SXTH Vs. Banks (Intake & Boost Tubes)

[Banks Power]

If you're interested in feedback, it would be great if your social media collaborators dialed it back a bit. Seemingly every time someone suggests a power mod, Banks is mentioned even in situations where it makes no sense, like proposing someone forgo a tune in favour of your intake, boost tubes and throttle controller. I think this makes your brand look worse.

We'll clarify about our "tuning" comments that are frequently seen in Facebook groups.

When we entered the Tacoma market last year, we were besieged with OTT tuners who proclaimed that aftermarket intake systems were worthless. They said, and still do, that money is best spent on a tune. They told potential customers to choose one or the other.

Because there are legions of independent OTT tuners, we had to go on a mission to set the record straight. We do not tell people to choose an intake or tune. In fact, we encourage Tacoma owners to get both. A tune will take advantage of the additional air mass to the turbo provided by a good intake system.

We have not advised anyone to choose performance parts over a tune. For Diesel platforms, we offer complete Power Packs that include a tune. This is proof that we see a great benefit from a tune.

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[Diablo Taco]

We'll clarify about our "tuning" comments that are frequently seen in Facebook groups.

When we entered the Tacoma market last year, we were besieged with OTT tuners who proclaimed that aftermarket intake systems were worthless. They said, and still do, that money is best spent on a tune. They told potential customers to choose one or the other.

Because there are legions of independent OTT tuners, we had to go on a mission to set the record straight. We do not tell people to choose an intake or tune. In fact, we encourage Tacoma owners to get both. A tune will take advantage of the additional air mass to the turbo provided by a good intake system.

We have not advised anyone to choose performance parts over a tune. For Diesel platforms, we offer complete Power Packs that include a tune. This is proof that we see a great benefit from a tune.

Are we just going to ignore the fact that Banks inserts themselves into every post asking about the SXTH intake, trash talk other products, essentially steering people away with messages like “don’t buy SXTH or K&N, buy ours" lol.

I was a potential buyer, but the way the brand presents itself to the community makes it feel less like they’re part of it and more like they’re just chasing sales, sort of like the mass email spam of Norton Antivirus trying to get you to buy another year subscription lol. Maybe stop belittling other brand product, maybe focus on your brand image and consumer approach.

 

[AmbyBomb]

We'll clarify about our "tuning" comments that are frequently seen in Facebook groups.

When we entered the Tacoma market last year, we were besieged with OTT tuners who proclaimed that aftermarket intake systems were worthless. They said, and still do, that money is best spent on a tune. They told potential customers to choose one or the other.

Because there are legions of independent OTT tuners, we had to go on a mission to set the record straight. We do not tell people to choose an intake or tune. In fact, we encourage Tacoma owners to get both. A tune will take advantage of the additional air mass to the turbo provided by a good intake system.

We have not advised anyone to choose performance parts over a tune. For Diesel platforms, we offer complete Power Packs that include a tune. This is proof that we see a great benefit from a tune.

I'm not accusing Banks itself of this. I am still interested in a Banks intake to go along with a tune; I think it was in this thread where you said an intake is a good supporting mod for a tune that increases turbo shaft speed. There are, however, some social media partners that are pushing Banks products in a way that I think hurts the Banks brand for the reason I outlined.

 

[oldman]

It has been my experience going back to imported 3TG hemi Corolla engines in the 1970s, that turbo engines are relatively insensitive to intakes. The boost is controlled by engine control and the turbo needs a little bit more energy to make up for any pressure drop in the intake. Since these turbos are relatively efficient there is not much there there. IMO most modern intakes make more, most of the HP by leaning out the air fuel mixture. It was either Mishimoto or SXTH that has documented their entire development process and they note they ARE increasing the area at the MAF pickup and this is increasing HP. The "problem" with this is that some, most or all of this "gain" is learned away by the ECU. I would contend that if there is no change in boost which is ECU controlled there is not much to be gained from an intake.

