SPE '15 retro kit, install and review w/ pics

So after a little calling around and asking questions I felt to be important, I decided SPE was the best choice for me.

I'll start by saying that their customer support is TOP NOTCH. I had a couple questions along the way and they never once gave me grief for calling multiple times. Also, answering one question AFTER hours just proved to me even more that I had made the right choice, for me.

Install:
Drain radiator fluid!!!!
Remove air filter top half
Remove intake pipe
Remove upper intake
Remove the cast aluminum junction for the intake/egr/cac
Remove rest of cac and ccv piping

Here comes the fun part
Remove both exhaust upipes (my v-bands were siezed, heat and BEAT!)
Remove "upper" downpipe "cobra head". there is a 10mm bolt holding it to the transmission housing, dont miss it! (v-band was seized too)
Remove turbo (cut the coolant hose right in the middle, you get a new one)

Now it's time for the go-back, it's much easier, I promise.

Install the DRIVERS side up-pipe with v-band clamp, loosey goosey for now (they call it LH for some reason, don't forget your new gasket)
Clean pedestal and install gasket
Finaggle that big ole new turbo in there. I found it easiest to rotate it partially clockwise and it set right down in there. Yeah, my shoulder are sore too...
Connect the installed up-pipe vband loosely
Bolt the turbo down to spec.
Install the coolant line and oil line (prelube the o-rings)
Tighten down the installed up-pipe to spec
Install the new "upper" downpipe. attach the v-band semi snug. put a floor jack under the exhaust and have fun lining it all up.
Install passenger side up-pipe and tighten to spec
Install new cast aluminum intake/egr/cac junction. The rubber reducer to the turbo is a little long so I trimmed 1/8' of both ends.
Reattach CAC and CCV tubes
Plug the old wastegate vacuum hose
Reattach upper intake
Reattach air intake tube and top half.
Change oil and filter
Top off coolant per the manual.
Install new tune SPE provides, and have a cold brew

Nice write up! How does it run compared to the stock turbo??

Nice

I'm still on my existing gearhead tune, but when it comes up it blows te tires off. I should have a custom tune for the bigger turbo today so I'll have a nice comparison

Nice write up man! So I didnt see it, but the exhaust manifolds stay the same correct? I thought I read somewhere a while ago that everything from the heads up needed changed to do this retrofit. Doesnt appear the exhaust manifolds need to be changed at least! Enjoying how it drives more now with this turbo?

A long pry bar and Chevy tool (BFH) are also helpful in removing the v bands. Mine weren't stuck too bad with only 21k miles.


Keith

We're you able to use the ports in the up-pipe for your EGT/pyrometer probe?

BuiltPowerStrokeTough said:

Nice write up man! So I didnt see it, but the exhaust manifolds stay the same correct? I thought I read somewhere a while ago that everything from the heads up needed changed to do this retrofit. Doesnt appear the exhaust manifolds need to be changed at least! Enjoying how it drives more now with this turbo?

Click to expand...

1 is completely different

couple vids on the existing gearhead tune thats soft at the ramp-in and limited to 30psi

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/102478809/spe turbo/VIDEO0009.mp4

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/102478809/spe turbo/VIDEO0011.mp4

BuiltPowerStrokeTough said:

Nice write up man! So I didnt see it, but the exhaust manifolds stay the same correct? I thought I read somewhere a while ago that everything from the heads up needed changed to do this retrofit. Doesnt appear the exhaust manifolds need to be changed at least! Enjoying how it drives more now with this turbo?

Click to expand...

same manifolds. SPE makes custom uppipes and upper-downpipe to do their retro

Spe tuning.
I'll be giving gearhead a shot later.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/102478809/spe turbo/VIDEO0015_01.mp4

Jared @ River City Diesel said:

1 is completely different

Click to expand...

jcain said:

same manifolds. SPE makes custom uppipes and upper-downpipe to do their retro

Click to expand...

So for example if you went with a full '15 retrofit kit, you would be replacing 1 of the exhaust manifolds. But if you went with the SPE one, you would not be correct?

I'm not sure on the former, but as for the latter, SPE uses both of the stock 11-14 manifolds.

I can speak for elites kit comes with complete new up pipes, down pipe, and passenger side manifold. Everything is Ford parts and fits exact. Runs real good too!!



Keith

some daily driving and little pulls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEInSbsOJvY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly0zn6mQ59Y
some semi WOT pulls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W867FxYmEk0

jcain said:

some daily driving and little pulls

Click to expand...

Left a little bit of rubber in the one vid :rockon:

It'll leave some toyo at 40mph if you aren't considerate. I'm overall very impressed with the improvements, from the power gains all over the board to the ~2mpg increase all around , and the Rick Flair wooo is gone!
Dan at SPE reworked the tune as well, since those videos, to get rid of the smoke at tip in and kickdown a gear quicker so as to not bog the motor and blow smoke on the freeway.

Oh, and now it's time for traction bars. The axle shook so bad during a slow rolling Semi-WOT that it seperated the exhaust mid-cab.

less wind noise and a pretty heavy slow roll pull.

http://youtu.be/O_tRaLIBGu4