S-10 Drag Truck « Banks Blog - diesel performance

7 seconds - part 3

by Jeff Barker

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

Gale Banks himself just arrived. As you can imagine it didn’t take long for the group of people looking at the truck to immediately start talking with Gale. I have to admit that working for Gale Banks is a little strange, but in a good way. Growing up, my father, an old school hot-rodder himself would talk about him all the time. He would tell me how fast his engines were, how many world records he had, show me articles in Hot Rod magazine about him. Heck he even had one of Gale’s early twin turbo systems for our boat, and now I work for “the man” himself. At first it was really intimidating even speaking with Gale, but, contrary to what some may say, he’s not arrogant nor “stuck up” and actually very easy to talk to. Right now he’s talking with the calibration engineer about what tuning to load into the S-10 next. The crew starts by changing out the nitrous jets and altering the fueling program. While Gale understands all of the changes being made backwards and forwards it’s way beyond me. The basic explanation is that the engine can be stepped up quite a bit. The track has good traction, the wind is down, and Gale feels the engine should have no trouble being pushed a little.

It’s time for our second run of the day and Wes pulls the truck back into line. It’s time for the finals however so, rather then go down to the staging lanes we take a seat in the stands with everybody else and watch the other racers. After about 20 minutes or so we see the S-10 move up to the starting line, but wait, what’s this? The rat rod is in the next lane! Cool! I’ve wanted to see this thing run all day! Both vehicles do their burnouts and stage. Something seems a little off though. I hear the S-10’s Duramax engine rev up but the starting lights aren’t moving. Several seconds go by before the light goes green and both the S-10 and the rat-rod launch off the line. The S-10 lays down another 7.83 second run at 177 miles per hour. That’s a new NHRDA record! We walk back over to the pit area to check the truck out.

Wes and the S-10 are back in the pits and the crew immediately takes the lid off the transmission cooler box. On a normal run the ice that’s packed into the cooler box becomes hot water, but on the last run it became super hot water. Gale explains to me that the auto start must have been turned off on the tree. Under normal drag racing conditions, after both cars have staged, there is a couple of second delay before the light goes green, but this didn’t happen. That was the reason for the abnormally long staging time, and that long stage time really heated up the torque converter. The crew begins to drain out the transmission fluid and replace it. The calibration engineer is changing the nitrous jets again and he and Gale decide to really push the engine on the next run. It’s time for run number three.

All weekend I’ve been watching this race crew intently. As this is my first time seeing it in person I wanted to learn all I could, and I’ve learned a lot. These guys have been busting their rear ends since we put the tow rig in park and they haven’t let up for two days. It’s all come down to this last run. They’ve already set a new NHRDA national record but they all, including Gale, feel they can do better. For the first time this weekend I’m actually nervous, mostly because I’m not sure what Gale means by “really lean on the engine”. Gale Banks and I are standing in the bleachers watching Wes pull the truck up. Wes does his burnout and stages. Most of the crowd in the stands isn’t just standing up, but they’re lined up at the fence. The light goes green and the mighty Sidewinder S-10 fires off the line harder and faster then I’ve seen it all weekend. Wes crosses the finish line and pulls the parachute. The timing tower lights up with an incredible 7.77 seconds and 180 miles per hour! Yet another NHRDA record! Nearly everybody around us is now looking up at Gale and clapping. It was an awesome run. blog_s10_e

We head back to the pits. It’s taking a little longer than before what with all of the people congratulating Gale on a new national record. You’d think he’d be used to it by now; after all he’s been breaking national and world records longer than I’ve even been alive, but he’s still all smiles. Wes just pulled back in the pits and, he to, has a smile from ear to ear. It’s been a great weekend. I was able to come out with a great group of guys, I got to hang out with some great folks at the track, I got to watch a world class race team work on, and race, a world class truck, piloted by a world class driver. I even got to hang out with one of my childhood idols, Gale Banks himself. I still can’t believe I get paid for this.

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Tags: Banks Diesel Power, Banks Sidewinder, S-10 Drag Truck
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7 seconds - part 2

by Jeff Barker

Sunday, March 15th, 2009

Race day!

