By David Kennedy
Over the last few years, the diesel quest for low-end torque seems to have been replaced by the bragging rights of quadruple-digit horsepower. While big power numbers are fine for selling parts and winning dyno days—torque is still what gets the job done. Almost as if to prove that point, Banks Power is now offering a series of all-new Duramax crate engines.
These motors are big on horsepower, but the supercharged and turbocharged version seen here is also huge on low-end grunt. How much torque? It's rumored that this marine engine puts out 900 lb-ft from idle to 3,800 rpm!
Known internally at Banks as the Super-Turbo, this blown and twin-turbo'd 6.6L Duramax engine was built for a military-spec offshore boat. Though this LBZ-based engine was intended for use in the ocean, there's no reason one of these babies couldn't end up in the engine compartment of your next project. The rear-mounted turbos and water-cooled exhaust manifolds might need to be reworked for firewall clearance, but we want to know: Who's gonna be the first to put this in a hot rod?
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