Banks High-Ram intake install gone WRONG. HELP!!!
 

Hey guys. I've owned my '01 for a few months now and my 20th birthday is coming up in a few days, so I thought I'd buy myself an early birthday present: Diesel Auto Power 125hp 7x.0095 injectors! The installation went great. I didn't miss any of the copper washers, no burrs on the ends of the crossover tubes, and everything seemed to go back together really well.:jump:

UNTIL I got to my Banks High-Ram intake manifold... I thought it was a funky design, being that the four main studs are threaded on both ends? Regardless, I managed the strip out the tops of two studs and bust one of them past the plenum and into the head...:argh:

Being that I can't seem to find replacement studs anywhere, I've ordered a stock intake horn to replace my Banks High-Ram for a while... I also ordered a new plenum gasket and two new grid heater gaskets...:td:

So, here are my questions: The two pieces of the head that I snapped off (parts of the thread for the rear passenger intake horn stud)... can they be JB Welded back into place with no adverse effects? Should I have it professionally welded? Does anyone know where I could get a set of four long through-bolts for my Banks intake? I really don't want to mess with those funky studs anymore...:scare2:

UPDATE: I completed the teardown process. Removed injector lines, intake plenum, cleaned the gasket area, and rid the head of all debris. The two pieces that I cracked off of the head have been JB Welded together (JB High Heat - 500*F and 900psi resistance). Tomorrow, after it warms up, I'll be JB Weld-ing the piece back into place in the head.

I've got a new plenum gasket and two new heater gaskets on the way, along with a stock intake horn until I can find four good bolts to replace the poor stud design for my Banks intake horn.

If this works out, JB Weld will have my rock-solid customer testimony. I'll be a firm believer in the "world's strongest bond". If not, looks like a replacement head is in order. I've got no other option. This truck is my daily driver. She's got to be able to run.

Also, never heard anything back from Banks. I don't really want replacement studs at this point, but the lack of customer service annoys me. I know I can't be the only one who has had this problem???

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UPDATE: The two pieces that were JB weld-ed together last night are, once again, one piece. To test the strength of the now bandaged piece, I pounded it with a hammer... and nothing happened! The epoxy held!:jump: It's approximately 45* outside right now, so I'll be waiting until it warms up a little, but here's hoping I have the same luck when I go to re-install the piece into the head!:rocking:

Awesome ! Me and dad jb welded a intake on a boat once. Still holding :c:

That's good to know! I hope this works. I'll be more careful next time. Torque wrenches are a man's best friend...:tu: double-threaded studs are not...:ouch:

If I understand correctly you are using jb weld to hold a bung inside the manifold under the plenum together?
If thats the case seems like your betting an expensive motor on jb weld. If it does fall back off (which I feel is more probable than it working) it seems that the pieces would likely find their way into a cylinder or on the top of a valve. A specialized machine shop most likely would be capable of making the repair but I'd say the head would need to be off.

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Your opinion is greatly appreciated. I feel as if you're right. The JB Weld is holding well, but I'm not sure I want to risk it. I called a friend of mine who welded my mom's aluminum wheel when the tire shop put a 2" tear in the lip of the rim. He said it wouldn't be a problem to do it with the head on as long as I have everything uninstalled and out of the way, which I do. Now my problem is getting the truck 15 miles up the road to his house.:dang:

Make sure you use a straight edge along the surface. I know the plenum is aluminum and will flex a little but you dont want it raised to the point the gasket will not have adequate support or worse crack something.

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I'll make sure he knows. He does good, quality work. My mom's wheel hasn't leaked, not even a pound. Not quite sure that he's the Charlie Daniels of a welding torch, but he definitely knows what he's doing.:c:

So you broke the studs? Call Banks get new studs or head to Napa and get the correct thread pitch and length and go from there

I didn't "break" the studs, per say, but I did strip them... so, yes, they are unusable. Banks won't return emails or calls and I don't believe they sell the studs anyways. I'll most likely go to a local auto parts store and get the bolts with the correct thread size and call it a day, like you suggested.

But the main problem is that the head is cracked at one of the mounting points for the intake/grid heater setup. I'm waiting on a call back from a friend of mine who happens to be a welder. I've got to shoot him a pic of the damage and work space just to be 100% sure that he can weld it without having to remove the head.:humm: