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...function of the egr valve? Can it be repaired or...

Answer by Tom L
Submitted on 12/20/2003
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EGR Theory. EGR serves one purpose and one purpose only. That purpose is to reduce Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx). Undernormal combustion, Nitrogen(N2)Oxygen (O2) in the air and Hydrocarbons (HC) in the fuel combind into water(H2O) Carbon dioxide (CO2) and the Nitrogen remains unchanged. Under very hot combustion temperatures, the Nitrogen reacts with the other two byproducts and forms Nitrogen oxide (NO). After being released into the atmosphere, it picks up another Oxygen and becomes Nitrogen dioxide (NO2). In the presence of sunlight, it combines with other compounds like Hydrocarbons and forms Smog. Since exhaust gas is inert (very stable) it doesn’t burn again. So by being introduced into the combustion chamber, it will lower combustion chamber temps enough so that the Nitrogen doesn’t react with the other compounds and is passed unchanged out the tailpipe thus not contributing to smog. Now, since exhaust gas doesn’t burn, it doesn’t exactly help with combustion. At higher RPM’s, this really isn’t noticable, but at idle, the reintroduction of exhaust gas will cause a very rough idle and can cause stalling if to much is introduced into the combustion chamber

Answer by DirtyTbird
Submitted on 5/25/2004
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People, people, people, stop worrying. I drive a 92 ford tbird, and it runs great the only problem is that the check engine light comes on randomly. When that happens chances are its a egr problem or an 02 problem. Leaving your EGR (if it is what is the problem) wont do anything and is absolutely NO threat to your vehicle at all. Just good luck with an emissions test here in Ontario. They cost around 100 bucks Canadian (installed) thats what ford will quote. The only thing is the random check engine light which is annoying. If you are really bothered by it go to walmart, and rent (buy it then return it right after) a code checker, for your make of vehicle. It will confirm that it is an egr problem or whatever the problem may be. Either way if its egr its not worth the money having it repaired, try cleaning it as the process is described above.

Answer by memyselfandi
Submitted on 6/13/2004
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hey i have a 90 olds cutlass supreme with the 3.1 v6. it has been acting up on several different occasions. it doesn't do it all the time but will mainly when i first start it up. it idles fine but when i press the gas it wants to stall or quit. it will do this in park or any gear. it kinda smells out the tail pipe too. i was told it could be the map sensor or the egr valve. i replaced the map sensor but with no resolve. then somebody told me to clean the egr valve out. i removed it & there is like 3 parts to it. i cleaned all the black carbon & crap off these parts & put it back together. it seems to run good now, but still kinda smelly. i might pick up one at the junk yard. any ideas?? memyselfandi988@hotmail.com

Answer by Duston
Submitted on 6/30/2004
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I own a 94 Chevy Blazer 4.3 V6, and I've taken it across the country with the EGR going out on me only twice. Now it goes out anytime I take it out of town, or even in town. I've gotten to the point where I can pull it off myself, remove the tiny chip of carbon and put it back on. I've talked to mechanics and I've had the engine blown out to hopefully clear the carbon but it's really pointless, the problem remains. So in the end it's not the EGR valve that is the problem you could throw it against a brick wall and it wont break or damage your engine, it's the carbon that gets lodged in it. At least thats the story in the 4.3 Vortec V6. It's a common problem in them and I think it's a ridiculous flaw that was overlooked by the manufacturer

Answer by DB
Submitted on 7/8/2004
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How EGR systems work The EGR valve recirculates exhaust into the intake stream. Exhaust gases have already combusted, so they do not burn again when they are recirculated. These gases displace some of the normal intake charge. This chemically slows and cools the combustion process by several hundred degrees, thus reducing NOx formation. The design challenge The EGR system of today must precisely control the flow of recirculated exhaust. Too much flow will retard engine performance and cause a hesitation on acceleration. Too little flow will increase NOx and cause engine ping. A well-designed system will actually increase engine performance and economy. Why? As the combustion chamber temperature is reduced, engine detonation potential is also reduced. This factor enabled the software engineers to write a more aggressive timing advance curve into the spark timing program. If the EGR valve is not flowing, onboard diagnostics (OBD) systems will set a code and the power control module (PCM) will use a backup timing curve that has less advance to prevent engine ping. Less timing advance means less performance and economy. Do your customer a favor and fix those EGR codes that you may have previously deemed as unimportant.

