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banks sidewinder turbo kit.....

Yeah, a complete kit in really good shape normally goes for around $1000. Food for thought though, if you don't mind a little extra work, a turbo setup from a 6.5 will also work. I am collecting parts for mine now, and with some scouring of craigslist, ebay, and local boneyards, so far I am into my setup for 160 bucks and I have all the hard parts. Depending on the year of your rig, you can switch to the shorter injectors from a van, or in my case, space the exhaust manifold out 1/4". Also if the rig has A/C the turbo will interfere with the box, but I am making an extension housing to move the turbo. Problem solved! And as a pleasant side effect, I can drain the turbo oil into the valve cover as the turbo will be a couple inches higher.
But seriously, I have the turbo, exhaust manifold, intake manifold, upper plenum, air box, and downpipe for a really minimal investment. Really all I need now are some exhaust parts and oil line.
I have no personal experience, but I have heard a lot of negative reviews about banks products.
 
crashandburn said:
Yeah, a complete kit in really good shape normally goes for around $1000. Food for thought though, if you don't mind a little extra work, a turbo setup from a 6.5 will also work. I am collecting parts for mine now, and with some scouring of craigslist, ebay, and local boneyards, so far I am into my setup for 160 bucks and I have all the hard parts. Depending on the year of your rig, you can switch to the shorter injectors from a van, or in my case, space the exhaust manifold out 1/4". Also if the rig has A/C the turbo will interfere with the box, but I am making an extension housing to move the turbo. Problem solved! And as a pleasant side effect, I can drain the turbo oil into the valve cover as the turbo will be a couple inches higher.
But seriously, I have the turbo, exhaust manifold, intake manifold, upper plenum, air box, and downpipe for a really minimal investment. Really all I need now are some exhaust parts and oil line.
I have no personal experience, but I have heard a lot of negative reviews about banks products.
Click to expand...

I just paid a little bit more but not much more for what you got, and I plan on doing the same thing with the oil lines and cross over.
What I bought is 6.5 turbo, intake exhaust manifold, the rest I will be making.
 
How do you space the turbo? I backed off on a 6.5 mechanical IP donor truck because I didnt want to modify A/C box. able, I might keep on the lookout for another truck.
 
6.5 turbo has some other issues, like the exhaust needing to go outside the frame. It can be done with a smaller A/C box and some exhaust mods, but you have to have some sort of fabbing skills. Definitely can be had cheaper than a banks kit and with the new GM-x turbos, you can have more boost as well.

Banks fits with very minor mods (bending and rerouting of fuel lines, ect.) that are laid out in the instructions. Banks also provides (at least they have to me) with great CS and support even though I bought used. Richard at Banks has been great.
 
Kenny78 said:
How do you space the turbo? I backed off on a 6.5 mechanical IP donor truck because I didnt want to modify A/C box. able, I might keep on the lookout for another truck.
Click to expand...
(2) 1/2" plates the same size as the turbo flange, cut out the middle
2.5" square tube, 3/16" or 1/4" wall thickness
3.5" round tube, same thickness sawed into quarters
some fab work
Basically I am making a flange, welding some square pipe to it, using the quartersawn round pipe so that I can have radiused bends, rather than miter square bends. The exhaust will come out of the manifold, turn forward for a few inches, then to the right a few inches, then up to a matching flange, and into the turbo. The turbo will miss everything, no AC box mod needed.
Now I realize that it might be a little bit restrictive, but consider this. My brother had a 6.5 TD, and he was running about 22 psi of boost with no egt problems. I will be running half that. There will be much less volume to flow through it. Also, I did the measuring and math, and my square tube extension's area is about 1/4 of a square inch different than the flange's area.
I will post up some pics when I finish it. I am about halfway done, just waiting on some more material.
 
i got a complete used banks to my door for 900. complete rebuilt banks kit a friend got for 1400. to me tho. i would not buy it again. a friend works on buses for a living. many of them are 6.5 td. been getting the turbos and injection pumps from him. complete 6.5 for 300. bit more work but way better then spending 1000 or so.

no idea on a a/c box. cucvs done have them.

crashandburn, like to see some pics.. good luck with it
 
Oh, to space out the exhaust manifold you just get a 3/16 plate about 3X18 and cut holes in it to match the exhaust ports, and drill holes in it to match the bolt holes, and you have your spacer. That combined with the extra gasket that you will need makes your 1/4". But if your truck is not an '82 like mine (oddball thread on injectors) you can switch to the shorter injectors from a van and not have to worry about spacing the manifold out. You do still have to worry about turbo/AC box interference.
 
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