2006 6.0
181,000mi
4690 ENG HRS

Purchased the truck from the original owner a few weeks ago, he says the HPOP was the only major repair he ever had to have done. That said I have no proof of the work, just his word.

If he did in fact have this work done, would the STC fitting update TYPICALLY have been done? I understand it might depend on the mechanic; however I am just looking for opinions. From what I can tell, the STC isn't something you can see from the outside and I would hate to tear things apart just to find out it's already been done.

 

Stop by Ford and get an Oasis report, need the vin#.

Did he mention it was done under warranty or not?

The Oasis would show it if under warranty.

 

I get the feeling it wasn't done by the dealer, however I really can't prove that. Is the Oasis report free? I did a Carfax on it and NOTHING came back, I kind of expected to see some shop time on there however nothing but DMV registration info...

 

Yes, it's free. Will show all work done under warranty.

 

Tried the Oasis today, only shows that it had 2 injectors replaced in 2008, hmm who knows.

So back to the original question, is the STC fitting usually changed when the HPOP is replaced? Assuming this was done about 18 months ago? Anyway to check without removing the HPOP?

 

Speculation time.

All F-series (after '05) have the failure prone fitting, because even '07 model year trucks have June/July '06 as the final build dates before the '08s came online. Ford released the revised bracketry for the E-series in August 2006. The revised fitting was released by Feb 2007 (and was included in factory E-series builds after 2/9/07). If Ford was installing the new part from the factory, and was already on their second iteration of STC fitting update..... it would stand to reason that the only part available to reinstall an HPOP after Feb 2007 would be the revised fitting. Even if you give them a year to flush out the old parts from supply channels, by early 2008 I would think that only the revised fitting was being stocked and all repairs would be forced to utilize it.

DTS Articles - HPOP Connector Bracket
DTS Articles - New High Pressure Oil Connector

 

Well so since the HPOP was done sometime in 2011-2012 wouldn't this mean it would have the new fitting?

Part of my question also is that when the HPOP goes dead, what is typically the response from a mechanic, replace the unit? And when it is replaced, that STC fitting is a part of that correct?

 

My WAG is that yes, you got the new fitting. But the only way to know for sure is to pull the HPOP cover. If you ever have the turbo out go for it, it's not that much more work under there. Until then do a cost-benefit calc on waiting until you get hot-hard or -no starts or a plain no-start/died while driving to have an excuse to dig for it. Company truck and you can't handle down time, schedule a day down and go exploring for $100 or less in parts. Personal truck and it can sit for a week or three, let it ride. If you're going to lose sleep over it, schedule a day down and go looking.

 

I would contact the original owner for more details to find out for sure if the STC fitting was replaced if it's that much of a concern. He might have some paperwork or mention who did the work, and take it from there.

 

Whoops sorry to make you repeat all that, I totally missed that chunk of your first response... Thanks!

It's a personal vehicle that gets driven VERY little, so taking it apart isn't a huge deal, kind of a fun weekend project. Thanks again!

 

If I can barge in here, texastech_diesel: you seem pretty up on the STC fitting. I'm just going to flat out ask your opinion, since you have an '07 and I do too: is the second update in our engines and was it a more reliable unit? I don't see in your sig where you have changed yours, and I'm in the process of deciding what is worth proactively chasing down. I will be running Torque and monitoring HPOP, I'm wondering if I will be able to see a trending drop off in pressure that tells me the STC or the standpipe/dummy plug issue is beginning to show up. My truck's build was 3rd week of July and engine I think was June of '06....

 

As far as I know no '05+ F-Series 6.0L ever got anything new or updated, just the same prone-to-failure connector; so no, I don't think the '07s are special or got any updated parts. Maybe one of the techs can say if they've seen a factory 6.0L in a truck with anything special on it, but I don't think they put the upgrades in as a running change until the model year '08 (maybe '07) E-Series. The updated fitting was installed in production engines starting from serial # 431736 on 2/9/07, I don't know anything concrete other than I'm pretty certain neither of our '07s are past that serial number, and I'm pretty sure that Ford was well into building the '08 6.4Ls by that point. We have trucks with a 22 June 2006 and 21 July 2006 build dates, the July one is pretty close to the end of the run of F-Series 6.0Ls.

Watching the Sr Master Tech videos, he says a failed STC fitting could still build up to 100psi of ICP, but if the connector fails is such a way as to crack the rear cover, I'd bet you wouldn't even see that. He says failed standpipes and dummy plugs will build something like ~300ish PSI. Both of those with IPR% pegged to 84-85%. Smaller/early leaks will show up as a normal idle ICP around 580PSI, with an increased IPR%. Failed IPR won't build any pressure.

My plan is the first time the turbo comes out on either of them, the updated part is going in. Best chance is it never fails until I get to replace it, most likely is that it fails by causing a died while driving/no restart and a tow, worst case it it splits the rear cover when it goes. In the same thought process, the first time the valve covers come off, upgrades stand pipe and rail plug is going it. If either of the trucks were vital, I'd get all the parts and find a couple days to do it, but we have redundant truck capacity so other than the cost of a tow we're not incredibly worried yet. If they start pushing 100k+.... I might go the preventative route. The '07s are at 69K and 71k, and all the parts on sitting on a shelf.

At 1:40, the voiceover explains his opinions on ICP/IPR% for HPO leaks:

 

Thanks Bryan. I was sure the non-STC fitting never made it in, but was hoping something "better" than the first attempt was put in. I'm working on my proposal to the "Budget Committee" ('er queen) and justifying fixing things that aint broke is sounding like a broken record. Yet it's me that worries when she goes camping with her gal friends....

 

Ford offered a solution mid-way of an STC bracket that stabilized the fitting and kept it from loosening or coming apart.

Josh

 

Yeah, I used to wonder if that revised bracket-deal ever made it into a truck, but I've never seen an '07MY F-Series with an August '06 build date. Even if it had made it in, the bracket just stops the connector from pulsing and contacting the rear cover, it'll still leak to the point you get no-starts.

The STC fitting is one of the real bitch parts on the 6.0L. It's a $40 part that can cost $1,000 to get installed at a dealer, and it can leave you dead-stranded on the side of the road with no warning. Way worse than any EGR or head gasket issues IMO, at least those can be mitigated with maintenance and a functioning cerebral cortex.

Yeah, thats the Aug '06 update, but I've never seen an August F-Series build; they might exist, I don't know. If there are 8/06 trucks, that's where a tech would have to chime in and say if they've ever actually seen one. Mark (bismic) has mentioned in the past if anyone comes across one of those STC fitting brackets he'd be interested in seeing one in person.

Edit: I had a brain fart up earlier, all build dates are 2006, not 2007. Sorry to confuse anyone.