Answer by Dave
Submitted on 7/10/2004
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My 96 Lumina'sSES light keeps coming on. It's the EGR valve. I've cast about on the Internet, and it seems that it can cause maybe three real problems. 1. Smog--your car puts out more pollution. That is a given. If your EGR valve is faulty its almost certainly doing this. 2. It could cause some skipping on accelration or problems with idling as noted here, but probably not. 3. It is more likely that you could develop an engine knock from the air/fuel mixture becoming to hot "ping" or "detonation". If you want to drop $400-500 bucks to fix the amount of pollution your car puts out that's fine...a little weird, but fine. My EGR has been out for three months and I haven't experienced problems 2 or 3. However, I would say that 2 would be annoying, and 3 after a while would become dangerous to your engine. My advice is that if your budget is tight, wait. IT seems you could potentially drive a long while without ever developing any real problems. Hope this helps some.

Answer by whitevette
Submitted on 8/3/2004
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Regarding P1404, PCV valves, "stealer" rip-offs, & lots of slightly misguided intentions : The Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve is a simple slide valve, designed to pass hot(exhaust) gasses in one direction only... from the crankcase(oil pan) to the intake manifold(lower pressure). It is subject to gumming up/clogging ... and any good carb/brake cleaner(spray can) will rinse & "free up" this valve(watch your eyes!) ; just shake it! A clean one will rattle! Regarding the "check engine light" coming on, or flickering...this is a fouled/burned oxygen sensor! Clean it the same way , but don't be disappointed in finding a burned unit! It measures the temp. of the exhaust gasses(oxygen content);it has nothing to do with the EGR valve!!

Answer by vinwiesel
Submitted on 8/25/2004
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Howdy, I had the EGR problem years ago in a Oldsmobile cutlass Calais, my wife's car. Fortunately I knew an HONEST mechanic. He got in the car with me to see what the car was doing (rough idle, stalls, low power) and after observing the problem he made me pull over then he popped the hood pulled the hose from the EGR and plugged it with a large screw...VIOLA! The car ran perfect! The charge for this? A whopping $10.00 for his time...what a guy! His advice was this: Drive your car like it is it wont hurt anything AS LONG AS the engine doesn't start "labor knocking". If later on it starts to do this then you will need to get a new valve, otherwise you don't need it. As long as we owned it it never needed the valve and ran great. Hope this helps somebody...vin

Answer by Rocky
Submitted on 9/1/2004
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Ok everybody check this out ive done it and it works like a charm now dont get me wrong im not a spokesperson or trying to advertise for somebody but this really does work the egr problem we all seem to have (personally I own a 93 S-10 Blazer with the 4.3) and what I did was bought a new egr gasket with a built in filter made from carbon fiber material once i took off my egr valve and cleaned it out I put this gasket/filter on and this was 4 months ago and i havent had any problems since but before this filter I was taking off the valve and cleaning it around 2 to 3 times a month to keep mine running smooth but here is that website www.tomco-inc.com but i used www.stillenracing.com to find mine but anyways they have multiple applications (GM/Ford.....so on) of the "Klean Screen" which is what they call it, and mine ran about $8.00 way worth it in my opinion, hopefully this helps a few people.

Answer by corvette
Submitted on 2/19/2005
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This answer is to NATE: The EGR can be removed and cleaned. Since exhaust gases are returned to the engine via the EGR, it's only natural that it will become clogged with carbon. If it's electronically controlled, the electronic portion MAY be bad, but it is doubtful. Try cleaning the EGR with carb cleaner and that will probably fix the problem. If the EGR has to be replaced, the 3.1 is a very reliable engine that requires very little maintenance and that will probably end problems for quite some time. After owning so many GM's my suggestion is to buy the Olds and let her take you wherever you want to go with a little tlc, in other words, just buy (used or new) the EGR..... corvette

Answer by Tina
Submitted on 2/23/2005
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I have a 1995 Chevy Blazer that had a bad EGR valve. It would cause the vehicle to surge badly and sometimes mildly at low speeds and the Service Engine light would come on while it was acting up. Another unpleasant side effect is that it causes my brakes be be unpredictable and weak. I had the valve cleaned out a few times by our mechanic and that helped but eventually had to replace it. ($300+). The new one is only a year old and is now causing surging again. I've found a filter that can be used in coordination with the EGR valve and I'm just waiting for it to come in so my mechanic can install it. (Fortunately I have a very trustworthy mechanic). I can't say if it works well or not, but it's supposed to keep the carbon out of the valve so you can simply clean the filter each time and not replace the pricey valve. Here's the website: http://www.tomco-inc.com/ Good luck!

