How to know if my MH is equipped with Banks Power Pac/exhaust

[Jrbowen62]

Hello
Newbie here. On traveling i have noticed even on flat roads my 1998 Winnebago Adventurer with a Ford engine will sometimes kick in with a loud exhaust sound coming from the front engine. It will do this sometimes with the engine in overdrive also on a incline. Is this due to a Banks Power Pack or exhaust feature added or just normal?

[creativepart]

It's possible that some previous owner added the Banks system, but it's not very common so it would be a long shot. A very long shot.

Exhaust leaks and bad header gaskets are common on older models. So, that's a more likely possibility.

Of course, the transmission is limited in it's ability to deal with hills and it will downshift aggressively and make quite a roar on even slight hills depending on your speed, your weight and the severity of the incline.

[tderonne]

I'm going with cooling fan.

[creativepart]

Originally Posted by tderonne

I'm going with cooling fan.

Yes! That is a very real possibility as well.

[powercat_ras]

If it has a Banks system you'll have exhaust headers instead of the stock exhaust system. Likely also would have a non-stock air intake system.

The stock Ford ECM program will down shfit from 5th + Overdrive to 3rd gear even on as little as a 1 to 1.5 % grade on the standard ford ECM. Even more so if you are towing anything behind your RV. In particular if you are using 87 octane fuel with ethanol added which is pretty much the norm in most of the USA unless you pay the extra price at the few stations that sell Ethanol Free 87 octane. Ethanol has less energy per gallon than gasoline so the mix generates less horsepower at a given RPM than pure gasoline does. Also why gas mileage is less when using fuel with ethanol.

[Jrbowen62]

And for going into details

[Fish mojo]

I’ll bet it is your electric radiator cooling fan turning on and off. It’s pretty loud.

[Bo Walker]

I drive a gas burning motor home (Winnebago Adventurer with Chevy 454). Yes, like all gas burners and perhaps diesel burners the transmission down shifts to better pull the weight up hill. When this happens, there is a considerable increase in engine sound, especially the front engines. If the exhaust manifold is leaking, it may sound like a loud clicking. I overheated mine a few years ago on mountains and blew an exhaust manifold gasket. The clicking continued until I got back home and had it replaced.
It sounds like you are already learning newbie obstacles. This forum is a good place to gather opinions and useful help. Keep going and learning.

[DryCreek]

Originally Posted by Jrbowen62

Hello
Newbie here. On traveling i have noticed even on flat roads my 1998 Winnebago Adventurer with a Ford engine will sometimes kick in with a loud exhaust sound coming from the front engine. It will do this sometimes with the engine in overdrive also on a incline. Is this due to a Banks Power Pack or exhaust feature added or just normal?

Actually, it's your engine kicking out of overdrive and into a direct-drive or lower gear ratio.

Louder, yes. Most likely the viscous clutch on the cooling fan. Check to make sure that it hasn't failed.

The Banks kit gives it a nice, throaty growl across the RPM band. The special intake doesn't whistle like some CAI setups do. The headers and larger exhaust definitely change the exhaust note.