EGR Removal/Replacement

[Dan66]

Hello all,

Check Engine light came on and Advance Auto tells me it's my EGR valve.

I did a search here and read a couple posts of people removing and cleaning their EGRs as part of preventative maintenance. Wish I had known!

Three questions:

1. Is it harmful to drive the vehicle until I can replace the EGR?

2. Are there any step-by-step instructions on how to remove the EGR (i.e. what all comes out with it)?

3. After I have it off, is it worth cleaning and reinstalling before buying a brand new one?

Many thanks!

 

[nssj2]

Hello all,

Check Engine light came on and Advance Auto tells me it's my EGR valve.

I did a search here and read a couple posts of people removing and cleaning their EGRs as part of preventative maintenance. Wish I had known!

Three questions:

1. Is it harmful to drive the vehicle until I can replace the EGR?

2. Are there any step-by-step instructions on how to remove the EGR (i.e. what all comes out with it)?

3. After I have it off, is it worth cleaning and reinstalling before buying a brand new one?

Many thanks!

Search around on here, i know there have been a few "how to"s, and i think i remember seeing one pretty recently. they're not too bad to get at. Make sure its an egr issue first, not a DPFE sensor or loose/cracked hose. If you have the code, post it. the cleaning really would depend on whats going on. its ok to drive right now, but wouldnt do it for a long amount of time. thats just me.

 

[Dan66]

Make sure its an egr issue first, not a DPFE sensor or loose/cracked hose. If you have the code, post it...

I didn't write down the code. I'll just swing back by and get them to read it again and post it.

We're driving it very little since the light came on. Too paranoid!

Thanks for the quick response.

 

[KPT]

Its almost certainly not the EGR valve. Most likely the DPFE.

It won't hurt anything to drive it like that. Your gas mileage will suffer but thats about it.

 

[Dan66]

Its almost certainly not the EGR valve. Most likely the DPFE.

How can you be so certain? (99% of my automotive repair experience is with vintage Mustangs... Carb, points, and circular air filters!)

 

[Four0Sport]

the factory egr pipe has bellows that usually rust out and can throw a couple egr codes, deffinetly check that, the DPFE sensor, the purge solenoid, the vaccumm lines, etc..

 

[KPT]

How can you be so certain? (99% of my automotive repair experience is with vintage Mustangs... Carb, points, and circular air filters!)

Its a very common problem. I've personally replaced four DPFE'S on various explorers and zero EGR valves. Don't waste your money on a parts store one either, they fail quickly.

 

[GeorgeR]

If it's a '96 V8 302 it doesn't have a dpfe. It has an egr valve that fits in the egr housing which is part of the intake setup. There is an egr position sensor that is mounts on top of the egr valve that may solve the problem. It runs about $30 or so, but is a bear to replace because of the crowded area behind the intake.
The egr valve is about $110 or so. I found it easiest to remove the upper intake manifold to replace the egr valve. It's a snap that way. Just check the manifold gasket and make sure it's in good shape and be careful to not cut it or get on crooked, or just replace it. (about $10.00) There is a howto on this forum. I'll look it up and post it later. Cleaning the pintle on the egr valve MIGHT fix it but by the time you have removed it and cleaned it and reinstalled it you will have spent half a day on it. The Haynes manual shows it with a function test. Which is easy. If you have a lot of miles, I would just go ahead and change it and the sensor. (I did and I'm almost sure that my valve is ok.) So I'm just saving it in case the issue comes up again.

 

[96eb96]

How can you be so certain? (99% of my automotive repair experience is with vintage Mustangs... Carb, points, and circular air filters!)

Please post the exact code here so we can rule out other factors. Part stores love to tell you a code and then you buy the part.

 

[48prerunner]

If it's a '96 V8 302 it doesn't have a dpfe. It has an egr valve that fits in the egr housing which is part of the intake setup. There is an egr position sensor that is mounts on top of the egr valve that may solve the problem. It runs about $30 or so, but is a bear to replace because of the crowded area behind the intake.
The egr valve is about $110 or so. I found it easiest to remove the upper intake manifold to replace the egr valve. It's a snap that way. Just check the manifold gasket and make sure it's in good shape and be careful to not cut it or get on crooked, or just replace it. (about $10.00) There is a howto on this forum. I'll look it up and post it later. Cleaning the pintle on the egr valve MIGHT fix it but by the time you have removed it and cleaned it and reinstalled it you will have spent half a day on it. The Haynes manual shows it with a function test. Which is easy. If you have a lot of miles, I would just go ahead and change it and the sensor. (I did and I'm almost sure that my valve is ok.) So I'm just saving it in case the issue comes up again.

anybody find this how to?

 

[GeorgeR]

EGR r/r how to;

I've searched the archives and I can't find it. It was originally posted by a guy named Joe from No. Car. I think. I corresponded with him quite a bit before I did mine.
If you want to ask specific questions, I will try to help as much as possible. I just don't have time to do a 'how to' right now.
Basically all you have to do is unmount the intake/egr housing and replace the components. You may not have to remove the upper intake manifold, but I did, as I thought that removing it was the easiest way to go. A couple of housing screws are too long to facilitate removing just the housing. I was concerned about damage to wiring harness etc. Get new gaskets before you start, they are inexpensive, but should be changed when you go into the intake system. (I changed the upper manifold gasket because I didn't like the looks of the old one.) A Haynes manual is very helpful especially with the torque requirements & sequence. I think that is where reference to coolant comes from also,you probably have an early '97 which accounts for the difference in components.

 

[s13frank]

hello,the old 94 sport made it this far ..and now a cel 332 done by the tech at autozone says in haines;egr valve opening not detected...he said take it off and clean it off..but like you all have said half a day later maybe i should put something new on..this is the 6 cyl. 196k ..the part on the truck now is the oldest look thing on that side of the engine..would guess it will be a bear to get the tube from the exhaust off..but looking for your collective knowledge..guess are good to though..whataya think...

 

[robertoa1a]

What engine do you have and what code do you have? I can explain bouth engines.

 

[s13frank]

thnak

hey thanks for your help...in the sunlight i was able to find the vacumn hose that had come off...lucky bounce ...but again thanks for your effort.