Answer by TD
Submitted on 3/28/2005
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My 1990 Isuzu pickup (2.3L 4 cylinder, 115 K miles)developed rough, slow idle, so I checked the vacuum operated EGR valve and found it to be stuck about half open. Removed the valve, oiled the exposed shaft both on the outside (thru the diaphragm framework) and inside thru the flow passage. Used a hand vacuum pump test tool to apply and vent vacuum while working the valve back and forth to "wear off" the carbon deposits on the valve stem, until it would move freely without sticking open. Saw plenty of black crud inside the passageway but it was not plugged up, so did not clean it up. Put it back on, and idle was like new again. You can see the stem move on a working valve if you rev up the motor in the driveway and look. The faster the motor goes, the more it opens. Valve must be closed at idle. Old ones like this that have no electronic components on them should all be easy to free up. For those of you with error codes - if you have a smooth idle, but the engine code says EGR is bad, your valve is not opening properly, which does lower economy a bit and increase emissions. Leaving the faulty EGR valve as is will NOT damage your engine. If your idle is smooth, you can ignore the fault if you do not care about the slight fuel hit and emissions performance. In the mid 70's, I took the EGR valve off and bolted a home made cover plate over the mounting to close the EGR system - back then it was a new smog device and most of us hot rodders wanted them taken off. If yours is stuck open and you can't afford a new valve but want to restore smooth idle, you can cut a heavy piece of gasket material sized to the full footprint of the valve and sandwich it in place between the valve and the mounting spot. Be sure the valve pin does not protrude from the flange to where it would puncture the gasket. Happy driving!

Answer by Tru
Submitted on 4/15/2005
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I dont kno if any1 will get this but if u do email me at DaTruMeaning@yahoo.com Well i have a 92 Chevy Beretta that runs great but the dam EGR Valve needs replacement and probably has since i brought the car 3 months ago...Recently the engine started idling rough but I found that if i go out and warm my car up every 8 hours or so it stops this problem...however the engine still knocks and the car still drags on acceleration SOMETIME...Im a college student so i really dont have the 500 - 700 that the mechanics are talking about for a new one so i just need to know how long can i drag this out...like i did research and this thing doesnt seem 100% important so what should i do?...its electrical so i cant soak it...did anyone else manage to continue driving without any major problems???

Answer by DoritoBreathFury
Submitted on 4/22/2005
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I have a 1994 GMC Sonoma. Today I just uninstalled my EGR valve, because the months and months of hitting it with a blunt object finally stopped working. It seems there was some kind of hard oject (looked like a tiny stone, carbon I suppose) lodged in the spring loaded device. It is kind of a tight spot to access this EGR valve. I went through the alternator side instead of what would have been more time consuming the airconditioning side. So I just had to take out the alternator first. Well, I will try some of the things mentioned like soaking it in cleaner etc. I appreciate these tips. Canadian Tire wants $300 CA just for the part alone and I have resisted this now for over a year. Cheers, Dan

Answer by Gridleak
Submitted on 5/3/2005
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Often times folks will clean and replace the EGR valve but... they fail to clean out the engine port where the EGR valve is mounted. Before we go there however, allow me to digress a bit, and explain a couple of not so obvious items. Residual fuel as opposed to the "inert exaust" concept as theoretically expounded upon above... is a great theory but the problem is an improperly tuned engine shoots that theory all to pieces, and there are few properly tuned engines on the roads today. The fact is most engines are pretty poor at burning fuel and there is often a lot of left over unburnt fuel in the exaust. This can be proven with a simple infrared thermometer that measures the tempreture of the exaust gasses passing through the catalytic converter. If your catalytic converter is hotter than "spec" then you're waisting a lot of fuel, and your hydrocarbon emissions are gonna be through the roof. Most any good muffler shop can check this with their thermometer in five minutes. If they don't have a thermometer then they ain't a good muffler shop. Also most older engines pass a lot of oil through the cylinders, and this causes carbon build-up, and sludge. Which in turn gets passed through the exaust. Now, we get back to where we came in... the unburnt fuel, carbon, and sludge gets recycled through the EGR valve back into the engine. The sludge and carbon eventually clog the EGR valve causing it to fail, as well as clogging the EGR port/passage into the engine. When replacing the EGR valve... one must clean the passage as well of any sludge and carbon. I've found the best way to do this is with a coat hanger, and a small, preferably cylindrical, and preferably wire brush. A good skinney screwdriver helps too, and being carful to break the carbon and sludge loose but not shove it on down in the engine. To remove it from the engine passage I stick my shop vacuum cleaner nozzle to it and suck it out of there. Once you have a properly free flowing EGR port, and properly working EGR valve, then the residual fuel in the exaust IS burned which causes a slight increase in your fuel mileage, and a measurable drop in your catalytic converter temprature. This has an added benefit in that to much fuel in the exaust is death on the catalyst whose purpose is to burn residual fuel (hydrocarbon) in the exaust. It's all a slippery downhill slope that begins with proper, or improper, engine tuning... and a properly, or improperly funtioning EGR valve. And don't forget to clean the engines EGR port. Gridleak

