Gale Banks compound motor

[monkeyswrench]

I'll tell you what I know, not a story I heard...

When I worked for BMW, it was around the corner from JMS Racing, when JMS was in Monrovia. One day after work, I go over there for a visit, and Mike is in the dyno room watching some guys who don't speak English. There is some crazy looking engine on the dyno...

What in the fuck is that?????????

It's a Izusu (Duramax) with a Funky looking intake that the turbo is mounted DIRECTLY to. It's a one off deal that Started at Gale Banks shop. The owner was a boat guy, and wanted to put two Izusu's in his off shore boat. He contracted with Banks to do it, and Banks basically dropped the ball, but the project Was partially done.

Keep in mind this was maybe 15 or 20 years ago? I really don't remember exactly. So anyhow....

The owner got fed up with waiting for Banks to deliver on the engines. He flew out from back east, talked to Mike at JMS about bringing it there, and then went to Banks to chat with the guy who had actually been developing the engines. Apparently he made "the guy" and offer he couldn't refuse and the guy quit GB and went to work directly for boat owner. The custom machine work was finished up at JMS, and they got some guys from an EFI shop in Germany to provide the electronics for the engine.

The day I showed up, they were Trying to get it running. They built the harness from scratch in the dyno room, it looked like a freaking snake pit in there!!! lol

Eventually, the engine came to life. It put out a ridiculous amount of torque on the dyno, and no boost was even being developed yet!

Once it was running and tuned, they took their projects and headed back east, to install the engines in the owners boat.

Last I heard? Both engines had broken the cranks! Shocker eh??

Gale, when he was on San Gabriel Blvd, tuned the first Real engine I ever built. 406FE in my 67 Mustang. It ran like a freaking raped ape. This was in 1975, the year I graduated from HS.

He is defiantly good at what he does IF he feels like doing it.

And he defiantly charges a premium, for his name on the box.

I've had good luck with Banks stuff. I've also only used their standard "kit" stuff. Things like motor home exhaust, and a plethora of used 7.3 Powerstroke and IDI Sidewinder stuff.

Notice, "used"...my ass could never pay the new cost for my own stuff.

I installed quite a few of their motor home exhaust systems though in the 90's, and they were pretty damn good. Headers had thick flanges, and worked well on class A battleships.

 

[Hoodoo]

This is the story behind the initial pic it is from 2012

#tbt 2012: Banks ran successful tests on a pair of twin-charged GM Duramax-based military marine engines off the coast of San Diego, CA. The test boat was equipped with two of the specially built Duramax experimental prototype engines, each equipped with a supercharger and a twin-turbo configuration, positioned side by side (that equals a total of two superchargers and four turbochargers!) and churning out more than 800hp/1000tq. The combined powerplant with both engines was 1,600hp/2,000tq. This pair of engines were tuned and built for an experimental military platform in a marine environment. Performance coupled with reliability and durability is the name of the game. They're designed and tested to go wide open throttle for long periods of time. While we're not permitted to reveal what use these boats were destined for, these engines were designed and built to get on plane quickly and hold peak power at 4,200 RPM for an extended period. Side note: We also tested Cummins engines for this project. After a few hundred hours at WOT, the engine suffered an internal failure at the top of the water jacket. This was no longer an issue after switching to a CGI block. Ultimately, the V-8 Duramax was chosen for this project thanks to its size, weight, and other factors.

These mostly stock LML/LBZ marinized duramax’s are in a 39’ CC.
I know Banks worked on duramax’s for the navy boats but am skeptical about claims of success.
Innovation Marine in Sarasota builds a 700hp 5.9 Cummins under navy contract and it’s their bread & butter. However, at the request of the navy, they did build a prototype duramax about 10 years ago. I offered my CC for a test pig but after several tuning and piston variations, they backed off the project. Biggest issue was cracked pistons at fuel settings over 600hp. Ken Riggs in Ohio has a 40 Baja I’ve been on several times here in Sarasota. He’s boosted to about 750 hp and the long blocks are holding it well, however the modified injection pumps are problematic as is a lot of little stuff. He’s running Finger’s oval bowl pistons, special Callie’s cranks and a 2 speed trans. Runs it up to 4400 rpm to get the prop hook up then shift to high gear. 14,000# straight bottom boat goes from 55 to 80 like a dragster. Best top speed has been 91.
Cranks, pistons, tiny wrists pins etc, the duramax is a much less stout platform than the Cummins. My CC is currently at Innovation finishing up some engine harness wiring and will be in the water this spring but is set up for fishing/cruising as it is mildly tuned and turns single speed 1550 Huber trans with wet 6’s.

 

[ToMorrow44]

I believe Gale has a fix for the Duramax crank issues. I can’t remember if he had a Callie’s or someone did one to his specs but I thought he came out with a beefed up one for his builds/tests.

I think he bought out a local crankshaft shop so he’s producing his own now. It was in a video talking about the Duramax motors he makes for the JLTV military vehicle.

 

[Hoodoo]

I think he bought out a local crankshaft shop so he’s producing his own now. It was in a video talking about the Duramax motors he makes for the JLTV military vehicle.

