Banks Monster Ram 6.7 Cummins Install: The Complete Guide to Upgrading Your Intake Elbow

If you own a Ram 2500 or 3500 with the 6.7L Cummins diesel and you've started researching performance upgrades, the Banks Monster Ram has probably come up. It's one of the more targeted bolt-on modifications available for this engine — not a vague "performance kit," but a specific component designed to address a well-documented airflow restriction in the factory intake system. Understanding what it is, how it works, and what the install actually involves helps you decide whether it fits your goals, your truck, and your skill level.

What the Banks Monster Ram Actually Is

The intake elbow — sometimes called the intake horn or intake manifold elbow — is the curved tube connecting the intake piping to the intake manifold on the 6.7 Cummins. The factory piece is a restrictive, narrow-diameter casting that Dodge/Ram has used across multiple model years. Its shape and internal diameter create turbulence and limit the volume of air that can reach the intake manifold efficiently.

The Banks Monster Ram replaces this stock elbow with a larger-diameter, smoother-bore unit designed to reduce intake restriction and improve airflow velocity and volume into the engine. Banks Power markets it as increasing the cross-sectional area of the intake path significantly compared to the OEM piece — the specific numbers vary by year and kit configuration, so verify the specs for your exact model year before purchasing.

This isn't the same as a cold air intake, which replaces the air filter housing and intake tubing upstream of the turbo. The Monster Ram works downstream of the turbocharger, addressing the path from the intercooler outlet to the intake manifold. That distinction matters because it means you're improving charged air delivery — air that's already been compressed and cooled — rather than the pre-turbo inlet side.

How It Fits Within Performance Parts

Within the broader world of diesel performance parts, intake modifications fall into a category often called induction upgrades. These are distinct from fueling upgrades (injectors, lift pumps, CP3 conversions), forced induction changes (turbos, wastegate actuators), or tuning (EFI Live, HP Tuners, DSP5 switches). Each category addresses a different constraint on engine output.

The Monster Ram is notable because it's one of the few bolt-on intake components designed specifically for the post-turbo, post-intercooler section of the 6.7 Cummins air path. It's often paired with an upgraded intercooler or a cold air intake as part of a broader induction strategy, because removing one restriction can shift the bottleneck elsewhere. On a stock or mildly modified engine, the Monster Ram is frequently described as a standalone upgrade. On heavily modified trucks with aggressive fueling and a larger turbo, it's often considered a necessary complement rather than an optional add-on.

What Makes the 6.7 Cummins Relevant Here

The 6.7L Cummins ISB engine has been the workhorse diesel in Ram Heavy Duty pickups since 2007. Over its production run, Cummins and Ram have made incremental changes to the engine's hardware and emissions systems — including the addition of a diesel particulate filter (DPF), selective catalytic reduction (SCR), and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). These systems affect how performance modifications interact with the engine and what's involved in maintaining emissions compliance.

The factory intake elbow design has remained restrictive across most of the 6.7's production history, which is why aftermarket companies like Banks have developed replacement parts that fit multiple model years. However, fitment is not universal — the correct Monster Ram kit depends on your specific model year, cab configuration, and whether your truck has a manual or automatic transmission in some cases. Banks produces different part numbers for different year ranges, and the install process can vary between them.

🔧 The Install Process: What to Expect

The Banks Monster Ram install is generally considered a DIY-accessible job for someone with basic mechanical experience and the right tools. That said, "accessible" doesn't mean trivial, and the difficulty can vary depending on your model year and how accessible the intake manifold is on your specific truck.

At a high level, the installation involves removing the factory intake elbow, which requires loosening intake clamps, disconnecting any sensors or breather hoses routed through or near the elbow, and working in a somewhat tight engine bay. The new elbow installs in its place, with supplied hardware, clamps, and gaskets. On some kits, this also includes installation of an upgraded throttle body spacer or intake manifold adapter.

Key considerations before starting:

The process typically requires draining or managing the coolant if any coolant lines run near the work area on your year, though this varies. Some model years require removal of the air horn or additional intake components to access the elbow properly. Banks provides installation instructions specific to each kit — reading them in full before beginning, not during, is how most successful installs happen.

