp, restricting corners or bends.
Now that cooler air was flowing in at such a rapid pace underneath the hood, allowing that air to escape through the exhaust system just as quickly is key to experiencing optimum performance. Banks' Monster Exhaust system features 4-inch stainless steel piping and a straight-through muffler that offers up to 911/2-percent better flow than the stock exhaust. To top off our Ford's power upgrade package, Banks' Six-Gun tuner was brought in to calibrate the F-350's newly found horsepower and torque. Not only does the Six-Gun tuner boast gains up to 115 hp and 206 lb-ft of torque on its own, it also offers six on-the-fly power levels (seven with the optional PowerPDA) that can tune injector pulse width, timing, and fuel pressure.
Watch as Kevin from Banks takes our Super Duty's Power Stroke diesel engine to a higher level of engine performance and everyday function.
The first piece of our power...
The first piece of our power puzzle to be assembled was the Banks Techni-Cooler system, which comes complete with the necessary boost tubes, hoses, and hardware.
Kevin, Banks' talented install...
Kevin, Banks' talented install technician, began the installation of the Techni-Cooler by first prying the plastic pushpins from the upper radiator air deflector...
...then pulling the assembly...
...then pulling the assembly out completely.