That said, I like any gain that eliminates pumping loss and believe these cost more in terms of $$$ but are easier on the engine vs simply cranking up the boost. So I don't think it is fair to give a $$$ per HP as a HP is not an HP. Chanking the boost is simple and cheap but it not the "best" way to get HP.

Banks mentioned sound. Both Banks and SXTH are coming out with a turbo inlet and this will eliminate the intake muffler and IMO this is going to add a lot of sound to any intake. BTW just cutting a hole to the inner fender on the stock intake bring turbo sounds into the stock setup at zero cost.

I went with a tune, I have both Cobb and CamTuning. I think just cutting an air hole fender side and running the Cobb dry replacement filter is enough till I install my SXTH element intercooler later this month (note again that money spent on pumping loss and / or heat) is better spent. So I guess I voted with my feet and spent my money on intercooler vs an CAI.

On tubes, Banks, SXTH and Mishimoto have them, I don't see much "gain" there but they look cool, pun intended.

If Banks comes back and says they don't increase the area of MAF measurement, probably true as I watched their video also; but I will not that there gentle curved complex taper is increasing the velocity of air at the MAF pickup and more velocity means more air is going past the MAF (slightly less dense due to Bernoulli principle), which probably leans out the reading which has been shown at least temporarily can lead to be increase of HP.

I personally am not surprised that all intakes add about 10 HP after the a relearn process. For what it is worth I will go with a Banks intake after I do a turbo upgrade. As in my opinion the next bottle neck is the stock turbo. and yes a good intake will help a over-driven turbo, absolutely true but it is a band aide as there only real solution is just getting a bigger turbo.

 

[oldman]

As an aside, I will note the Cobb Tuning drop-in filter does say "increase HP". Their CAI system which has a "normal" MAF housing i.e. is is the same area as stock and is smooth not tapered will tend to read more like the factory system and NOT effect the air fuel ratio. Cobb list no HP gain for their CAI. It reduces pumping loss and looks cool. PERIOD per Cobb.
https://www.cobbtuning.com/products...ke-system-for-toyota-tacoma-2024-4runner-2025
Oh and if you watch the CAI video Cobb pokes fun at CAI Mfg boosting big claims and list one further benefit and that is sound, which they do NOT claim for this particular intake, as noted above you want sound take a 3" hole saw to the fender side of the intake box and / or wait for the SXTH or Banks turbo inlet tube... or just by the a smooth silicone hose and adapter flange readily available on EBay.

 

[AmbyBomb]

As an aside, I will note the Cobb Tuning drop-in filter does say "increase HP". Their CAI system which has a "normal" MAF housing i.e. is is the same area as stock and is smooth not tapered will tend to read more like the factory system and NOT effect the air fuel ratio. Cobb list no HP gain for their CAI. It reduces pumping loss and looks cool. PERIOD per Cobb.
https://www.cobbtuning.com/products...ke-system-for-toyota-tacoma-2024-4runner-2025
Oh and if you watch the CAI video Cobb pokes fun at CAI Mfg boosting big claims and list one further benefit and that is sound, which they do NOT claim for this particular intake, as noted above you want sound take a 3" hole saw to the fender side of the intake box and / or wait for the SXTH or Banks turbo inlet tube... or just by the a smooth silicone hose and adapter flange readily available on EBay.

Cobb does claim a HP increase, they just don't claim a specific number.

"Not only does the COBB SF Intake System free up power, it also upgrades the under-hood aesthetic. Let your turbocharged Toyota Tacoma or 4Runner breathe easier with the COBB SF Intake System."

 

[Banks Power]

Are we just going to ignore the fact that Banks inserts themselves into every post asking about the SXTH intake, trash talk other products, essentially steering people away with messages like “don’t buy SXTH or K&N, buy ours" lol.

I was a potential buyer, but the way the brand presents itself to the community makes it feel less like they’re part of it and more like they’re just chasing sales, sort of like the mass email spam of Norton Antivirus trying to get you to buy another year subscription lol. Maybe stop belittling other brand product, maybe focus on your brand image and consumer approach.