Sensor connectors in this area of the engine bay can be fragile, especially on higher-mileage trucks. The MAP sensor (manifold absolute pressure sensor) and IAT sensor (intake air temperature sensor) typically sit in or near the intake manifold. Disconnecting and reconnecting them carefully is part of the job. On trucks with significant mileage, corroded or stiff connectors add time and care requirements to the process.

Torque specs for intake manifold bolts matter. Under- or over-torquing the intake manifold bolts on a diesel engine can cause boost leaks or manifold damage. Banks specifies torque values in their instructions — using a torque wrench here is not optional.

🛻 Variables That Shape Your Outcome

No two Monster Ram installs are identical. Several factors determine how the process goes and what results you can reasonably expect.

Model year is the most significant variable. The 6.7 Cummins in a 2007.5–2012 truck differs from a 2013–2018 truck, which differs again from a 2019-and-newer Ram. Emissions hardware, intake routing, and engine bay packaging changed across these generations. The correct kit for your truck, and the installation steps, differ accordingly.

Existing modifications on the truck affect what you'll encounter. If a previous owner installed an aftermarket cold air intake, EGR delete (note: this affects emissions compliance — see below), or custom intercooler piping, the factory intake layout may already be altered. You may encounter non-stock clamps, mismatched couplers, or relocated sensors.

Emissions compliance is a real consideration for any diesel intake modification. In most states, your truck must pass a visual inspection or OBD-II emissions test to be registered. In states with stricter emissions enforcement — California being the most prominent example — aftermarket intake components must carry a CARB EO (California Air Resources Board Executive Order) number to be legal for street use. Banks publishes CARB compliance information for their products; check the current status for your specific kit before purchasing if you're in a CARB-affected state. Rules vary, and this isn't an area where assumptions are safe.

How the truck is used affects whether the upgrade makes practical sense. A stock or near-stock 6.7 Cummins used for daily driving and moderate towing will experience different measurable results than a truck running a performance tune, upgraded injectors, and a larger turbo. The Monster Ram is designed to reduce a real restriction — but the degree to which that restriction was limiting your specific driving experience depends on your engine's overall state of tune.

What Owners Commonly Report

🔍 Owner feedback on the Monster Ram install is generally consistent across forums and owner communities: most describe noticeably reduced intake restriction, improved throttle response particularly under load, and in tuned applications, measurable power and efficiency gains. The install itself is most often described as taking two to four hours for someone comfortable with basic engine work, though complex engine bay configurations or difficult clamp access can extend that time.

Boost leak testing after install is a best practice many experienced diesel owners recommend. A boost leak — where pressurized air escapes at a clamp or connection — can reduce performance gains and cause issues with fueling calculations. Pressurizing the intake system with a simple homemade or purchased boost leak tester after install helps confirm all connections are sealed properly.

Subtopics Worth Exploring in Depth

The Monster Ram install touches several areas that each carry their own complexity. Choosing the right kit for your model year is its own topic — Banks has revised their product line over the years, and cross-referencing your VIN and production date against the current parts catalog is the right starting point, not just the year on your registration.

Pairing the Monster Ram with a tune is a decision many owners face. The Monster Ram alone doesn't require a retune, but the combination of an intake upgrade and an existing or planned ECM tune changes how efficiently the improvements stack. Understanding how a tune interacts with the intake air calculations the ECM uses is worth examining before committing to a combination approach.

Comparing the Monster Ram to competing intake elbow upgrades is another natural question. Several companies produce similar products for the 6.7 Cummins. Construction materials, internal finish quality, fitment tolerances, and CARB compliance status vary across the market. Price alone doesn't define value here.

Long-term maintenance of the Monster Ram itself is straightforward — the unit is typically a durable aluminum or polymer casting with no serviceable internal parts — but maintaining the clamps, couplers, and sensors in the surrounding area is part of ongoing diesel ownership.

What to do if you encounter a boost leak after install is a practical subtopic that matters. Symptoms, diagnosis steps, and which connections are most likely to be the source are specific enough to warrant their own treatment.

The Banks Monster Ram represents one of the cleaner, more purpose-built performance upgrades available for the 6.7 Cummins — a targeted fix for a documented restriction rather than a generic "performance" label. How much it matters to your truck depends on everything from your model year and current modifications to the state where you drive it. The landscape is well-defined; the details are yours to work through.