OH48Lt wrote:
1) Get that crappy Ford Gold coolant out of there, flush it well, and install some type of ELC coolant. This is a major cause of EGR failure. The FG coolant contains silica (sand). Once it gets real hot, just once, it gums up the oil cooler, and things go downhill from there.
2) Don't let your oil changes go past 6000 miles. I always sent an oil sample to Blackstone Labs after an oil change. They always came back excellent, except for the one time I let it slip to around 7200 miles. That sample came back with too much metal in it. Subsequent samples were back to excellent.
3: DON'T CHIP IT !!! The engine was designed by IH for 265 HP, Ford upped it quite a bit, it can't handle much more without bad things happening.
I would also advise installing an EGT gauge. About $100 (you can spend more if you want to...) and 30 minutes work.
Solid list. I'll add a couple more; a coolant filter and a monitor to keep an eye on what's going on in the engine. Helps keep ahead of any problems. Both relatively inexpensive.