Rubicon Giveaway: Banks Header and Exhaust System Install

Getting More Power at the Wheels with a Banks Header and Exhaust System on Our Rubicon Unlimited Giveaway!

story and photos by Steve Temple

We’re getting close to the end of our buildup on the Jeep Rubicon Unlimited, which will soon be awarded in a sweepstakes. (And, no, you won’t hear about any annoying “prize patrol” or commercials from Ed McMahon and the Publishers’ Clearinghouse.)

The only patrol we’re on right now is finding ways to get more power. We’ve already added a K&N air filter and picked up a few ponies there, but we’re not done yet. Adding a high-flow header and exhaust system from Banks Power was an obvious choice. This company is well known for its high-performance turbochargers and diesel upgrades. It also produces the TorqueTube exhaust manifold assembly that’s streamlined to optimize flow and engine efficiency. In addition to a one-piece header, Banks also provided its Monster Exhaust. This system fits the 4.0L inline-six found on several models and years of Jeeps (1991 to 2005), including the elongated Unlimited Rubicon (with the addition of an extension piece included in the package).

The company says it developed the TorqueTube because the stock manifold’s flange doesn’t align squarely with the ports and restricts flow. Banks points out that the TorqueTube corrects the problem with a half-inch flange machined dead flat and precisely fitted to the port pattern. When used in combination with the Banks Monster Exhaust, the power gain is as much as 25 horses and 24 pound-feet of torque. You also can hear the difference in the healthier exhaust note. An optional head pipe is available for 1991 to 1995 Wranglers.

Another concern about the stock manifold is its tendency to crack over time. Banks states that, unlike the OEM intake manifold, the TorqueTube is built of heavy, 409 stainless-steel designed to weather heat, stress, and abuse. The flange is fully welded to the tube assembly on both sides, and Banks claims the flange will never crack or separate. The gasket is made of SMI 900, a material that stands up to super-hot temperatures.

The Monster Exhaust features a supersized, 2.5-inch tailpipe with a stainless tailpipe tip polished to a mirror finish. Included is the Banks Monster Muffler, a straight-through performance muffler that virtually eliminates backpressure downstream from the catalytic converter for more power and efficiency. According to Banks, in comparison tests the Dynaflow flowed 501.2 cfm at 1 psi-a 141-percent improvement over the stock exhaust’s 208.6 cfm and about 45 percent better than the nearest competitor’s.

Installation of the TorqueTube and Monster Exhaust should take about a day. The TorqueTube swap with the stock unit is fairly involved since you have to remove several engine components. Also, access to the bolts is cramped in places, and you’ll need socket extensions with swivels to get at them.

Fitting on the Monster Exhaust is basically a simple plumbing job, with the only real challenge being the removal of the stock system, which may require a welder’s torch to loosen the clamps. Fortunately, our Rubicon is nearly new, so the system came off fairly easy. Tech tip: when lining up the hangers for the exhaust system, the lower end should extend slightly forward to allow the pipe to expand with heat toward the rear of the vehicle.

Once we finished hooking up the new pipes, the exhaust note was music to our ears. Stay tuned, though, because this song ain’t over yet.

Source:

Gale Banks Engineering

546 Duggan Avenue
Azusa, CA 91702
800-438-7693
www.bankspower.com
Banks products at 4wheelparts.com.

Tools Required 1/4- and 3/8-inch drive ratchets with standard and metric sockets open-end wrenches screwdrivers pliers torque wrench fuel-line quick-disconnect tool Recommended Tools compressed-air source penetrating oil 9/16-inch swivel socket floor jack and jackstands acetylene torch Wrench Rating: Ratings Explanation		1. Getting at the stock headers starts with removing several items from the top of the engine: the air-inlet tube, throttle cables, transmission, and cruise control vacuum lines, fuel-line and such.
2. And finally remove the intake manifold, after the power-steering pump’s mounting bolts have been removed.		3. After unscrewing the two oxygen sensors on the stock exhaust manifold (label them so they can be correctly reinstalled), unbolt the stock manifold. It comes out in two separate pieces in contrast to the Banks header, which is a single component.
4. Differences in the shape and size of the ports are obvious when comparing the stock manifold gasket (top) with the Banks gasket (bottom). These differences partly account for the gain in power from the Banks exhaust system.		5. Note differences between the factory cast-iron header and the Banks unit. These close-up shots of Banks headers show the mandrel-bent primary tubes and seamless Y-connectors.
6. The bolt flanges on the Banks unit (left) are beefier and machined flat for improved durability and sealing.		7. After cleaning off the old gasket material with a Scotch pad and solvent (be careful that debris doesn’t enter the ports), install the new high-temp, metal-reinforced gasket supplied with the Banks manifold. Then carefully fit on the new exhaust headers and apply an anti-seize compound to the header bolts.
8. After attaching the lower end of the manifold to the exhaust pipe, torque down the bolts securely.		9. Reattach the electrical connections, stock intake, steering pump, fuel rail, vacuum lines, and air-inlet tube.
10. The vehicle will need to be on its wheels to reattach the driveshaft. After the driveshaft is back on, lift the vehicle again to tighten the U-joint bolts.		11. Pry the hangers loose on the stock exhaust system from the rear to the front of the muffler. Use WD-40 to loosen the hangers and bolts and pull out the old muffler. Use a Sawzall with a metal blade to cut off the rear tailpipe for easier removal.
12. The Banks muffler (right) has a much smoother inlet than the factory component, which has exposed ridges from the butt-end of the tubing.		13. Putting it simply, the Banks’ larger diameter (left) flows more exhaust gas, making more power.
14. The Banks tailpipe tip has a cleaner finish as well.		15. Installing the Banks exhaust system is similar to a simple plumbing job. Just fit on the sections in the correct order.
16. Extension for the longer Unlimited model can be seen just behind the muffler in the center of the photo