Answer by Replica
Submitted on 5/5/2005
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To put some myth to rest here, yes the EGR serves more than 1 purpose inadvertently (it cools the combustion chamber temperature to eliminate oxides of nitrogen; and also aids your engine in operating efficiently) So, I changed it...now what? Now that you've changed your EGR valve you find yourself still getting a faulty code report from the ECM, this is probably due to the on board's KAM (keep alive memory) the best way to re-set it? From my own experience, disconnect the battery terminals overnight What problems can a faulty EGR give me? This is a real mixed bag, and it really depends on the system. Some makes and models are much more affected by the EGR system, while you would hardly notice with others but here are some things you can generally expect to see: 1:Carbon, excessive carbon output in the exhaust, in higher RPMS you may even get a black "fog" 2:Ping, engine knocking due to the excessive temperatures 3:Performance Loss, decrease in accelerating power, rough hesitation under heavy load (passing gear) 4:Poor Idle, Very shaky idle, or no idle at all If you want to check your EGR manually you sometimes can, however the EGR is only meant to be opened under normal operation temperature in excess of 2300-2500 RPMs , so unless you meet these conditions it is not a good way to manually check the plunger valve for movment .. They can be cleaned , remove it , spray it down good with a fast evaporating carb and choke cleaner and tap (do not hit it hard) it with a hammer or some such, you should note lots of carbon chunks falling out (black stuff)

Answer by mama x
Submitted on 7/5/2005
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1996 Buick LeSabre: check engine light on for a few days now, was burning A LOT of gas, stalling, very rough idle, almost jerking, then finally I tried to give it gas from a red light and it was very hard to push -I had to slam my foot down to get it to move and then pump it with my foot -figured it was time to quit putting it off. Check engine light came on 3 times before and I had Autozone check it and just turn the check engine light off for me. I waited like 2 years and there seemed to be no problem (yet . . .)except what happened above. Took car to garage and had to pay $40 for them to tell me what I already knew (EGR valve) from before but was scared there could be another prob, since oil was low (turns out our Wal-Mart routinely short-changes you on the oil change: oil changed last month and engine only had 2.5 quarts instead of 5 -shop checked for oil leaks and none found) so am paying $502 for egr valve and tune up -yikes. Had car tuned up completely last year also and spark plugs corroded (white crust=water) ALREADY -cheap gas does this to them apparently -do not use Sheetz, Wal-Mart, or BP gas. No prob with Exxon, Shell, or Sunoco apparently. Wish I would have known about the carbon cleaner long ago -will remember that one. Thank God I have a credit card (there's no way we have 500 bucks to spare but I was afraid the engine would blow and we would be out of a car!!!!) because I have a family to take care of and need the car running. Unfortunately there goes our family vacation this year. :0( They should give you the option of cleaning the thing instead of a 300 dollar replacement. Good luck all.

Answer by sabb
Submitted on 8/27/2005
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I got toyota estima emina import car.I heard in england most of the car they dont have EGR valve only import car have this valve beacuase the stric law they have.If i block this valve does it effect the engine. somone research on this and saying if u block this valve the engine run more smuth and effience it improve the power its give more power. beacuase EGR valve takes dirty hot air back to engine so it clogged up the engine and engine runs more havily. beacause in some country like japan they have stric emmision law thats why they put this EGR valve but in britian they dont put EGR valve beacuase here we dont have law like japan.is this true and someone know about this then please e-mail me on sab_bir@ntlworld.com .i just want to know if i block the EGr valve then this will effect the engine

Answer by ARNOLD STEWART
Submitted on 2/9/2006
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I JUST PICKED UP AN EGR VALVE FROM AUTOZONE FOR 51.00 AND THOUGHT I WOULD PUT IT ON MYSELF EVEN THOUGH ITS COLD OUT SIDE.ITS ALL THE WAY IN THE BACK, AGAINST THE FIREWALL DOWN LOW. WITHOUT THE PROPER TOOLS I HAVE ELECTED TO HAVE A MECHANIC DO IT. HE HAS A SIGN UP; YOU DONT BRING YOUR "EGGS" IN TO HAVE THEM FRIED AT A RESTAURANT. I REFUSE TO PAY DOUBLE THE PRICE FOR AN EGR VALVE JUST SO HE CAN BUY THE PART. WESTERN AUTO WANTED 800-900 FOR PLUGS,WIRES, AND AN EGR VALVE INSTALLED. I AM TIRED OF PAYING 80 DOLLARS A POP, SO I NOW HAVE AN "OBD-II" FOR $79.00 (autozone's price) NOW I CAN CHECK MY OWN COMPUTER. I WAS QUOTED 2 HOURS TO INSTALL THIS EGR VALVE ? THANKS FOR THE INPUT. ARNIE

