I have a 2002 f-350 automatic with 270,000 miles. it had a superchip on it with the previous owner but all is stock now.
Things i know are wrong: Oil cooler leaking, up pipes leaking, stock exhaust, and just last week blew all my oil out in 8 miles.
i have been considering upgrades and putting some life back in it and the oil thing made my mind up. My goal is to improve over all performance, i will tow moderate to heavy, or just take the family on a trip so MPG's were considered.
upgrades: Headers,up pipes, turbo (GTP38R), EBPV delete pedestal, Banks Power elbow, 4" down pipe, 5" Down pipe to behind right rear. Cold air intake, AIH delete, Regulated return and FASS. Harpoon and hutch, T500 HPOP, HPx, FRx, Ball joints, Steering linkage,Tires, Chip, Gauges. total figured is about $10k.
I am satisfied with the power level I have/had but the truck is not running in its prime and i would like to hopefully improve the lifespan as well as efficiency.
Any input would be helpful, i want this done right, so bring on the advice.

ps headers are totally for fun but i have read some improvements.
Pss i plan on keeping stock injectors unless otherwise convinced

 

Well, I prioritize my spending on my truck this way:

1. Safety items
2. Maintenance items
3. Performance/reliability items
4. Cosmetic items
5. Performance/power items

I never seem to get past #3 and I'm OK with that. The common wisdom on this site is first, get it running right, then do what you want.

 

That would be lot of money to put into 16 year old truck for sure.
I did 1, 2 & 3 on my 99 F350 Dually at a cost of about $4000 when it was 15 years old:

• Dynatrac front wheel-bearing & Warn hub conversion (no more unit bearings)
• 6.0L AT oil cooler
• External AT oil filter
• Dieselsite coolant filtration
• Spray on Rhino Liner
• All new front brakes
• All new rear brakes
• New up pipes
• 4" exhaust system
• AIS Donaldson air filter
• Torklift Superhitch
• Torklift camper tiedowns
• Rancho adjustable shocks
• Fluid Film spray underneath

Not counting wear items like 6 new tires etc.

I hope nothing major was forgotten.

 

Sounds like a good plan to turn your truck into a beefcake. There are plenty of ways to go with your buck$zooka and that is not a bad list at all. If it were me I'd dump the headers. Unless you plan to get into the sled-pulling power bracket (north of 500Hp...which your stock sticks have no chance of getting anywhere close to) then I don't think they are going to give you your money's worth. The FRx is not needed if you get a regulated return. The FRx helps solve the dead-headed fuel issue with the fuel bowl installed (which is great for us CA guys). I would also stick with a 4" exhaust. 5" is not necessary unless you really want the extra pipe diameter or are going for the aforementioned sled-puller. I'm also not sure of the return on investment on the Power Elbow. Banks makes some great stuff but I don't know if the cost/benefit ratio is really there with stock sticks. If you are going to get the non-EBPV pedestal I would also recommend the Garrett high flow outlet that doesn't have the valve in it.

Just my .02

I've done most of your list over the past three years and have been happy with the results.

 

Any input? Done right? Bring on the advice? Well, here goes, in the order of items you mentioned above,

- Oil cooler leaking: YES, rebuild

- Up Pipes leaking: YES, replace stock donuts or replace altogether with International bellowed uppipes

- Stock exhaust: OK, but a low priority

- Blew all my oil out in 8 miles: YES, change all orings in the HPOP lines to each head, and the HPOP plug oring, This is #1 highest priority of all things you listed.

- Headers: NO. A downgrade from stock. Will not "improve lifespan."

- Turbo (GTP38R): OK, but not necessary with stock injectors. Will not "improve lifespan", unless you experience turbo stall/surge with a chip. Then OK.

- EBPV delete pedestal: NO, not if you live in cold climates. OK if you live in warm climates, but not necessary. Deletion might improve lifespan, insofar as leak source eliminated.

- Banks Power Elbow: OK, but not necessary. Convenient for new down pipe fitment if Banks full diameter downpipe selected. Convenient also for post turbo pyrometer fitting.

- 4" down pipe: OK, but 3.5" full diameter mandrel bent downpipe is adequate for stock injectors, and offers more clearance for engine torque roll and vibration to avoid contact and rattle..

