More Power For Your EcoDiesel

In our first update on the Banks Bullet Tuner for the 3.0L V6 EcoDiesel engine, we took a look at the torque and horsepower improvements possible for your rig from this unique tuner. Well, we wanted to share some insider facts with you. The truth is, the factory and aftermarket don’t typically test the same way for power output. Virtually all OEM engine power numbers come from an engine dyno test, and aftermarket performance numbers come from chassis dyno testing. The factory uses an engine dyno to eliminate the drag and parasitic loss from the transmission and axles. This allows them to show you the best power numbers, but not the actual ones you get at the rear wheels. Since all OEMs do this, you can compare one vehicle’s engine power to another. But, using the OEM numbers in comparison to power gains from aftermarket parts is sort of like comparing apples and oranges. These are just the facts, and you’ll seldom see them in print. As an FYI, the loss from the transmission and axles typically runs about 12% to 18%.¹

So comparing apples to apples, the EcoDiesel V6 comes from the factory putting out a respectable, for a small V6, 240 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque at the crank. This is the number you’ll see in the dealer brochures and such. In contrast, the Banks Bullet will raise these figures to an impressive 280 hp and 483 lb-ft of torque with no other improvements. That’s 17% more Power. So when comparing anyone’s aftermarket dyno numbers to the factory numbers, be sure you’re comparing apples to apples.

Here at Banks we use a Mustang MD-750 Load Controlled dual-roller chassis dyno. This chassis dyno allows constant runs at a given speed, and has great reputability. We also flow air through the radiator and intercooler of the vehicle to simulate road conditions. At Gale Banks Engineering, we’re sticklers for testing using proper scientific methods. That means testing under controlled and monitored conditions, elimination of outside variables, and sustainable results. Many others like to fudge their numbers, but we’ll always give you the honest results. For more on the truth in dyno testing go to Truth in Testing.

While the factory uses crank output numbers, we like to share rear-wheel power numbers because that is what you are actually putting to the ground. In this instance, we have had the EcoDiesel engine on our dyno so many times, we felt we should share a fair comparison of the factory numbers and ours. Next time we’ll share the rear wheel numbers with you, and do some tuner comparisons as well.

Coming Next Issue:
How does the Banks Bullet stack up against the competition?

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Footnotes

¹ You can find on-line calculators to run the numbers to compare crank and rear horsepower. Then again, without knowing the actual amount lost in your driveline, you can only get an approximation.
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Banks Bullet is an inline tuner that is easy to install. It offers 2 user selectable up-power levels, that improve torque and horsepower yield, over stock. A Banks Bullet also allows you to revert to a stock power mode if you desire, all with the push of a button.