dude... first of all. workin outside in the cold sucks. I've done it.... sucks. so i feel your pain there. second. ya gotta try and not break the fasteners that go into aluminum. they're gonna be a pain. there are tricks that help not break stuff. impact tools are pretty key. Powered by air, electric or manual… all work well. just wrappin the socket with a mallot can be the answer. The shockwave running down the bolt can help free it up. when your socket is on, if you twist with short bursts of high torque rather than steady increasing pressure, you are less likely to break stuff.
if you have stripped bolts, helicoils are your best bet. buy a set and follow the instructions. if you broke the bolt off at the head, remove the manifold and try getting the rest out with vice-grips and or weld a nut on the stub. if you broke the bolt off flush i would try easy outs or maybe a left hand drill. usually when bolts break, they tend to loosen up quite a bit.
As for the problems you're having. I've delt with EGR's before. what you need to do is thoroughly clean it; as was said before. There is not likely anything else wrong with it and i'd bet money you DON'T need to replace any part of it. The hardest part of removal will be the large nut going to the exhaust. some anti-sieze on those threads is the way to go when you put it back. You'll need any combo of heat, penetrating oil, patience of a saint getting the thing off. In addition, I really think you're going to have to drop the tank to take care of your fuel problem. Changing the filter first makes sense as its easy. In all likelyhood, if you've picked up junk from the tank you'll need to replace it anyway. Dropping the tank should be a breeze if its been done in the near past. all the connections should be (mostly)free and easy to separate. They can be tricky so take your time and figure them out. There's usually a plastic lock on the fuel line connectors that needs to be removed. An ice pick or small screw driver will help if the rubber fill lines are rusted to the metal. Jab it in the end of the hose and work it all the way around. If you run the gas almost out of the truck you will be able to drop the tank easier. reusing stock hangers is pretty key so if they’re not rusted, keep em in good shape. Anti-seize is a must. Use plenty. Also, you may want to keep track of the total number of connections so when you reassemble, you don’t miss any.
The first thing to check is the pickup screen under the pump. I’m assuming you know how to remove the retaining ring that holds the pump in place and seals things up. Be carefull removing the pump. Ford is usually really tricky with these and it may seem impossible to remove. its not. if you take your time and snake it out, you'll be able to reuse it. The sender is usually part of the pump assembly so you’ll want to be carefull of that too. If the screen is plugged, I’d clean it and try to drain the tank to clean any sediment from it. Then put everything back to see if your fuel pressure increased at the rail. (by the way, this can and should be tested without even starting the vehicle. With “key on position” the pump will run for a couple seconds. You will need to cycle this a few times to “recharge” the lines and rail.) It also wouldn’t hurt to take a listen to the pump and have someone else turn the key. Before and after to hear improvement.
I always use a small amount of silicone grease on the hose connections when putting them back. Be aware tho, excess can damage fuel components if it gets in the system.
If you still have bogus pressure, I hate to say it, but its new fuel pump time. On the positive side, you’ll be well versed at tank removal.
Hope I helped. If not, let me know what the problem was and how you fixed it. Always eager to learn.