- 5" Down pipe: NO. Forum fueled more is better bandwagon think.

- Cold air intake: YES. High priority item if airbox is OEM rectangular Ford, unless airbox is Ford oval AIS system using the Donaldson "Powercore" filters. Then you've already got cold air intake. Alternatively, the S&B version 2, and the Banks Ram Air systems, are enclosed air box systems that offer a pleated paper alternative in order to avoid the hazards of oiled gauze media.

- AIH delete: NO, not if you live in cold climate, or in a smog equipment inspection state. Not necessary to delete, not harmful if deleted. OK in warm climates.

- Regulated return: NO, not necessary for stock injectors

- FASS: NO, known not to be as reliable as OEM stock Bosch fuel pump. Will not "improve longevity"

- Harpoon: OK, but not really needed, and not recommended if driving up very steep inclines after topping up tank. Will neither help nor harm longevity.

- Hutch: OK, but overblown as to necessity. If you do this mod, then you will need to add pre pump fuel strainer. The Racor PS120, or the Baldwin-Dahl-100 series, are popular and well vetted choices.

- T500 HPOP: NO, not needed with stock injectors and good programming. Puts your HPOP warranty & service in the hands of only one man via the mail, rather than 3,000 Ford dealers, and 65,000 auto parts businesses in the U.S, that you can walk up to for immediate replacement.

- HPx: NO, not needed, and of dubious value. Many are known to fail. Adds three additional high pressure leak sources, two at the fittings, and the third along the pipe/hose itself, many of which have ruptured or cracked over the years. Will not improve longevity. To my knowledge, no one has meticulously instrumented or documented "more consistent rail pressure" with this braided hose or hard pipe. The system pressure between heads is already commonized through the HPOP. Plenty of leaks and ruptures of various iterations and designs of after market high pressure cross over tubes and pipes have been well documented over the last 16 years on forums.

-.FRx: OK, I'm going to withhold comment on this one. I would not prioritize it, in view of the other things needed on your truck. And will leave it at that.

- Ball joints: YES, get em done,

- Steering linkage: YES, get em done.

- Tires: YES, and get good ones, since that's where the rubber meets the road.

- Chip: NO, at least not for now. Get the truck running top notch stock first.

- Gauges: YES, and the sooner the better for the transmission and EGTs, regardless of the fact that 2002 models offer a Transmission Temperature gauge built into the instrument panel. It is a very damped gauge, only moving when there is really a problem, like an idiot light.. The actual transmission temperature can be read via the OBDII DLC port with an onboard reader. Many types exist. But you will need and want fuel pressure and exhaust gas temperatures, which are not part of the data that the PCM uses or collects.

Now, for a few items not on the list in your original post, but that should be:

- New, larger, oil to air transmission cooler, such as the one designed for the 2003-2007 6.0L truck, or equivalent, if the OEM stock cooler has not already been upgraded

- Front wheel bearings... both the unit bearings as well as the Torrington needle bearing supporting the outer axle shaft, if 4WD.

- Thoroughly review the condition of all battery cables, both positive and negative, and replace as required.

- Consider that after 275,000 miles, the fuel injectors might need new O rings, if they haven't already been re ringed in their lifetimes.

- If you open the valve covers to do injector O rings, then do glow plugs at the same time, and also check for under valve cover harness retention clips, unless the connectors are of the updated design

- Budget for a transmission rebuild or replacement. That means setting aside $3,500, which is over a third of that $10K budget... money better saved for the reality of a transmission rebuild rather than wasted frivolously on unnecessary trinkets like 5" exhaust systems

There's more, but that's enough for now to keep anyone busy until the ship is buoyant enough to take on the cargo of the performance mods you may still have in mind.

 

I still have to spread the love before I can rep you more. Awesome writeup! I had a quibble with something in the list, but forgot what it was by the time I got to the bottom.

On Edit: Found my quibble. The tranny cooler... I used to add them to my vehicles. I'm moving towards the opinion that a properly functioning factory cooler should be enough, and that automatics need some warmth from the radiator to function best. But if a functioning factory cooler does not bring the tranny down to radiator temperature, then there is a problem... Then does the tranny need additional cooling or is there a radiator problem?