We're genuinely sorry to have lost you a potential customer.

However, our marketing will not change. Here's why.

The automotive aftermarket has a relatively low barrier to entry. And, few people actually fact check manufacturers' claims. There are a few brands that are notorious for stating bogus claims. We've called out BS marketing and poorly engineered parts for nearly 70 years because a few bad parts or false claims can drag down an entire industry. Take for example cold air intakes. A filter at the end of a tube, open to hot engine air, is not a cold air intake. It's a hot air intake. An intake like this can actually lose power, not gain. It's up to us and others to point that out. Otherwise, we get lumped in with them. There are countless YouTube videos of guys trying to prove that cold air intakes do not add power. We've fought this for years, not just because we manufacture them, but because it's not always true. Case is point is the Tacoma intake. Ours adds 18.3 hp.

Regarding SXTH and K&N. If SXTH was alone in the market, it would be an acceptable intake. But they're not alone. We've released one that is superior. And, we're going to continue to say it. As we said before, it's like football. You can't let your competitor score a single point. We are not belittling them. We are competing against them. Mark, their engineer, is a smart cookie. He's going to read every word we print and make sure he doesn't give us the advantage next time. He will likely improve his products, partly based on our criticism.

Regarding K&N, it is a poorly designed intake. It has a foam lid, allowing hot air in. It's not a cold air intake if it lets in hot air.

Regarding community, we own Tacomas and have attended Toyota events for fun, for years.

Regarding the take-over of social media, most people don't frequent groups or forums every day. They have busy lives. The only way to reach these busy people is with frequency.

Thank you for the great back-and-forth.

 

[Banks Power]

It has been my experience going back to imported 3TG hemi Corolla engines in the 1970s, that turbo engines are relatively insensitive to intakes. The boost is controlled by engine control and the turbo needs a little bit more energy to make up for any pressure drop in the intake. Since these turbos are relatively efficient there is not much there there. IMO most modern intakes make more, most of the HP by leaning out the air fuel mixture. It was either Mishimoto or SXTH that has documented their entire development process and they note they ARE increasing the area at the MAF pickup and this is increasing HP. The "problem" with this is that some, most or all of this "gain" is learned away by the ECU. I would contend that if there is no change in boost which is ECU controlled there is not much to be gained from an intake.

That said, I like any gain that eliminates pumping loss and believe these cost more in terms of $$$ but are easier on the engine vs simply cranking up the boost. So I don't think it is fair to give a $$$ per HP as a HP is not an HP. Chanking the boost is simple and cheap but it not the "best" way to get HP.

Banks mentioned sound. Both Banks and SXTH are coming out with a turbo inlet and this will eliminate the intake muffler and IMO this is going to add a lot of sound to any intake. BTW just cutting a hole to the inner fender on the stock intake bring turbo sounds into the stock setup at zero cost.

I went with a tune, I have both Cobb and CamTuning. I think just cutting an air hole fender side and running the Cobb dry replacement filter is enough till I install my SXTH element intercooler later this month (note again that money spent on pumping loss and / or heat) is better spent. So I guess I voted with my feet and spent my money on intercooler vs an CAI.

On tubes, Banks, SXTH and Mishimoto have them, I don't see much "gain" there but they look cool, pun intended.

If Banks comes back and says they don't increase the area of MAF measurement, probably true as I watched their video also; but I will not that there gentle curved complex taper is increasing the velocity of air at the MAF pickup and more velocity means more air is going past the MAF (slightly less dense due to Bernoulli principle), which probably leans out the reading which has been shown at least temporarily can lead to be increase of HP.

I personally am not surprised that all intakes add about 10 HP after the a relearn process. For what it is worth I will go with a Banks intake after I do a turbo upgrade. As in my opinion the next bottle neck is the stock turbo. and yes a good intake will help a over-driven turbo, absolutely true but it is a band aide as there only real solution is just getting a bigger turbo.

