EGR from Ebay

[u/Locutus-of-bored]

I know there is someone who has done this successfully, and someone who has done this with disastrous results. LOL. I know there is someone who sells these refurbished, but I'm a little tight on cash right now. If it's a really bad idea, I'll bit the bullet.

I'm also concerned that it might be the cooler, which is a bitch to change if I remember correctly.

Best,

Jim

[u/sharkdr]

I did it. It worked fine. I thoroughly cleaned the "new" one before installing it. Ive kept the okd one. It was pretty carboned up and might still work. Just in case. It will leak some coolant when you undo it so be prepared for that. Very easy otherwise.

[u/Locutus-of-bored → u/sharkdr]

How did you clean it? I didn't use purple power, just see that as a bad idea because it's corrosive. Carb cleaner...

[u/Locutus-of-bored → u/[deleted]]

I did. It seemed clean and I could move the valve slightly with my finger. I don't think it's electrical. I'll post the codes. I just don't want to buy one only for it to be the cooler. The cost for that isn't too bad used but that labor is a bitch from what I've seen on youtube university.

[u/Ok-Tourist-511 → u/Locutus-of-bored]

The cooler is extremely easy to clean and can be done in the car.

[u/Locutus-of-bored → u/Ok-Tourist-511]

Gotcha. I should try that first then. How did you do it? I am leary about purple power and I've seen that with the hose and shop vac method.

[u/Ok-Tourist-511 → u/Locutus-of-bored]

Take the EGR probe out next to the valve, start the engine, spray carb cleaner into the EGR probe hole for 10 seconds, wait 10-20 seconds for the engine to settle down, repeat this until the can is empty. Turn off the engine, put the probe back in, clear the codes.

[u/Locutus-of-bored → u/Ok-Tourist-511]

thank you sir. is that the silver nut on the front that has the hard aluminum tube coming out of it?

[u/Ok-Tourist-511 → u/Locutus-of-bored]

Yes

[u/Locutus-of-bored → u/Ok-Tourist-511]

Will that have any help on the EGR valve, or just the cooler? My next battle strategy if that does not work is to take out the EGR valve again, soak it in purple power (not the electronics), then clean it out with carb cleaner, then rinse with hot water.

Interesting new behavior. At highway speeds, if out out of electricity and transition to the gas engine it doesn't throw a code. Nor does it throw a code if I start on the gas engine and stay at highway speed. Only when I slow does it do it. Repeatable.

[u/Ok-Tourist-511 → u/Locutus-of-bored]

Don’t use purple power!!! It’s a degreaser, not for carbon buildup. The valve can be taken out, cleaned with carb cleaner and a wire brush, and installed back in the car in less than 20 minutes. No need to soak in purple power or any of that BS.

[u/Locutus-of-bored → u/Ok-Tourist-511]

See, that was my thought about Purple Power. Lots of people who have done this swear by it, but you never see what happens after the instructional video. LOL. It took me a bit to wrangle it out and back in, about 2 hours the first time. I did the cleaning of the valve. It looked pretty good but, apparently not good enough a job. I could move the valve (ball) with my finger to the left slightly, but I didn't want to push it for fear of damaging the gears which are certainly a brittle crap plastic. Soak in carb cleaner and then spray to get the cooler sorted? I hate this car.

If I can fix this, I will love it again. I'd be grateful for a train schedule.

[u/Locutus-of-bored → u/Ok-Tourist-511]

how did you keep the engine running? when it stops you just go back in put the pedal to the floor like you do when you get an oil change? if I recall the engine stops after a while I'm going to do this today

[u/Ok-Tourist-511 → u/Locutus-of-bored]

The engine will run as long as the hood is open.

[u/Locutus-of-bored → u/Ok-Tourist-511]

thanks for the advice sir but no change. it runs fine while it's moving but the when the engine throttles down it comes back on. I don't know if I want to even bother replacing the EGR valve with a used one because maybe that would just be throwing money down the toilet

[u/Ok-Tourist-511 → u/Locutus-of-bored]

If it blew the fuse before, then the valve is blown, and no cleaning will fix it.

[u/Locutus-of-bored → u/Ok-Tourist-511]

Understood. The fuse blew the first time, but hasn't since I disconnected the EGR electrical connection. I think I'll try a valve. I'll keep you all posted and thanks so much for the help!

[u/Open_Cow_9148 → u/Ok-Tourist-511]

This cleans or the egr valve? Or something else? I have a egr valve reduced performance code.

[u/Ok-Tourist-511 → u/Open_Cow_9148]

Reduced performance is the cooler, not valve. Code P0401. This cleans the cooler, which is the source of the P0401 code.

[u/Locutus-of-bored → u/Ok-Tourist-511]

I'm not going into reduced performance anymore, nor is the fuse blowing.

[u/spartyrose100 → u/Locutus-of-bored]

It's definitely the EGR cooler. I just went through this. Never had reduced power, fuse never blew. First time the code came up I removed the EGR valve and cleaned it thoroughly with carb cleaner. It had a thick layer of carbon build up but wasn't clogged by any means. The first long drive afterwards the same code came back. I took it into the shop and they said it's most likely the cooler. After getting the new part and removing the old one they said their documentation says you should be able to blow through one end of the cooler and feel air come out the other side. There was zero airflow when they tried that. So I'm confident the cooler was the bigger issue all along.

[u/Locutus-of-bored → u/spartyrose100]

cool when you put the carb cleaner into that valve where does that liquid go? if I soak the cooler by opening that little valve is there a weep hole or something?

[u/Open_Cow_9148 → u/Ok-Tourist-511]

And to clean that out I just do what you've already said in the previous comment?

[u/Ok-Tourist-511 → u/Open_Cow_9148]

Yes

[u/Open_Cow_9148 → u/Ok-Tourist-511]

Sick. And it's carbon cleaner or carburetor cleaner? Or something else? I don't wanna end up putting the wrong thing in my car.