Answer by Car Dude
Submitted on 2/12/2006
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My new 1996 S-10 with a 4.3l was under extended warranty (until 2000)and had many EGR's replaced. Finally, the dealership said they would not replace another one until I paid to have the carbon removed. They disassembled the intake, cleaned out the carbon and re-assembled everything. Six hours of waiting in the waiting room and over $100, they finally finished the job. They also replaced the EGR while they were at it. Thirteen months later, the light came back on and I took it back to the dealership to have another EGR installed. They said they had a better way to remove the carbon. They would attach a hose to the fuel rails and run a liquid through it. After driving 400 miles, they carbon would go away. I would have to pay over $300 and I told them, "No way". I traded it that day for a new 2000 S-10 with a 2.2l (4 cylinder) and haven't had any problems with EGR's!

Answer by lj
Submitted on 2/28/2006
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i have a 1993 chevy blazer 4.3 liter 2wd. it started to idle roughly and finally wouldn't start so i took it to my favorite mechanic and sure enough it was the EGR valve clogged with carbon (he charged me $45.00). now it did it again and i couldnt get in touch with my favorite mechanic and i took it elsewhere. Well the dingbat put it on the diagnostic machine ($120.00) and quoted me $500.00 for labor and flushing the fuel system. i told him to take the EGR valve off and check for carbon. He said he did that but the idle was still wacky. well i figured he was either an idiot or a liar so i took the vehicle home. Now i know WHERE the EGR valve is but i cant figure out how TO GET IT OFF if i want to replace it. HELLLLPPPPP!!!!!

Answer by Tim
Submitted on 3/13/2006
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I have an 85 Oldsmobile Omega, My car has been running like crap, and the automatic transmission has a function where when your going 35 MPH or over it connects directly to the wheels, and lets the transmission cool. Lately it would go into it and come out, in and out, would not stay in it. The car also stalled. I seriously thought something was very wrong with my transmission.. I checked the EGR vavle and it was clogged. I took it out and cleaned it out with CARB cleaner. I put it back in and it doesnt stall, and the transmission is fine. Also it doesnt backfire and gas mileage is better. This EGR vavle had to be STOCK.. on a 1985 car. A old ladie owned it and none of the tuneup parts were done, this was the only thing I overlooked. It was nasty and I got it to be clean with a $1.00 can of carb cleaner. It would have cost me $70.00 to get a new one. DONT buy a new EGR vavle unless you cant get yours clean, or you have $70-$100 you want to donate to a parts store or mechanic. (Theres a diaphram on the back, you need to push up on it and it should go up somewhat easy and also come back down. If it doesnt it needs cleaning OR buy a new one.. you decide lol)

Answer by joerudy
Submitted on 6/6/2006
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I have a 1995 gmc vandura starcraft custom van with a 5.7L engine with 160,000 miles. I replaced the egr valve once 2 yrs ago, because i was told by a mechanic that it was bad, however, I noticed that some spark plugs had carbon buildup on the tips when I replaced them at the time of egr replacement. I just recently tuned the engine and noticed the plugs had carbon build again but not as much as before, also, I noticed that the exhaust fume smell rich. Would this be an egr problem. the catalytic converter was removed at about 150,000 mi. the van has been to the southern most of tip of Florida, to San Francisco, south Dakota, Michigan, Canada Niagara falls and all over Texas. But it does give me lousy mileage. Other then that no major problems. I hope i don't jinx myself. thanks

Answer by Scott-old-boy
Submitted on 6/10/2006
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Those people saying the EGR valve is important to both a reduction in pollution and engine economy are correct. My daughter's 91 Mustang had the same problem. I removed the EGR valve - vacuum line, 2 bolts, large nut on pipe and electrical connection. Sensor tells computer if it is working. This one was stuck closed. Dug out the carbon, removed the sensor, 3 small screws. Had to tap on the plunger with a small punch to free it up. Put the sensor back on, used a small piece of tube so I could suck a vacuum on it to withdraw the plunger all of the way and dug out as much carbon as possible. No more check engine light. I'll buy some carbon remover and clean it again better. It is possible for them to get stuck either open or closed. If the diaphragm is broken and it won't hold vacuum is the only reason for buying a new one IMHO. Scott