Astute observations. Yes, we alter the cross-sectional area at the MAF sensor. We are just shy of the safe AFR limit. There's one intake that produces more power but it runs the engine too lean in our opinion.

Regarding long lasting gains, we've tested several aftermarket intake equipped Tacomas over a period of months and they have not "learned" the new MAF. The increased horsepower lasts as long as the intake is installed.

 

[tgrneal]

At the end of the day, you're the consumer and we respect your decision. Thank you for the feedback.

I haven't had the experience others have. I have been looking to buy Banks because of the history I and others have had with Banks. I will say, the longer it takes Banks to make a product for my TrailHunter its making me want to go ahead and buy SXTH. It's always when I have money that things become MORE expensive or people go out of business. I'll never get own one of Bonobo Products original shift knobs....Hurry up @Banks Power! I'll take an Intake in carbon fiber, Intercooler and one of these? in carbon fiber.

 

[Diablo Taco]

It has been my experience going back to imported 3TG hemi Corolla engines in the 1970s, that turbo engines are relatively insensitive to intakes. The boost is controlled by engine control and the turbo needs a little bit more energy to make up for any pressure drop in the intake. Since these turbos are relatively efficient there is not much there there. IMO most modern intakes make more, most of the HP by leaning out the air fuel mixture. It was either Mishimoto or SXTH that has documented their entire development process and they note they ARE increasing the area at the MAF pickup and this is increasing HP. The "problem" with this is that some, most or all of this "gain" is learned away by the ECU. I would contend that if there is no change in boost which is ECU controlled there is not much to be gained from an intake.

That said, I like any again that eliminates pumping loss and believe these cost more in terms of $$$ but are easier on the engine vs simply cranking up the boost. So I don't think it is fair to give a $$$ per HP as a HP is not an HP.

Lastly Banks mentioned sound. Both Banks and SXTH are coming out with a turbo inlet and this will eliminate the intake muffler and IMO this is going to add a lot of sound to any intake. BTW just cutting a hole to the inner fender on the stock intake bring turbo sounds into the stock setup at zero cost.

I went with a tune, I have both Cobb and CamTuning. I think just cutting an air hole fender side and running the Cobb dry replacement filter is enough till I install my SXTH element intercooler later this month (note again that money spent on pumping loss and / or heat) is better spent. So I guess I voted with my feet and spent my money on intercooler vs an CAI.

On tubes, Banks, SXTH and Mishimoto have them, I don't see much "gain" there but they look cool, pun intended.

Love the assessment.

We're genuinely sorry to have lost you a potential customer.

However, our marketing will not change. Here's why.

The automotive aftermarket has a relatively low barrier to entry. And, few people actually fact check manufacturers' claims. There are a few brands that are notorious for stating bogus claims. We've called out BS marketing and poorly engineered parts for nearly 70 years because a few bad parts or false claims can drag down an entire industry. Take for example cold air intakes. A filter at the end of a tube, open to hot engine air, is not a cold air intake. It's a hot air intake. An intake like this can actually lose power, not gain. It's up to us and others to point that out. Otherwise, we get lumped in with them. There are countless YouTube videos of guys trying to prove that cold air intakes do not add power. We've fought this for years, not just because we manufacture them, but because it's not always true. Case is point is the Tacoma intake. Ours adds 18.3 hp.

Regarding SXTH and K&N. If SXTH was alone in the market, it would be an acceptable intake. But they're not alone. We've released one that is superior. And, we're going to continue to say it. As we said before, it's like football. You can't let your competitor score a single point. We are not belittling them. We are competing against them. Mark, their engineer, is a smart cookie. He's going to read every word we print and make sure he doesn't give us the advantage next time. He will likely improve his products, partly based on our criticism.

Regarding K&N, it is a poorly designed intake. It has a foam lid, allowing hot air in. It's not a cold air intake if it lets in hot air.

Regarding community, we own Tacomas and have attended Toyota events for fun, for years.

