How do I clean the EGR?

[brentwoolsey]

the last time i got my 94 4.0 ranger smogged it barely passed and i was told to clean the EGR. where is it and how should i clean it?

thanks

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! You might be better off replacing it. Do you have any codes? The DPFE sensor is more likely the problem than the EGR in these vehicles.

 

[brentwoolsey]

thanks for the response. i haven't done a test to get a code. the smog people said cleaning the egr should help so at least now i have a few options.

thanks

 

[DevDog]

I just cleaned my egr. It seems to be working a ton better. From all the car mechanics in my area they say that these are parts that can be taken off and cleaned once a year to revive them. I was instructed to use a break cleaner or something similar and a tooth brush. Although please keep this in mind!!!

When you take your egr off, the egr tube that goes to your exhaust manifold might not be in very good shape. I live in the mid-west, my 94 has less then 100k miles and the damn pipe damn near fell apart on me when i took the egr off. This is a part that i could only find at the dealership or the salvage yard. I paid 106$ for the egr tube, eek. and i didnt fix my real problem. So cleaning the egr might be a fun experience. Good luck.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Thanks for the update!

 

[brentwoolsey]

thanks. i'll give it a try.

 

[mrboyle]

The EGR valve can be removed and cleaned like explained above (use O2 safe carb cleaner), but the majority of the time the "flow" problem is in the actual feed line (EGR tube) itself. If yours is rusty or falling apart you have no choice but to replace it, but if it is still in good shape you should clean it (carb cleaner and a bottle brush work great). Make sure to check the DPFE feed lines (an old speedo cable works great to clean them out).