Finally got around to installing it, bought it last year, but the weather got too cold when it finally arrived from back order. First things first, as always, SPE fit and finish is superb. This is my third DPK install, the first 2 were the Gen 1 kits, and the included return filter is still sitting on my desk from the 2019 install, PITA to install, so didn't. That one got the S&S filter kit. There are far fewer parts, no more flare fittings which was the #1 complaint from what I read. No hoses either, all hard lines.



Removal of the upper intake, as always, is a beech, there are 2 bolts at the left rear that are difficult to get a socket on due to an EGT bracket above and behind that is in itself difficult to get to. The fix was to just bend it a bit towards the center of the truck.




EGR pipes came right off, of course dropped the intake side gasket, into the valley.



Once I got all the bolts out, I tried to remove it. Nope, not happening, not even a little bit. A few other items have to come off. The Throttle body, gave me a little room, but thats not what blocked me.



Fuel filter bracket had to come out. 4 bolts in the f, er sucker. Then I removed the HP pipe from the turbo, not necessary, but gave me a lot more room to work. Tried to remove the upper at this point, Nope, not happening. The lower plastic intake has to be removed or at least unbolted and disconnected from the turbo first, so 2 bolts, and a pull, NOW I can get the upper to come out. The lower intake I just picked up and swung to the side, with the hot pipe removed, there is plenty of room to move it while staying connected to CCV.

This is the point at which you can now access the top of the CP4.





OH Look, the Turbo, and yes, there is some oil in there. CCV is next on my list.


Yes, there is water in the middle of the block, I power washed the compartment the day before and it hasn't dried out yet.

Whats this? EWW, already!! Some soot build up. This is 19K miles worth of soot.




Well thats the last of the pictures, but the install from this point forward was basic and simple, the MPOP came right out, replaced the orings on it, installed the new base with MPROP to the CP4, slid the new hard line into place, then bolted it in place on teh CP4, and then reinstalled the intakes. I dropped tools several times under the turbo, but was able to retrieve them. At least this time I didn't drop my 1/4" ratchet and lose it like I did on the 2019.

To reinstall the upper intake, the lower intake has to be completely free to move, then the left hand side needs to be squeezed through between the lower and the cowling, then the right side can swing into place. Once the upper sit in place, then the two bolts and the seal around the turbo can be completed. The lower has 2 bolts only. The upper has 9 bolts, 4 on either head and one by the TB. I reinstalled the 8 bolts in the back, and had no problems once I got that EGT bracket aligned right, then installed the front bolt, the TB,and IC pipe. From there I installed the fuel filter, and hot pipe, the fitting for the fuel rails is interesting.

On the pre 2020 MY the fitting between filter and hard pipes can be removed from both ends, so the original SPE would have an adapter to go over that pipe and connect with a new fitting to the fuel filter, with a flare fitting on the adapter to connect a line to the MPROP adapter. On the 2020+ that fuel line is attached to the hard line and not removable, so it gets reused. The kit supplies a fitting off the fuel filter and another fitting for the third hardline. That attaches to the bottom of the fitting, and the original attaches to the adapter. Its a bit tricky getting everything to fit, but eventually I got it. Once I goat everything buttoned up, I pushed the button to bleed the system, and then started the truck. Fired right off, no leaks.

What I like about this Gen 2 kit, it looks factory. It even has a bracket to match the factory two line bracket that gets replaced. If Ford were to ever actually solve this issue where the CP4 damages the fuel system when it fails, I would suspect it would look just like this.

Now the EXO Filter, well, I tried, I failed, I could not get it installed. Not because its difficult to install, but because I dropped the damned bolt that secures it in place and it landed under some hardlines and lodged in the cross member where I cannot retrieve it. I have to get a replacement bolt.

What I do not like about the SPE docs, there is not enough detail, so at first I was looking in the wrong location. The image they use is from a mock up, taken in such a way that can never actually be seen when working on it, so I totally missed the location where it was supposed to bolt to, instead I was attempting to bolt it from the wrong spot. I dropped that bolt which is the factory rail mount, its gone, somewhere in that cross member. I looked at their picture again because there is no way that bracket they supplied works from that location. The picture they use has two bracket, which the 2024 MY does not have. After climbing up further into the engine bay I eventually found the wire loom they referred to, and was able to unplug the keeper from the bolt hole. This is where I then wound up dropping the supplied bolt for the bracket. So for now the Exo filter will have to wait until I can get two replacement bolts.

Once the bracket was figured out, the actual install of the filter is a snap, just disconnect the return line, slide the filter on the hard line, secure the bracket, then reattach the return line to the fitting on the filter. Then plug it inline to the fuel pressure switch so that if the fuel pressure drops from debris it will trigger a code.