Regarding the take-over of social media, most people don't frequent groups or forums every day. They have busy lives. The only way to reach these busy people is with frequency.

Thank you for the great back-and-forth.

Appreciate the response, but I think this proves the original point. There’s a difference between educating consumers and constantly inserting yourselves into conversations to call competitors ‘poorly designed’ or ‘bogus.’ Even if some criticism is fair, the tone comes off more defensive than confident.

Not everyone buys an intake solely for max dyno numbers. Some people care about sound, drivability, looks, price, or simplicity. A product doesn’t have to be the absolute top performer to still be a good option.

Competition is healthy, but constantly focusing on other brands instead of letting your own product speak for itself creates fatigue in the community. If the intake is truly superior, independent testing, customer results, and transparent data will do more for your reputation than repeatedly tearing down competitors.

 

[Banks Power]

Love the assessment.


Appreciate the response, but I think this proves the original point. There’s a difference between educating consumers and constantly inserting yourselves into conversations to call competitors ‘poorly designed’ or ‘bogus.’ Even if some criticism is fair, the tone comes off more defensive than confident.

Not everyone buys an intake solely for max dyno numbers. Some people care about sound, drivability, looks, price, or simplicity. A product doesn’t have to be the absolute top performer to still be a good option.

Competition is healthy, but constantly focusing on other brands instead of letting your own product speak for itself creates fatigue in the community. If the intake is truly superior, independent testing, customer results, and transparent data will do more for your reputation than repeatedly tearing down competitors.

You bring all valid points, and to be clear, we value your feedback. We'll take it into serious consideration. Some inside baseball... Before we released our intake, SXTH owned the groups and forums. They did a great job seeding influencers and group moderators with free product. So, what you were seeing was not necessarily organic feedback. Food for thought.

 

[Banks Power]

I haven't had the experience others have. I have been looking to buy Banks because of the history I and others have had with Banks. I will say, the longer it takes Banks to make a product for my TrailHunter its making me want to go ahead and buy SXTH. It's always when I have money that things become MORE expensive or people go out of business. I'll never get own one of Bonobo Products original shift knobs....Hurry up @Banks Power! I'll take an Intake in carbon fiber, Intercooler and one of these? in carbon fiber.

According to their website, the SXTH intake will only work with a Trailhunter if the ECM is tuned because the cross sectional area at the MAF sensor is calibrated for the non-TRD Pro/TH variants. Our TRD Pro/TH will be available this summer. And it'll be worth the wait!

 

[oldman]

Cobb does claim a HP increase, they just don't claim a specific number.

"Not only does the COBB SF Intake System free up power, it also upgrades the under-hood aesthetic. Let your turbocharged Toyota Tacoma or 4Runner breathe easier with the COBB SF Intake System."

It is a minor quibble. I said it reduces pumping loss which is 100$ equivalent to "breathe easier". You say "HP increase" which is NOT 100% equivalent to "free up power". Yes some HP is loss due to the slightly less dense air from say the stock system at the turbo inlet pipe (since all these systems keep the stock pipe (outside of K&N version 2). This is helpful in initial turbo spool and it goes down to marginally helpful when the ecu opens the wastegate when desired boost level is achieved. Since at this exact point virtually all the HP the engine is making is determined by the PSI in the intake manifold which is governed by software. Sure the turbo may work factional less hard at boost with less intake restriction but how much as these are pretty efficient turbo systems. I would agree (using Grok to analyze stock wheel) that this smallish turbo can benefit from all the good intake flow that can be provided as a turbo is nothing more than a pressure differential device. So I'll stick with reduce pumping loss or the Cobb equivalent.

 

[oldman]

just a sample of Grok and I talking about the stock turbo:
Is this wheel used on a stock application?
Nope — this is 100% an aftermarket upgrade wheel, not stock.