Answer by crszman
Submitted on 6/25/2006
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I own a 97 Toyota Avalon with 190K miles. My Check Engine light came on and I had it checked at Advance and Autozone with the same results. EGR Valve carbon build-up. The man at Advance told me it I had ever tried a product called Seafoam. He said it might help to burn off the carbon on the EGR valve. I bought a bottle and ran it through the brake booster line in front of the drivers side. I took off the vacucum line and poured the Seafoam through the hose. The car started smoking escessively which the man told me was the carbon was burning off. He reset my code and I drove it home while it was still smoking. The next day the check engine light came back on but on the way to church the light went off. I have not had the engine checked yet for any codes but a $6.00 bottle of Seaform, if it has worked, saved me over $250.00+ in repair costs. Now I have found a good product to keep my injectors and engine clean as I work my way towards 300K on this engine.

Answer by Toyota Tech
Submitted on 8/4/2006
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I highly recommend any auto dealership, if you want to pay %100 percent markup on parts and 3 book hours for 30 minutes of work. They're are a number of parts that can cause the same symptoms of the people above. If you want to clean your EGR valve make sure you have a gasket making kit to cut your own from, I recommend Advance Auto or Auto zone. you simply trace it on the sheet and cut it out. Don't forget to make any holes necessary. As for the cleaning, make sure not to soak any electrical parts, if you have electrical components you can soak it by suspending it over a bucket using a stick and a string. Don't use carb cleaner!!! It can cause premature failure and can also cause sticking by drying the lubricated joints that allow it to open and close. If you soak it you should soak it in Kerosene which can be purchased from Walmart. If you insist on using carb cleaner spray it with WD-40 afterwards.

Answer by trasure chest
Submitted on 10/30/2006
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I have a prima 1986 cadillac sedan deville I was awarded out of a divorce. It is the only means of transportation I have and it's engine light (service engine soon) light stays on and it is only getting 14 mpg. My ex- tells me to get an egr valve and have it replaced and that will fix my car. The car hesitates and shutters going down the road. It sort of misses and acts like it's had some bad gas, but it is all the time. I took it to a mechanic and he reconnected a major air hose and added some kind of spring. Unfortunately I'm afraid he's just made it worse. The ex is a mechanic and was supposed to fix it and buy the part as part of a divorce agreement. But suprise,.. suprise he can't be located. So, will someone out there please help me find an EGR valve for my car at the very cheapest place and a little advice so I don't get ripped off?

Answer by chasfb7
Submitted on 1/1/2007
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The EGR Valve is closed at Idle and at Full Throttle! Open in between. Cleaning is cheap and easy and may help. If you have Idle problems......it is probably open. Engine may stall. If you have galloping/surging at part throttle.....it is probably closed or varying position due to sticky carbon or! If it is electronic.try disconnecting the electrical plug. If it is closed. engine will perform just fine although emmissions may not meet standards. If it is vacuum controlled check for movement by pushing up on the diaphram from the bottom to check. check for vacuum hose leaks. NOTE>>>>>>>>Vacuum leaks can really foul up idle etc. CHECK FOR LEAKS if you have this egr problem.

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Question by willycox
Submitted on 11/6/2003
Related FAQ: Gasoline FAQ - Part 4 of 4
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what is the function of the egr valve? Can it be repaired or does it need to be replaced?

Answer by Ryan Goat
Submitted on 11/19/2003
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The EGR stands for Exhaust Gas Recirculation. Exhaust gas is routed back into the combustion chamber because the exhausted air is much hotter than the intake air (try touching a muffler sometime). By sending warmer gas into the combustion chamber, the air/fuel mix does not have to do as much work to heat up, and your engine runs more efficiently. As far as fixing it yourself, it's an electronic part. I'd say you're better off having a mechanic or experienced friend do it for you.

Answer by Bob
Submitted on 3/27/2004
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I currently have a 2000 sl and just recently my Service Engine Light came on. I was advised the code was P1404 when I had it checked. Doing a cross-reference of the code it indicated something to do withe an EGR Valve. What basically is the function of this valve and by ignoring the indicator can I do damage to my car?

Answer by Lisa
Submitted on 5/7/2004
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I have a 2000 sl too and my SES light keeps coming on and I only have 13,000 miles on it and I took it to the dealership and they told me they have to replace the fuel tank, is that associated with the EGR valve? The expense is almost $500, I too, want to know what damage can it do to my car if I don't repair quickly?