Overall, regardless of WHICH company is used, the install is identical, but what is different on this new kit, it looks like it came from the factory. Until the Exo filter is actually installed, there is very little that stands out that there is a DPK installed. Unless you know exactly what to look for, which are the fuel lines to the filter, you wouldn't know it has one. While S&S still has a better fuel return filter set up, it still uses hoses and clamps and other fittings. I think SPE one upped them on the actual DPK part, the only failure points are the o-rings, just like factory. No possibility of a clamp giving out, or a line rubbing. SInce S&S now uses a canned filter, the Exo Filter does have one advantage in that you can monitor health by checking the glass for any debris, and adding the S&S return filter can always be done. I just think this is the way it should have been done from the start, very little on it that can fail unlike the previous gen and S&S have. I was going to go S&S this time around until SPE came out with the Gen2.

 

I'll give SPE the advantage of hard lines and a factory style install and look (besides their filter), but they lack real world testing of their kit on a running 6.7 with a bad CP4... unless I missed that.

I know that you don't like the S&S rubber hoses and connections, as we've had discussion in the past, but I do like that S&S kits have been proven to work. But have to admit that I do like those hard lines for sure.

Good luck with it... sucks that one bolt is holding this up.

And more pics when done...

 

Congrats on the install! Those intakes... I would love to swap mine out but at the prices they ask for them, I'll have to wait! Can't wait to see a finished picture so we can take it all in!

And as far as I know, my S&S kit has been doing great so I am quite happy with it! I do agree, I appreciated all the videos in which S&S show's their DPK working, and it's what sold me on it. At this point, I would go with them again.

As for SPE, it really does seem like the SPE Labs market has really caused a lot of negativity towards them both, and in many cases likely turns people away, even if all the reviews they have read were due to SPE Labs rather than SPE Motorsport. However, it seems I have read plenty of threads about slow shipping and zero customer service for SPE Motorsports. I did finally cave in and bought the CCV reroute and the external catch can from them just a few days ago, so I am excited to see how my own experience goes when dealing with them. Of course I hope it is good, but I am nervous about it, especially since part of the order showed OOS with an eta of 6/8. I will also admit, many of the SPE Motorsports product video seem to be somewhat lacking and not very informative. Anyway, maybe this purchase will change my mind on the company.

 

Great pics and write up

 

As far as testing, SPE works identically to S&S so if one works, both work. It's design is pretty freaking simple and it boggles the mind Ford didn't correct it from the start, afterall they should know after the first few failures how to prevent it( not the failures, the destruction afterwards). Basically that block that both companies make separates the crankcase from the MPROP, and provides its own source of fresh fuel. In both cases, it prevents crank case contamination from ever getting into the high pressure side of things. The S&S advantage was, and still somewhat is, the addition of the filter after the crankcase to capture the junk once it happens. That is the S&S advantage where SPE, without any filter will fail, even with the halfassed filter it still provided protection, and the Gen2 stepped it up by adding the sight bowl.

I'll admit, the S&S is just slightly better at final protection, but no longer has a means to check the return fuel, where originally it did. The way SPE looks at it, you can check it every time you check your oil and if you see any glitter, dont run it. You should be able to catch it prior to when the CP4 starts to grind itself apart, before that can get to the tank. It does rely 100% on operator checking it. The S&S filter will stop it from getting to the tank, but you wont know it failed until it starts throwing codes and performance issue happen.

SPE does have delays in shipping, I don't think they have much in the way of on shelf inventory and waits for batches to come in. Their support for me has been good, I only needed it to find out where the heck my order is, but they did get back right away when I emailed them and then contacted me when it arrived and got ready to ship out. Mine was one of the first batches sent out for the Gen 2 and it was complete.

Now onto the Exo filter. I measured the remaining bolt and I just happened to have a box of black oxide bolts in that thread size of 6 x1 mm, though they are 25 mm instead of 19 mm which was the one I lost. However the bolt holes are deep enough that they fully fit. Took me all of 15 minutes start to finish. Again I got mixed up on the sensor harness due tot he angle of which the picture was taken, not facing the engine but from the opposite side of where the filter is. It appeared to be the HP sensor, but its the one in front of the fuel filter.

