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Power and Banks PowerPack/Stinger

Yahoo Message Number: 4444
Request for Info:

I have been a full-timer for four years and have owned a 2000 40 ft Allure for three of those years. My main complaint is not having enough torque (and hp) to get up long hills and maintain a reasonable speed. I have driven all over the country in three years and found that climbing long hills results in my coach slowing down to barely over 30 mph many times. I realize that while towing up a long seven percent grade the 330 Cummins engine is not going to keep the speed much above 30 mph, but most of the hills are not nearly that steep. The engine appears to be running fine and Cummins confirms that the fuel injector setting is set right for the most power. I am sure it would help if I threw out everything to reduce the weight and towed a 2,000 lb toad, but I am not willing to do that.
Do any of you with the 330 engine in an Allure or Intrigue have the same problem? Am I just going to have to get used to it?
Has anyone put the "Banks PowerPack" or "Banks Stinger" system on their engine? If so, which one? Did it improve the performance enough to justify the expense? Did you find any increase or decrease in fuel mileage? Have you encountered any problems with the system or your engine as a result of adding it.
I've been told that Stinger Package is not quite as good as the PowerPack but, might be a better choice because it requires changing fewer parts and is therefore less invasive to the engine.
I believe there are competitors to Banks out there and I would like to hear about them also.
The most important questions for anyone who has added any of these systems are: Would you do it again, and do you recommend it to your friends?

Thank you for any information/suggestions you can give me.

Gene Merryman, 2000 Allure, CC# 30496

Re: Power and Banks PowerPack/Stinger

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 4452
Hi Gene. I have Allure 30493 but mine is 36ft. I purchased it used last June and have put on about 9000 miles. It has been parked since October as I am located in western Mass looking after my 92 year old mother. I have not driven mine as much have used yours. I have not found the power problems you express although I have not gone up any really big grades yet.
I am not sure if I know what I am talking about or if I totally understand the issue of driving our diesels yet... May I ask if you leave it in automatic and let the Allison handle matters? If so that could be the issue. At the bottom of a long grade downshift to 5th and 4th or 3rd if necessary and keep the rpms around 2500 (I think). Others have described the procedure but I do have to practice it. I am not after speed perse but no one wants to crawl up at 35mph. You can go up to 2800 rpm without hurting the Allison.
However, I would not try to get alot of speed if this works because once at the top you have to confront the descent. The Pac Brake does a good job but you do want to try a gear lower than what you used going uphill. The Pac downshifts to 4th automatically. Hence if you went up in 4th I would downshift to 3d at the top...
Now, may I ask you a question? Do you have a tag axle? If not (and my 36ft is non tag) what is your GVWR and the rear axle weight rating. Also, have you ever weighed your coach? I am kicking myself now because I suddenly realized that I do not have much weight to add to the rear axle! Clothes and food should take me right to the max without any water on board at all. If this turns out to be true I will be mighty mad at myself and CC. Have you checked this out yourself? With a tag axle you should be in fine shape...
Hope I have made some sense to you.
Ah, just remembered you might be able to have your engine reconfigured by Cummins to raise it to 350 hp. It depends on characteristics of your engine. Contact Cummins online and send them your engine s/n and they can tell you. That change should not be too expensive and be much cheaper than a Banks system.
On Thu, 20 Mar 2003 14:25:35 -0500 "Martha and Gene Merryman" merryma@...> writes:

Re: Power and Banks PowerPack/Stinger

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 4455
Gene

I am curious as what your weight is and what you tow? I am preparing for retirement and plan to travel in mountain areas and am interested in making a comparison.

Jim Hughes

Jacksonville, FL
2000 Allure #30511

1999 Chev Tahoe 4WDLT soon to be toad

Re: Power and Banks PowerPack/Stinger

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 4523
I have been told that you can have a 350 "chip" installed in some 330's to pick up some power. You pay Cummins a fee and they put it in and revise your warranty. It is no go above 350 because the internal mechanism of the engine was redesiged.

HOWEVER, having 350 hp is no silver bullet "speaks the voice of experience". I have found that the way to get the maximum performance from my ISC 350 is to drive it in the "mode" setting all of the time and manipulate the buttons in order to keep the RPM between 1700 and 2300. The whole activity is complicated by the fact that the transmission is actaully a 4 speed (direct drive) with two overdrive gears --- made for economy not power. In fact the entire ISC concept was to build an electronically integrated engine and transmission that would be left in cruise control all of the time (at highway speeds) in order to produce fuel efficiency and reliability.

The gear "splits" between 5-6 versus 5-4 are tricky as they are not equivalent. If you do not shift down from 6 to 5 fast enough, you will need to hit again to get to 4.

You will overwind it a little once in a while, but Cummims says you can run them above 2500 RPM day and night wihtout hurting them! If, you pesist, you can gain a big improvement in power (torque) by always keeping the RPM above 1600-1700 when the engine is "pulling".
On the flat, let it lope along and sip (?????) fuel.

Chuck Gauthier

2000 Intrigue 11142
La Quinta, CA