It’s Saturday March 7th 2009 and we’re back at the SpeedWorld drag strip in Wittman Arizona. It’s time to go racing. Being as this is my first diesel only event I’m really not sure what to expect. Oh sure, I’ve been to some NHRA events before, but the only diesels there were in the parking lot and were hooked up to the race trailers. Here we’ve got both. Diesel trucks towing trailers loaded with, well, diesel trucks. Ok, not all of them. The crew from Texas Diesel Power just arrived with their diesel powered Funny Car, and another crew just showed up with a diesel powered “rat-rod”. I must admit both of those cars are so very cool, I’d love to go over and check them both out, but we have work to do. blog_s10_f2

For starters we need to get the Sidewinder S-10 out of the trailer (again), but at least we don’t have to unload everything else like we did yesterday. Now that she’s back up on the race stands the crew fires her up. Needless to say there’s a large crowd forming very quickly. Now, again, I’ve been to NHRA events before, and some, not all, but some of the crews there usually aren’t very happy when people start coming into the race booth. I check with the crew on their feelings on letting “civilians” come in and get a closer look. Our calibration engineer tells me that “Gale wants anybody and everybody to see this truck up close. As long as they aren’t getting in the way, you let them come on in and take a look. Let them take any pictures they like and answer any questions your able to”. Well now that’s just plain cool.

The crew is almost finished warming up the truck and I notice that several people are getting neck cramps from trying to look in without crossing some imagined line on the ground. The look on their face is one of shock when I tell them “Come on in, take a look”. Almost instantly out come the cameras. Pictures are being taken at a rate that would make any Hollywood celebrity jealous. Then, of course, here come the flurry of questions; and some of them sound like Banks is involved in some kind of government cover up. In less then five minutes I heard nearly a dozen theories on what kind of fuel the truck runs. I was asked everything from “are you running compressed natural gas?” to “You have to be using propane”, to “I heard you use some kind of diesel/alcohol/plutonium combination”. I can tell you point blank the only things used in the engine are straight USLD #2 diesel fuel and nitrous oxide and nothing else. I should know, I watched these guys like a hawk all weekend. In fact the crew from Texas Diesel Power were running low on nitrous themselves so we filled their bottle for them from our own supply. Our calibration engineer is giving us the thumbs up; all is ready, and its time to stretch the S-10’s legs a little. Driver Wes Anderson is back behind the wheel and he drives the S-10 over and gets in line. Interestingly enough the car in front of us is the Funny Car from Texas Diesel Power so he’s going first. This is going to be so cool! blog_s10_h

The crew from Texas Diesel Power does their burnout. They stage the funny car but they seem to be having a little trouble getting their turbo to “light” properly. The green light comes up and the funny car takes off. About a third of the way down the track a loud “POP” can be heard followed by a lot of white smoke. I’m hoping everything is ok as the driver John Robinson gets over the finish line and pulls off the track. Wes is up next in the Sidewinder S-10. He does his burnout and stages the truck. I’m making a mental note to keep my jaw from dropping open again as he gets ready to launch. The green light comes up and the S-10 blasts off the line. Strangely I find myself not watching the truck but I’m looking up at the stands. There’s several hundred people watching the truck rocket down the track and every one of them is on their feet. Wes crosses the finish and the tower lights up with 7.83 seconds and 176 miles per hour just as the crowed erupts in applause. Hey, I guess they liked it. In minutes Wes is pulling back into the pits and another crowd is forming.

The funny car is back in the pits so I take a little stroll over to not only introduce myself, but to see if everything is OK with their Funny Car. I must say that the guys from Texas Diesel Power are some really good people. We spend a few minutes talking about their run and all, and it seems the loud pop we heard was their intercooler boost tube popping off. Not really a big deal and they should not have any trouble getting her back up and running. It’s never fun to see somebody break on the track so it’s a relief they don’t have to put it back on the trailer. I head back over to our pit area as I see there’s another dozen people standing outside trying to take a look at the race truck. Once again it’s a look of shock when I tell them “Come on in, take a look”. I’m starting to enjoy this.

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Tags: Banks Diesel Power, Banks Race Shop, Chevy Duramax, S-10 Drag Truck
Posted in Sidewinder S-10 Drag Truck | 1 Comment »

Engineering & mechanics students visit Banks from Mexico…

by Doug Stokes

Monday, July 7th, 2008

Some 15 very eager students from the Centro Educativo Grupo Cedva in Mexico City recently toured the Banks facility in Azusa, California. They were given an up-close and personal look at many of the manufacturing processes: from design and prototyping, through production, right on to the boxing and shipping of the final product.