I first replaced the lost bolt on the bracket, then got the mount and was able to hold onto the bolt, bracket, and tool and get the bolt started, then worked it to almost snug. I then disconnected the return line, pushed the filter in place, got the bracket lined up and was able to get the other bolt started, got it all tight and plugged the return line into the filter. Mucked around with the wrong sensor for a bit until I found the plugs don't match, its hard to reach have to go under thee upper radiator hose to reach it, then I put it back together once I found its the wrong fuel sensor, found the Low pressure sensor, match the connections and plugged it in. The thing that threw me off is the one in the picture doesn't match the truck, and they don't specify which fuel pressure switch, low or high. Low makes sense now that I think about it, but didn't when I was working on it.


The finished product. Yeah, got some cleaning to do to remove the splashed diesel. The lower fitting is the new one that goes to the MPROP, the one above is the original.


The low pressure bypass, it gets a circuit interuptis from the switch on the filter if pressure drops from the filter clogging



THIS is the place where it is supposed to be bolted to, hard to see from above, this one I have the phone down on an angle to see it that you cannot see without the phone there.


This is the one I originally thought it used, but, I was wrong.


It sure bubbles a lot. Fuel from the pump enters the bowl, fills it, and returns via the screen to the return line. Since the block is black, it will be easy to see any glitter long before it gets to the point that it grinds itself.

So now my truck has a Coffee Pot, the percolator Express.

 

I think that bubbling is temporary

once all the disassembly air is pushed out should be just fuel going forward.

 

Great follow up post.

As to the bubbling, it took a lot of priming cycles for me, or rather did a LOT more than necessary trying to get rid of the bubbles in the SNAPP filter when I installed my S&S kit and there were still there when I just said it will have to do because there were very small air bubbles in there after being completely primed so like Fritz said, they will probably go away after awhile.

Yes, now that you mentioned the bypass blocks, point taken. I needed to expand my point. What I like about the S&S, as evidenced by their first video on a gen truck like mine, they ran the truck with the pre-damaged CP4 to show the engine will still run, hence truck will drive with a damaged CP4 and protect the rest of the fuel system at the same time which means its entirely possible that the truck would be able to continue on a hill with a load or away from home... instead of being dead in the water. That's what I meant.

I agree with the SPE system being on the owner to check for glitter but what's it going to do if you're chugging up that hill with a load and the CP4 schitts the bed?

As to not being able to see inside a regular metal fuel filter, I don't see that as a disadvantage because when the pump goes, CEL will come on and I'm sure the truck will run a bit different. The filter can be taken off and drained to look for glitter...

But thats the advantage, IMO, of the S&S that the engine will still run. Not so sure with the SPE kit. But inquiring minds want to know...

That SNAPP filter is big and the clear bottom hangs down quite a bit. I never check it. I'll have to look at it now tomorrow before work...

I did buy the Gen 2.1 kit for half price in case sourcing the SNAPP filters were tough. I'm still rocking my original filter and I'm one oil change away from changing the Motorcraft fuel filter set, at this next change. I monitor primary fuel pressure so Im not seeing any significant drop in pressure. I'll see what happens this next oil change.

I love sourcing hardware from the garage... good stuff. Good luck and look forward to more on this as you drive your truck.

 

Great writeup, and really clear pics. I can never get shots that good, but I'm sure it's operator error (as usual)...

 

I think the main issue is that regardless of when it fails, it will provide enough protection to not be a concern with the rest of the fuel system. Anything that does happen to get past it will be captured by the other filters and stop long before it ever has a chance o reaching the HP side. Just remember that the CP4 doesn't start to grind itself to death until the chrome coating or whatever the hardened layer is made from flakes off and will fill up that screen, triggering the low pressure alert, and even as its started to grind, very little will get past the screen once its covered in the larger particles. Even if its only 90% protection, its 90% more protection than without it. Besides, it looks cool too.

 

Been running the S&S DPK with SNAPP return filter. If I ever take those upper and lower intakes off again, it won't be to put in a different DPK; I'd put in a DCR.

 

Yeah being ain't cheap...

I'd just really love to see someone make a video by intentionally damaging a CP4 with SPE DPK kit installed and run it to see what would happen... Will it run tp allow the truck to at least move off to the side of the road, get off the freeway or allow the truck to get up that big hill pulling a load?

About the rubber hoses on the S&S kit, I still have plans, down the line, to vent my hood with that one piece Run Cool hood vent... would use the stainless steel rivets...

That should help with keeping those hoses good and vent some heat...

Outside the box as usual.

 

It will with the S&S return filter installed!

 

Thanks for posting this. Somehow I missed it and resurrected an old thread. I think your idea of adding the S&S filter after the SPE screen would be the absolute best approach.

 

I would rather just charge the skin with liquid nitrogen. That way when you get pulled over, you can tell the cop you just came back from the future and it was a wild ride, as the skin frosts over and vapors pour off like the Delorean.

 

Did you just "vape" before you wrote that?