Installation Tips and Tricks for Your Ford 6.0L Diesel Standpipe and Dummy Plug Kit
Replacing your Ford diesel truck’s 6.0 stand pipe assembly can be an intimidating project, but if you prepare ahead of time, the process can be much easier. We’ll walk you through the basics of the installation so you'll know what it takes to get back on the road in no time.
Getting Started
When you’re installing new standpipes and dummy plugs, the first thing you need to do is remove the old ones. After you open the hood, you’ll need to move or take out the parts that are blocking access to your high-pressure oil rails, which hold the dummy plugs and the top portion of your standpipes in place. It’s a good idea to lay out a tarp or set up a large table so that you can take out and lay each part down in series, then reinstall the parts in reverse order.
Your engine has two identical high-pressure oil rails that are installed on the driver and passenger sides of your truck, respectively. The process for replacing the standpipes in each manifold is the same, but the passenger side oil rail can be harder to access. Nevertheless, since the two installation processes are nearly identical, we’ll use the driver-side installation as our example.
Access Your High-Pressure Oil Rail, Standpipes, and Dummy Plugs
To access the standpipe, you’ll need to disconnect and remove the injection control pressure (ICP) sensor and remove the valve cover. You’ll also need to move the coolant reservoir, down pipe, and fuel injection control module so you can reach the oil rail. This will give you access to its hollow dummy plug at the front of the rail and the top piece of your standpipe (which is short and pierced with holes) at the back of the rail. The standpipe and dummy plug are in the same location on both the driver side and passenger side oil rails.
Once you have access to the oil rail, the dummy plug and the top part of the standpipe should be fairly easy to get to and take out with a 10mm or 12mm Allen wrench, but you may find that you have less clearance than you would like, especially on the passenger side. In any case, after you remove these parts, inspect them for damage—broken or chewed-up o-rings are a clear sign of trouble. When you're done looking, set these parts aside.
Remove the Long Part of the Standpipe from the Branch Tube
To reach and remove the remaining, longer portion of the standpipe, you will almost certainly need to take the oil rail out of your truck. Be sure not to drop its bolts as you proceed. Once you remove the manifold, you should have enough clearance to remove and replace the longer bottom part of the standpipe. Use a specialty tool or needle-nose pliers to reach into the branch tube, dislodge the part, and pull it out. You may need to wiggle the standpipe a bit to free it, but once the seal is broken, it should slide right out. Inspect the o-ring seals on the end of the standpipe; if you notice any part of the rubber-like seal is missing, you’ll need to make sure that the branch tube is completely clear of any material before you install the new standpipe; otherwise, your installation could end in catastrophic failure, and you would need to start over with new parts.
Install Your Replacement Parts
Once you’re sure the branch tube is clear, you’ll be ready to install your replacement lower standpipe. It's very important that you don’t install this part dry because doing so could cause its o-ring to pinch or deform as you slide it into the branch tube. Be sure to lubricate the long portion of your new standpipe with an appropriate GC-LB grease, then slide it into place and leave it alone. You'll want to tighten down the new standpipe after you replace the manifold, because you’ll need to install the smaller top part of your new standpipe and make sure that everything is in place, aligned, and connected before you tighten everything down.
After you’ve put the high-pressure oil rail in place, grease the short top piece of the standpipe and install it in the back of the rail, then grease the dummy plug and put it in the front of the rail. Now you’re ready to torque the manifold bolts in order, as directed, to 60 ft. lbs. When the high-pressure oil rail is secure, you can torque down the stand pipe and dummy plug to 60 ft. lbs. This will join the top and bottom parts of the standpipe so that they are properly seated and sealed together. Once this process is complete, repeat on the passenger’s side.
Finish up, Start Your Engine, and Get Back on the Road!
At this point, you should be able to replace the valve cover, reconnect the injection control pressure (ICP) sensor, and move any other parts back into place before you close the hood. If you did everything correctly, you may need to crank the engine for 20 seconds, then wait a minute for your starter to cool, then start the truck again and let it idle for a few minutes. Once you’re up and running, you should be looking at miles of drive time with your wonderful new standpipes.