I believe he does make a military duramax but I don’t think it’s the charged+twin turbo rig.
I would love to be proven wrong though.
I got into the marinized duramaxes thing a while back when I converted a 390 stinger to a CC. Had planned on using QSB 5.9 power but in an effort to max out deck space we didn’t leave enough room behind the rear bulkhead for an in-line six + transmission. So decided to go duramax, which requires a ton of work as nothing’s available off the shelf for marinization.
I know of a handful of duramax boats around the country but not sure if any are reliable. Most are over boosted and too failure prone to depend on for a long range fish boat. If mine doesn’t cut it I’m going to drop in some old school mega cubic inch BBC’s and have a beer hauling wave crushing sand bar gimmick.

 

[Blackmagic94]

This is the story behind the initial pic it is from 2012

#tbt 2012: Banks ran successful tests on a pair of twin-charged GM Duramax-based military marine engines off the coast of San Diego, CA. The test boat was equipped with two of the specially built Duramax experimental prototype engines, each equipped with a supercharger and a twin-turbo configuration, positioned side by side (that equals a total of two superchargers and four turbochargers!) and churning out more than 800hp/1000tq. The combined powerplant with both engines was 1,600hp/2,000tq. This pair of engines were tuned and built for an experimental military platform in a marine environment. Performance coupled with reliability and durability is the name of the game. They're designed and tested to go wide open throttle for long periods of time. While we're not permitted to reveal what use these boats were destined for, these engines were designed and built to get on plane quickly and hold peak power at 4,200 RPM for an extended period. Side note: We also tested Cummins engines for this project. After a few hundred hours at WOT, the engine suffered an internal failure at the top of the water jacket. This was no longer an issue after switching to a CGI block. Ultimately, the V-8 Duramax was chosen for this project thanks to its size, weight, and other factors.

It was for some seal boat that the SWCC guys use for inland rivers. They normally use a Cummins or cat twins and run around 800-1000 hp combined total.


Banks engines or parts were used in the jltv army vehicles.

 

[kaandemir]

under modest boost there is a bypass port around the blower that eliminates some of the parasitic losses associated with the Roots type compressors.

Nox Vidmate VLC​

 

[RiverDave]

View attachment 1189539

These mostly stock LML/LBZ marinized duramax’s are in a 39’ CC.
I know Banks worked on duramax’s for the navy boats but am skeptical about claims of success.
Innovation Marine in Sarasota builds a 700hp 5.9 Cummins under navy contract and it’s their bread & butter. However, at the request of the navy, they did build a prototype duramax about 10 years ago. I offered my CC for a test pig but after several tuning and piston variations, they backed off the project. Biggest issue was cracked pistons at fuel settings over 600hp. Ken Riggs in Ohio has a 40 Baja I’ve been on several times here in Sarasota. He’s boosted to about 750 hp and the long blocks are holding it well, however the modified injection pumps are problematic as is a lot of little stuff. He’s running Finger’s oval bowl pistons, special Callie’s cranks and a 2 speed trans. Runs it up to 4400 rpm to get the prop hook up then shift to high gear. 14,000# straight bottom boat goes from 55 to 80 like a dragster. Best top speed has been 91.
Cranks, pistons, tiny wrists pins etc, the duramax is a much less stout platform than the Cummins. My CC is currently at Innovation finishing up some engine harness wiring and will be in the water this spring but is set up for fishing/cruising as it is mildly tuned and turns single speed 1550 Huber trans with wet 6’s. View attachment 1189542 View attachment 1189543

That’s one hell of a center console.. Have you tried some newer cleavers?

 

[ToMorrow44]

I believe he does make a military duramax but I don’t think it’s the charged+twin turbo rig.
I would love to be proven wrong though.
I got into the marinized duramaxes thing a while back when I converted a 390 stinger to a CC. Had planned on using QSB 5.9 power but in an effort to max out deck space we didn’t leave enough room behind the rear bulkhead for an in-line six + transmission. So decided to go duramax, which requires a ton of work as nothing’s available off the shelf for marinization.
I know of a handful of duramax boats around the country but not sure if any are reliable. Most are over boosted and too failure prone to depend on for a long range fish boat. If mine doesn’t cut it I’m going to drop in some old school mega cubic inch BBC’s and have a beer hauling wave crushing sand bar gimmick.

You’re correct, the motor for the JLTV is a version of the L5P I think? (I’m a ford guy )

 

[Hoodoo]

That’s one hell of a center console.. Have you tried some newer cleavers?

Will try some this spring but not expecting much in the way of performance, 3000 rpm cruise with 18/ 34’s will be around 50 mph if slip is what I expect. This boat was inspired by a few previous fishing builds here SWFL. Looking for range/ fuel economy for trips to the loop current (120mi offshore) and Tortugas. Will be happy with 45 kts.
Performance boat speeds would call for more boost and two speed trans.
BTW, these are the only props the Baja has been able to get on plane with.
It has been running high 80’s with tons of prop slip.