EGR, what if your blocked it?

[tankhokie]

i was cleaning my EGR this weekend and was noticing how much nasty carbon was in the valve and the intake throat.

so i wonder, if you simply put a thin metal sheet in between the EGR valve and the intake body, what would happen?

i believe the EGR would still function by opening the valve and "think" everything is all right, but where the recirculated gas should enter the intake, it would stop behind the thin metal plate.

just wondering, thanks.

 

[DMan446]

Thats what I did on my 90 Probe, I used a soda can to make the block off gaskets and mounted it like you said. It worked good, but it did pop the CEL on ocassion when I was coasting to a stop, so I just goosed t and CEL went back out.

 

[Opera House]

I had over 150K on my valve when I took it iff to inspect it. The insufficient flow problem turned out to be a bad DPFE sensor. The valve and tube were spotless! Obviously, there is something wrong in your life. Ford controls the valve by measuring the flow in the tube. Blocking the tube will give you EGR flow codes. If you are clogging up, you obviously don't need a plate to block flow. Solve the real problem.

 

[DMan446]

I had over 150K on my valve when I took it iff to inspect it. The insufficient flow problem turned out to be a bad DPFE sensor. The valve and tube were spotless! Obviously, there is something wrong in your life. Ford controls the valve by measuring the flow in the tube. Blocking the tube will give you EGR flow codes. If you are clogging up, you obviously don't need a plate to block flow. Solve the real problem.

There's something wrong in who's life? Just because YOU are a smog freak, doesnt mean you have to insult us for not being one. And on previous vehicle mentioned, it worked like a charm, better MPG, HP and overall engine performance.

 

[Glacier991]

I'll not get into a flame war on smog issues. I will point out that the DPFE will know the difference and you WILL get a constant CEL. So in most states come inspection time you will need to remedy the light issue as a CEL light is a "no pass" item in states with inspection programs. In other words, is it worth it?

 

[Rhett]

There's something wrong in who's life? Just because YOU are a smog freak, doesnt mean you have to insult us for not being one.

geez dude, relax a little. Opera House wasn't insulting you, he wasn't even talking to you. He was saying "there's something wrong with tankhokie's truck".

If the tankhokie's EGR is clogged, the last thing tankhokie wants to do is clog it up some more with a metal plate.

There, I just said everything Opera House said in simpler terms.

 

[tankhokie]

turning my life around...

no offense taken.

my EGR is not blocked, i was just cleaning it as i had the intake off. it was more just me wondering what would happen, i didn't see how the flow would be measured and that didn't seem right...as everybody who doesn't worry about the "emissions mafia" at ford would be blocking the flow in hopes for better performance.

thanks for filling me in on the flow. woo, never knew emissions could turn into flame wars. :fire:

 

[Opera House]

If it really needed cleaning, there is something wrong with the engine that will eventually clog the cat. These EGRs usually run pretty clean. If you have the older metal DPFE, these suffer from internal corrosion. Large nodules form internally that press on the sensor disk and give an improper flow reading. The rivets that actually hold the sensor together can be drilled out to clean the sensor. Handy to know if you are in a country that doesn't have an auto parts store on every corner. Again, carbon buildup in the EGR tube indicates there is something wrong even if the engine performance seems normal.

 

[tankhokie]

Opera House,

hmmm, didn't think about that but your right. i have been having that strange "misfire" (for a lack of really knowing what it is) and i bet that has been setting up some of the carbon buildup on the EGR tip.

it wasn't very dirty, more like if you held a lighter under it and allowed the black soot to form a light dusting.

when i first bought the X, i drove it (used) off the lot and on the way home the CEL came on (super dooper i thought) but it only turned out to be a stuck EGR valve. again, not too dirty, but the valve was stuck in the closed position. just needed a light tap and some carb cleaner and it has been fine ever since (4 yrs).

again, thanks for the info, that will save me from the occasional cleaning job that isn't needed!