Answer by MIchael
Submitted on 5/8/2004
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I have a 97 Ford Taurus. The service engine light keeps on and indicates EGR valve related. In the mean time, I feel shaking when the car runs between 45-55 miles. Does the shaking has anything to do with EGR valve? I just did wheel balance and the car is 90K mile. Thanks

Answer by Bubba
Submitted on 5/10/2004
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I have 94 Chevy Blazer, with the 4.3 liter Vortec. One day I was coming off the highway and had to press on the brakes with alot of force, then the SES light came on and it idled roughly. I took it to a mechanic and they fixed but recently it happened again, it did at about 55 MPH but it does not have a rough idle any more but the light is still on. I am 16 and I do not have a lot of money is there an easy fix(CHEAP!!!!!!!).

Answer by Brandon
Submitted on 5/24/2004
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It is possibly to "Clean" an EGR valve. Since is simply pulls exhaust gasses from your exhaust and introduces them back into your engine's intake air it only makes sense that eventually it will become clogged or stuck open/closed from the carbon deposits. It you remove the EGR from the vehicle you can either just spray it out or let it soak in a shallow bath of carburetor cleaner. DO NOT soak the electronic piece if yours is electronically controlled. This cleaning should fix it up for a while. It's a lot cheaper for a $1.99 can of cleaner than it is for any EGR valve.

Answer by Cute
Submitted on 5/30/2004
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I'm doing research on Emission from Natural Gas Engine where I use Flow Reversal method in the catalytic convertor to increase the temperature inorder to oxidize methane.. My circuit requires 4 valves and all the valves have to withstand the temperatureof around 600 C. I've been trying to get from the market but really find it difficult to get one. Can anyone of you suggest please? Thanking you Regards Cute

Answer by Carnuck
Submitted on 6/1/2004
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Check with outfits that do Natural Gas servicing. The stainless steel or Stellite valves should work for your application. I ran mine with the exhaust glowing cherry red no problem (paper ignited when it touched the pipe, so I made a doubled aluminum heat shield with fan driven cooling)

Answer by Mark
Submitted on 6/4/2004
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Hey, if anybody gets this, i own an 88 chevy spectrum. I was thinking about getting a new EGR valve, however i will try the cleaning on it first. As of right now, the car is blowing a little black smoke, which makes me wonder if it would be the EGR valve. I know i need an exhaust manifold gasket, because it has a leak. any suggestions? stflatliner@hotmail.com

Answer by Tim e
Submitted on 6/28/2004
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I have a '95 tercel-the engine light came on the other day and I freaked so I payed the $80 for the diagnostics and was told it was the egr valve-in the meantime, the engine light went out on its own. Should I still replace the valve?What will it hurt if I don't?

Answer by jerry
Submitted on 7/5/2004
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I have a 2000 Isuzu Trooper with 40,000 miles on it. My check engin light came on last night. I took it to Autozone for there free computer check(there great for doing this). During the check, the clerk said my problem was the EGR valve. He carries them all day long for $99.00. I took it to Isuzu and was told there price was $190.00 , and they would need to do a upper engin cleaning also( $200.00). Is this necessary?

Answer by Nate
Submitted on 7/9/2004
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I am looking at purchasing a 1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme w/ 3.1 V6. The lady who owns it said the only known problem was the EGR valve. Checked it at Schucks and the part itself is $325. Is it something that has to be done or does cleaning it really help. Not sure I want to buy the car if I have to purchase a $300 part right off the bat.

Answer by Erci
Submitted on 7/10/2004
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Well, I just went to AutoZone after finding my car idling rough and stalling when putting it into gear. It was the EGR valve and it was getting NO air flow so I bought a new one for 40$!! I don’t know why all of yours cost so much but I have a 1995 Thunderbird LX, maybe because yours are all more digitally controlled or something of that nature. IT WILL CAUSE YOUR CAR TO IDLE ROUGH AND STALL WHEN PUTTING IT INTO GEAR. Thanks, Eric

Answer by kris
Submitted on 7/15/2004
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my mom is having trouble getting her 86 maxima to pass smog. the smog report came back and it said the EGR valve was faulty. so we went and found a new one for 80 bucks put it in took it in to have it smogged and its still "faulty" well i tested it out and everything and its getting lift so if it gets lift it gets vacuum right? what else could be the problem with it?

Answer by Shaka
Submitted on 7/21/2004
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It does work. I have a 99 Pontiac, and my Service Engine Soon light came on, I got the code P1404, and I cleaned the EGR valve with carbon cleaner, and it is all good now. Don't go to a dealer, THEY WILL SOAK YOU LIKE A MUDDY DOG!