The young folks were in Los Angeles to participate in the annual “Formula SAE” event sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. While they were in southern California they took a little time out to show a curious crowd of Banks employees their entry in the formula car competition at the Speedway. Their cool little student-built single-seater featured a modified 600cc Honda motorcycle engine, all-independent suspension, motorcycle disc brakes, wide Hoosier slicks, on open cockpit, and sleek composite bodywork.

students from the Centro Educativo Grupo Cedva in Mexico City

The school’s proud president (who’s an automotive engineer himself), Jorge Contreras, accompanied the youngsters. Grupo Cedva includes the College of Automotive Engineering (ESI) and the Automotive Technical Training School.

The mini-tour included something of a special session in Banks’ Automotive Balancing Service department where two of the ABS technicians were able to not only demonstrate the precision art and science of high quality crank, rod, and piston balancing; but to explain the process in the student’s native language, Spanish.

The Banks tube shop crew sizes up the SAE racer.

The Banks tube shop crew sizes up the SAE racer.

The tour included the Banks Race Shop (which is usually off limits to much of the outside world), the twin dyno cells, the prototype shop, the vehicle test bay, design center, and the engine clean room. The new Banks Top Diesel Dragster, which had arrived at the shop only a week earlier, was a huge hit, as was seeing and taking photos of the record-setting Chevy Banks S-10 Drag Truck, parked right next to it on the shop floor.

At every stop, the highly-attentive students were given an quick explanation of what went on in that particular segment of the Banks facility and what special skills were needed to be working in that area.

Fifteen kids, a translator, a “tour guide”, and Sr. Contreras

Fifteen kids, a translator, a “tour guide”, and Sr. Contreras were a lot of people to get into the engine build room … But we made it!

From the smiles on their faces and the excited chatter as the youngsters got back on their bus a couple of hours after they arrived at Banks, the field trip to Azusa was a “technical” success and well-worth the effort.

Everyone on the Banks staff was quite pleased to know that this special group of students, who had traveled so far to take part in a SAE-sponsored event, had a good time as well as an educational trip to Banks.

For more information on the school and its programs: www.grupocedva.com

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Tags: annual Formula SAE event, Banks Race Shop, College of Automotive Engineering, S-10 Drag Truck
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A Meeting of Engineering Minds

by Doug Stokes

Thursday, June 12th, 2008

More than 50 members of the Society of Automotive Engineers gathered in the tech bay of Banks Power’s North Engineering building on Tuesday evening to listen to company president and founder Gale Banks speak about the many great aspects of high-performance diesel power. The attendees, gathered from all around southern California, represented a wide cross section of industry and academia. Automotive engineers from Honeywell, Subaru, General Motors, Nokia, Mazda, Denso, HR Textron, US Hybrid Corp., and more mingled well into the night with representatives from local universities Cal Poly Pomona and the University of Southern California.

Gale Banks speaks to members of the Society of Automotive Engineers at Banks Power in Azusa, California

Gale took the attentive group on a 45-minute slide “tour” of his company’s long involvement in diesel design. The man who has led the growth of Banks Power from a one-man shop to raise college tuition to a multimillion-dollar business employing more than 200 and boasting upwards of 600 dealers covered many highlights of his company’s 50 years in business.

Gale spoke of the teamwork and engineering savvy required to seek and attain world speed records. He recalled the vision and dedication that his teams have shown on the Bonneville salt flats, on road courses, and on dragstrips to make clean diesel power a new and respected symbol of high performance.

Ever the futurist and always up on the cam, Gale was most enthusiastic when he began talking about his plans for breaking new ground (and records!) using diesel power. He indicated, smilingly, that there is still plenty of record-setting performance in both the Dakota Sidewinder Bonneville truck and the S-10 drag truck. He also talked about plans currently afoot to break the 200-mph barrier in the quarter-mile with a new rear-engine Duramax V-8 Top Dragster and to blast past 300 mph in a Banks Bonneville “streamliner” (one guess on the fuel for that one) also equipped with a Banks Duramax.

