Re-engineering My Banks Cold Air Intake

[Dieselboy]

Okay, so I've been less than thrilled with the intake that Banks offers. My main gripe is that the airbox sits too close the the battery, making servicing terminals a tough job for fear of grounding against it. Secondly, the filter only has about 115 in.2 of surface area, and is shaped and positioned in such a way that it get's filled with dirt in just a few thousand miles. I could clean my filter at nearly every oil change; it's just not big enough. I guess I'll have to build my own.

MP's articles on the AFE intakes inspired me to adapt a similar system to my turbo 6.2L. So the plan is this:
</font> Build a sheetmetal barrier where the passenger battery is now - ~$15 sheet from Lowe's</font></font> House a big AFE inverted top filter there - $65 on the internet (200 in.2! SA)</font></font> Move the battery back where the radiator overflow is on the fender using a newly fabbed battery tray - $10 tray from LMC + scrap metal lying around</font></font> Move the overflow bottle to under the filter housing - ~$10 for a new bottle since mine is old and cracked</font></font> 3" or 4" tubing for all the intake stuff depending on space limitations - FREEBIE!!!</font>
I'll make cardboard models first, take measurements, and share the design with whoever wants it.

Pictures to come! :D

[grape]

I need to send you some new pics of my monster for your website. We are getting closer.... :D

[Dieselboy]

Fire away. I've been wondering how that thing has been coming along.

[doncannon]

Hi dieselboy and grape,

Could I get those pics too!
Thanks in advance,
Don

[andyritter]

Dieselboy, that's a worthwhile project!
I bought a second filter element from Banks (can't get it anywhere else) for about $55 so I could swap and clean. At that rate your deal would almost be paid for. Have you considered the effect it may have on the CDR valve? Probably an improvement if yours is like mine - sucking oil into the filter making matters worse.
I look forward to hearing about your progress.

Andy

[jcomp]

I am also interested in this. However, I do find the banks air box handy to sit on when I'm crawling around on my engine. smile.gif

[Dieselboy]

Update:

While watching some football over Thanksgiving, I built a cardboard model of the AFE filter. I chose to use the filter that comes for the Dmax, and has the inverted top. Dimensions are: 8" dia. base, 7" dia. top, 8" length, 4" intake, inverted top - approx. total filter surface area = 200 sq. in.

The "filter" - Built primarily to make sure that the full size 8" length filter will fit, so now I will order one.
http://www.oliverdiesel.com/images/afeintake/filtermodelsm.jpg

A 3" to 4" 90 degree transition sourced from a wrecked T444E Navistar motor. This is really what 's going to make this project easy, and it retails for about $50. FREEBIE!!!
http://www.oliverdiesel.com/images/afeintake/transition3sm.jpg
http://www.oliverdiesel.com/images/afeintake/transition2sm.jpg

And here's a general mockup of how things are going to work. I'll pick up a sheet of 22 ga steel, and start fabbing the box. The light is a little poor, but you can get the general idea.
http://www.oliverdiesel.com/images/afeintake/mockup1.jpg

That's all for now. Finals are rounding the corner, and that's going to consume most of my time for the next couple of weeks.

Some more pics:
http://www.oliverdiesel.com/images/afeintake/

[Dieselboy]

Not much real progress aside from a few more parts have come in. I ordered a full replacement LH battery tray from LMC. I will cut out the tray part for the relocation of the battery, and the frame will provide the mounting structure for the airbox.

I hope to have all this together and running soon since I am towing a trailer in about a week, and the new filter setup would be nice. I hope the filter gets here in time.

New stuff:
http://www.oliverdiesel.com/images/afeintake/lhbatterytray.jpg

[Dieselboy]

The filter arrived, and I did a little bit of work on relocating the battery tray. It's a little late, and I'm getting a little bleary-eyed - killer final this morning.

AFE:
http://www.oliverdiesel.com/images/afeintake/dmaxafe.jpg

Sectioned battery tray:
http://www.oliverdiesel.com/images/afeintake/sectionedbatterytray.jpg

Preliminary positioning - notice the precision leveling devices:
http://www.oliverdiesel.com/images/afeintake/prelimbatteryposition.JPG

[cschneider]

Dieselboy, right there with you! I'm doing an abs box and safari snorkel but haven't had time with work and finals. Will post with pics when done.

[Dieselboy]

Done! Here's a quick before and after. Time for sleep.

http://www.oliverdiesel.com/images/afeintake/before.jpg
http://www.oliverdiesel.com/images/afeintake/after.jpg

[john8662]

Nice job!

Will there be a top cover for the air box to keep engine temps out of the box?

Have you noticed any more boost or performance gains with the new air filter, being quite a bit more flow?

[Dieselboy]

I used a piece of rubberized foam garage door sealer on top of the box to seal against the hood. I may built a top for it down the line.

The biggest difference is the noise that comes through the filter. To quote MP, the TE06H "really sings."

EGTs seem to be about 50-75 degrees lower depending on speed, but I haven't been running this setup long enough to make a conclusion. Boost hasn't changed, but is more responsive. There is a bit more power accompanied by a bit less smoke on acceleration.

The Banks filter clogged quickly, and the triangle shaped filter with low surface area became very restrictive in the small airbox. This is upgrade is done in the hopes of increasing efficiency, but more power is okay, too.