Stock IHI VB51 (factory on the 2024+ Tacoma 2.4T) uses a smaller cast compressor wheel (roughly 45mm inducer range) with fewer blades, designed for quick spool, low boost, and daily reliability.
The Mamba billet 49.7/67.4mm is a drop-in upgrade that requires porting the factory compressor housing to clear the bigger wheel. It's billet aluminum, extended/tapered tips, higher blade count for better top-end flow. Same story on the D5 super high-flow turbine (54x48mm) — bigger and higher-flow than stock, not OEM.

TurboKits calls it a "hybrid" because it reuses the stock IHI center housing and bolt-on mounting, but the rotating assembly is fully upgraded for more air and power while trying to keep near-stock drivability.
Bottom line: Great street/trail taco for the Tacoma — more top-end breathe, solid 400-500 HP potential with supporting mods, but no fancy map to plot your exact boost curve. If you're tuning it yourself, dyno time + a good logger will tell you more than any map anyway.
Got the full tune details, boost target, or fuel setup in mind? Drop it and we'll keep stacking the next layers — intercooler, exhaust, E85, whatever makes this thing rip through paradise! What's the goal HP on this build, brah? Let's keep the performance taco coming! hp limit of stock wheel at 20 psiYo, Louie soaking up that Hawaiian Paradise Park vibe — we out here building this Tacoma turbo taco like a street performer, stacking every layer tight, no weak spots, just pure boost flavor and wheel efficiency!
HP Limit of the Stock Compressor Wheel at 20 PSI
Real-world safe limit on the stock IHI VB51 wheel (42.87mm inducer / ~41-45mm class):
Around 300–330 WHP (wheel horsepower) on pump gas with a solid tune and supporting mods.
That’s the practical ceiling before the stock wheel starts getting inefficient — high drive pressure, heat soak, pushing into surge territory or just not moving enough air without massive exhaust backpressure. Past ~320-330whp the taco starts tasting burnt; you’re forcing the small wheel to work overtime.
Why that number?

Stock turbo flows roughly ~350 CFM max on the compressor side.
At 20 PSI (about 2.36 pressure ratio on a 2.4L), that translates to enough mass flow for the 300-330whp range on 91-93 octane.
Tuned stock trucks (JB4, OTT Stage 1, COBB, etc.) are already hitting 290-310whp with only mild boost increases (usually 15-19 psi peak, not full 20).
The upgrade billet wheel (49.7mm) is ~40% more airflow, which is why TurboKits shows 350whp / 393tq at exactly 20 psi — that extra flow keeps efficiency in the sweet spot while the stock wheel would be choking and heating up at the same pressure.

Quick Taco Layer Breakdown:

Stock wheel @ 20 psi → Expect heat, higher EGTs, and efficiency dropping off hard above 300-320whp. You can push it there briefly, but long-term it’s risky for reliability (bearing wear, compressor surge risk).
Upgrade wheel @ 20 psi → Comfortably makes 350+ whp and still has headroom (they’re targeting 400whp+ with more tuning).
Real dyno proof: Tuned stock-turbo Tacomas top out around 300-310whp before guys swap to the hybrid or bigger.

 

[AmbyBomb]

It is a minor quibble. I said it reduces pumping loss which is 100$ equivalent to "breathe easier". You say "HP increase" which is NOT 100% equivalent to "free up power". Yes some HP is loss due to the slightly less dense air from say the stock system at the turbo inlet pipe (since all these systems keep the stock pipe (outside of K&N version 2). This is helpful in initial turbo spool and it goes down to marginally helpful when the ecu opens the wastegate when desired boost level is achieved. Since at this exact point virtually all the HP the engine is making is determined by the PSI in the intake manifold which is governed by software. Sure the turbo may work factional less hard at boost with less intake restriction but how much as these are pretty efficient turbo systems. I would agree (using Grok to analyze stock wheel) that this smallish turbo can benefit from all the good intake flow that can be provided as a turbo is nothing more than a pressure differential device. So I'll stick with reduce pumping loss or the Cobb equivalent.

I don't say anything, dude, I literally quoted Cobb.

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