After Gale’s presentation, many attendees took the opportunity to stroll through the Banks race shop, dyno rooms, and design facilities and to chat with the legend of the automotive aftermarket. And, as often happens when engineers get together, a number of informal mini-seminars broke out on the shop floor.

Peter Treydte explains how competitive testing is done at Banks Power

A completely instrumented Chevy Silverado test vehicle was located just outside the bay, and factory test engineer Peter Treydte was on station to explain how Banks tests not only its own products but all competitive units as well.

Two BMW 7-Series sedans (one hydrogen- and one diesel-powered) are on loan to Gale Banks for his insights

A couple of high-tech BMW 7-Series sedans, one powered by liquid hydrogen and one by turbo diesel, were given more than a once-over by the engineers in attendance. Both machines are on loan to Gale Banks for his evaluation and feedback to BMW.

Hayes Diversified Technology displayed its 600cc diesel-powered motorcycle at the SAE event

Hayes Diversified Technologies brought in one of its diesel-powered motorcycles. The 600cc paramilitary machine is a marvel of technology that a lot of civilians would like to get their hands on — power, torque, and diesel fuel economy on two wheels!

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Tags: Gale Banks, S-10 Drag Truck
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Sidewinder S-10 Drag Truck Update

by Gale Banks

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

Dear gearheads and fellow diesel freaks,

It’s mid-May 2008, and we are now at a power level with the Banks Sidewinder S-10 that is reminding me of all the nitromethane-burning engines I raced back in the day. We are using up pistons like a good thing. We’re not changing them every run like I did with my nitro-burning rails and drag boats, but we’re changing them too damn often for a diesel. We’ve been doing it for a while, and it’s only gotten more problematic as we’ve made more power and gotten down into the 7.70s. Now we are too close to “running on kill” for my liking.

The culprit is injector on-time as measured in crank angle degrees. As we have gained engine speed (now 5,800 rpm at times) and increased fuel rate, our piston position at injector closing has gone down the hole. The truck weighs 2,930 pounds, we’re in the low 7.70s, and we’re making good power (1,280 bhp). Of course there’s more power to come, but first we need to address getting more fuel in and using less crank angle to do it.

Right now, at 1,280 bhp, the thermal energy from the injected fuel is gradually drilling 7 holes in each piston right at the top edge of the firing cup. We have not killed an engine, but this is not good for long-term piston life. We have gotten to this level using a single Bosch 3.3 pump that we have modified for proper fuel control at the flow and pump speed (same as engine speed) that we are demanding. Honestly, with this engine combination, 1,200 bhp is probably the safe limit. Beyond that, we begin to have demanded rail pressure problems.

Banks Sidewinder S-10 Duramax

It works like this: You demand torque with the throttle. The EDC-16 controller commands the rail pressure and injector on-time necessary to produce the desired torque at that rpm. If the pump can’t supply the necessary rail pressure, the software extends the injector on-time to allow the required fuel amount to be delivered to the cylinder. That is just what occurs when we go beyond a nominal 1,200 bhp while turning in the 5,500 rpm range. The extended injector on-time leads to piston crown erosion, and then we need to change the pistons.

That occurred while we were testing last week at Speedworld Dragstrip over in Arizona in preparation for the Alabama meet this weekend. We are now freshening that motor but will not be able to finish it in time to make the tow and be there Saturday…and that bums me out, Big Time.

When the motor goes back in the truck, we are going to back it down so it can make a reasonable number of laps between rebuilds. Based on our records, that should be a 7.80s setup and capable of doing that lap after lap. Then we will begin our next engine build using a new combination of pieces.

Our new engine combination involves a lot of revisions to piston design, rings, fuel supply, injectors, camshaft and high-swirl cylinder heads, all of which are being manufactured now. Also, we’re building a new Spitzer-based “Top Dragster,” and we plan to start working that car with a clutch as opposed to the torque converter setup in the S-10. Mike Spitzer is another “senior citizen” who hasn’t realized it…just like me. And he’s got a thing for Bonneville…just like me. I wonder where this is going? Time will tell; both of us have miles to go before we rest.

So best regards to you all, especially the new friends I’ve made the last few months at Famoso and Beech Bend.

I’ll see you soon,

Gale Banks