Banks high flow intake elbow and OEM grid heater replacement

[Me78569]

The project starts as soon as I feel like braving the weather.  Main point is to prevent the OEM grid heat nut from finding it's way into cylinder 6.

 

I am not a huge Banks guy but the parts look well made and everything I need is here.  Huge thanks to @dieselautopower for the parts!

 

[AH64ID]

Any plans to bump the power to SO or HO levels with this mod and the expiring warranty? 

[Me78569]

not really the truck is peppy enough.   When it is clutch time I might consider it I guess, but a lot of " if it aint broke don't fix it" on this one.

[Me78569]

well I think it is in.   i need to let me phone charge before I can check for codes etc, but overall good.  Few minor complaints that I will document.   

[Me78569]

I was able to test the intake heater down to about 0*f today.  Truck is noticeably harder to start now, but not hard to start if that makes sense. 

 

Here is a picture of the OEM grids with 60k. 

 

Edited December 6, 2022 by Me78569

[Andyba20]

How did the bolt look? Fine? Hanging by a thread? Degraded but structurally intact? 

[Me78569]

It's hard to say.  It looks ok but the bolt is isolated by plastic which has a bit of wiggle to it.  It wasn't hanging on my a thread but I couldn't say there was no degradation.

 

 

[Hutch24v]

That's some serious soot build up. V interested in this thread. Banks gets mixed reviews and there are haters out there but I can't deny I like his data-driven approach and testing that goes into his products. As an engineer I can appreciate this. Some of their catalog is heavy on the bling but between this product and the rear diff covers are very intriguing. 

[Andyba20]

I think he makes quality stuff, just hypes and overmarkets the hell out of it…but that works with the masses. I’m more of an under promise and over deliver type of guy. 

[Me78569]

My main complaints are

 

1. the grid heater element is prob less than 1/2 the heat output compared to stock

2. the alignment of the egr cross over pipe to the EGR valve is not perfect, I did have to clamp it with the vband to get it to line up.  it is extremely minor, but still bothers me. 

3. the eg cross over cover is not able to be put back into place.  Again minor, not that I care about the plastic cover but yea.

4. the fit and finish of some of the tapped holes was not great.   

Edited December 6, 2022 by Me78569

[Andyba20]

1 hour ago, Me78569 said:

the grid heater element is prob less than 1/2 the heat output compared to stock

Does it feel like the draw is the same, just less output? Or less draw/less output?

[Me78569]

Way less draw, which might be an ok thing.  We will see how it starts when it is -40*f

[Me78569]

This morning the thermometer is reading -20*f.  Truck fully cold sitting outside started without much hassle.  Idle was a little rough for ~60 seconds then smoothed out.   I feel better about the intake heater.   

 

 

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Wow. I figured a new 4th gen would do better for starting. 

 

Even Thor (2006) starts really good with one cycle of the grid heaters. Then Beast (2002) starts good all the way to -40*F with two grid heater cycles. No rough running. 

[AH64ID]

17 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Wow. I figured a new 4th gen would do better for starting. 

 

Even Thor (2006) starts really good with one cycle of the grid heaters. Then Beast (2002) starts good all the way to -40*F with two grid heater cycles. No rough running. 

 

A cold "rough" 6.7 is still smoother than a warm and smooth 5.9... it's all relative, I know what @Me78569 meant by a little rough 

 

Cold soaked in -5° and I bypass the WTS light on my 6.7. You can tell it's cold, but it fires right up. 

[Mopar1973Man]

There is only a few 4th Gens up here the few I've been around, seem to start fairly easy. Now I need to say I know of summer time but not had one to play with yet for winter time. I just figured with the larger grid heater it would be able to start better. 

Edited December 8, 2022 by Mopar1973Man

[AH64ID]

14 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

There is only a few 4th Gens up here the few I've been around, seem to start fairly easy. Now I need to say I know of summer time but not had one to play with yet for winter time. I just figured with the larger grid heater it would be able to start better. 

 

He went to a much smaller grid heater....

[Mopar1973Man]

[Me78569]

I wanted a replacement for the OEM bolt possibly coming off in the intake, without deleting anything so my choice was the smaller Ford / GM AIH coil element.   

 

When I say the truck started a little rough it was still WAY better starting than my old 5.9, it was just rougher than with the oem  grid setup.  

[LorenS]

It's a disappointing thing that the soot buildup is a seemingly necessary evil for reduced NOx emissions. My 2005 TDI gets it bad around the EGR valve. Glad I don't own a DPF anymore - the regens on my '18 Ecodiesel drove me to sell it after only about 4 months.

Edited December 12, 2022 by LorenS
Fix typo.