The real problem here is not just soot in general. It is where that soot lands. On a stock Ram intake, EGR contamination builds up inside the intake elbow and around the factory grid heater, where it can choke the inlet path down hard enough to cause low power, black smoke, and poor boost. In this case, the intake runner was plugged to the point that airflow was nearly shut off. Our Banks Monster-Ram Intake and Killer Grid Heater Upgrade addresses that restriction at the source. It replaces the stock grid-heater layout with a high-flow intake plate and a straighter, larger inlet path, so there is less obstruction in the air stream and less for soot to pile up on. It also removes the factory grid-heater bolt failure point from the airflow path. The result is better engine breathing, less intake restriction, and a cleaner fix for trucks that still have to live with EGR.
The video centers on a 2019 Ram 3500 that arrived at Protek Diesel with several drivability complaints: low power, black smoke, and an inability to build boost. Those symptoms initially pointed toward common airflow or turbocharger problems, so the shop began with basic checks. They inspected the turbocharger and verified that the air filter was not plugged and that there were no obvious intake restrictions upstream.
During the inspection, the technicians noticed that the truck had a brand-new EGR valve installed. They later learned that the truck had recently been at a dealership, where the EGR valve had been replaced. The implication was that the dealer may have been chasing EGR-related fault codes or suspected the valve was responsible for the no-boost condition. However, that repair did not address the actual airflow problem.
After removing the EGR valve, the shop used a camera to look down into the intake horn. That inspection revealed that the inside of the factory intake horn was heavily loaded with soot and carbon. Rather than a minor coating, the buildup had accumulated to the point that the passage was nearly blocked. The video presents this as the real cause of the truck's breathing problem: exhaust soot recirculated by the factory EGR system had progressively restricted the intake path.
Once the factory intake horn was shown directly, the extent of the blockage was obvious. The passage was described as almost completely plugged with carbon and soot. This restriction explains the truck's low power, black smoke, and failure to build boost. With the intake path choked down that severely, the engine could not get enough air, so combustion quality suffered and performance dropped sharply.
The inspection also moved to the factory grid heater assembly, where the blockage was even more severe. Looking into the intake runner, the technicians found it to be completely plugged through. In the video, Brad remarks that it was surprising the engine could get enough air through the obstruction to idle at all. The buildup had effectively closed off the runner, showing how badly soot accumulation can affect a fifth-generation Ram that retains its factory emissions equipment.
The recap ties this condition directly to the factory EGR system. For owners who cannot delete EGR, soot is continually routed back into the intake system, where it can accumulate over time. The longer the truck is owned and the harder it is worked, the worse the restriction can become. According to the explanation in the video, this leads to reduced airflow, loss of power, and poorer fuel economy.
The truck also already had the separate, well-known issue associated with the factory grid heater: bolt failure. The video notes that these bolts can break off and enter number six cylinder, a problem the shop says it has covered in previous videos. In this case, the concern is twofold: the grid heater is already a known failure point, and it also provides a place for carbon and soot to collect until the intake becomes badly restricted.
As a solution, the video contrasts the factory intake arrangement with the Banks Monster-Ram. Brad explains that the Banks unit uses a straight-through bed plate design, unlike the factory configuration that allows soot to accumulate around the grid heater area. In his description, there is nothing in the Banks passage for the carbon and soot to hang up on in the same way. For trucks that continue to run 50-state emissions equipment, the point is that this design reduces the likelihood of the kind of clogging shown on the factory parts.
The physical size difference is also emphasized. Compared with the factory intake horn, the Banks Monster-Ram is described as much larger and capable of substantially greater airflow. The video presents that increased flow area, along with the straighter internal path, as the key engineering advantage over the stock intake horn and grid heater assembly.
The shop's plan for this truck was to continue disassembly, clean out the soot and carbon contamination, and install a Banks Monster-Ram in place of the factory intake components. The goal was to restore airflow, eliminate the severe intake restriction, and return the truck to normal operation. In the video's conclusion, the Monster-Ram is presented not as a cosmetic upgrade but as the corrective measure for a truck whose factory intake horn and grid heater had become so clogged with EGR soot that the engine could barely breathe.