Answer by Donta
Submitted on 8/7/2004
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I have a 95 Toyota Tercel and I had just got my converter fixed when the engine light came back on, so I went to Autozone where they did a free engine check and it said that my EGR valve needs to be changed. I think the best thing to do is take it off and try to clean it first since it is such an expensive little part, and see if that helps it first then go to the only other option.

Answer by TheTruth
Submitted on 8/10/2004
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I just recently soaked my EGR valve in degreaser. It worked great. Just make sure you clean around the port where the pin from the diaphragm rest. I cleaned and spray my EGR valve for about two hours. Just make sure your remove the harden carbon deposits around the walls. Thanks for everyone's help.

Answer by alex
Submitted on 8/18/2004
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I have 95 Dodge Grand Caravan SE, And my Check Engine light came out. And my van start loosing power and acceleration.I tryed to clean it but, it will not help much. So I check the code and it showed that my EGR Valve doesn't work properly. So I went to Checker Auto store and I got that EGR valve for $60.00 dollars. After I replaced it my van start accelarating better, and the power returned back. But my Engine sometimes vibrates not normaly when I put in gear. If any body has answer for this, please email me losha64@hotmail.com Thank You!

Answer by Nobody
Submitted on 8/23/2004
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Rockauto.com they have the taurus sel one for 38 dollars - stop being dumb and search the web for lower prices...

Answer by Gil
Submitted on 8/29/2004
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I have a Chevy Cavalier 2.2 1999. Didn't pass the smog check because of high NOx, and a wrong catalytic converter. After the cat was changed the NOx lowered quite a lot, but still too high on idle, and failed smog check again. The smog-check guy said it has no EGR Valve, How is it supposed to reduce that NOx then?

Answer by David
Submitted on 9/21/2004
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Hey I just got a egr valve for my 92 camaro and i paid 182.00 for it hope it fixes my problems

Answer by Doug
Submitted on 9/21/2004
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I have a 96 chev full size pickup, when my ses light came on it was found that it was the EGR pintle(the moving part of the valve). I bought a used one at a salvage yard for $50 instead of a new one for $300. Presto ses light out. If you have a chev 96 or later the EGR can not be serviced but only sprayed with penetrating oil. Run you car or truck without it they don't really need them.

Answer by ken
Submitted on 10/2/2004
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hey i have a 1992chevy van with 5.7 motor i bought it and it had already been at e check twice and failed on the nox part only. so i was thinking that id check the egr valve and i did and after warm up when i give the van gas i feel if egr is moving and it just moves a little bit and stops moving.and i disconected the hose from the egr valve and put my finger on the end to block and gave the van some gas and the vacuum only sucked for a couple seconds and stopped sucking so what is my problem

Answer by mothermayi317
Submitted on 10/21/2004
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I too have a 2001 Ford F150 Triton V8 it has 27,500 miles on it and the SES light came on and Auto Zone did a check and said it was the EGR valve. My truck runs ok, but the light bothers me, since I am a widow and I know nothing about the truck. Where is this valve located and how do I find out how to take it off and clean it? Ok Guys I need some help here. Thanks!!!

Answer by saturn51
Submitted on 11/7/2004
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I have a 92 saturn sc dual overhead cam. it stalls on take off unless I push the gas pedal very slowly. when I accelerate when the car is moving it bogs down and it will blow black smoke and build carbon on the spark plugs very quickly. It only does this after the car has been warm for a while. I have cleaned the first egr valve and when that didn't work I replaced it and that didn't work either I have replaced the plugs, wires, fuel filter and ran Lucas fuel system cleaner through it and I am still having the same problem, any ideas?

Answer by Dee
Submitted on 12/1/2004
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I have a 1998 Mercedes Benz E430. The "check engine" light was on and I took it in for service. I was told that the EGR valve needed to be replaced. That was done at a cost of more than $200. The light came on again after about 30 minutes of driving. Does anyone have any idea as to what the real problem might be? Please advise. Thanks.

Answer by mike zajac
Submitted on 12/16/2004
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I have a 1991 pontiac grand prix the egr needs replacing. its a 230 dollar part. compaired to a new one how well would a cleaned one work. michaelazajac@juno.com

Answer by joel
Submitted on 12/22/2004
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for those who have an egr problem here is a quick fix take it off and put a small mesh screen between it, this will fix the carbon problem, it works i did it on my 1994 s10 blazer.

Answer by tons of fun
Submitted on 12/30/2004
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I just installed a new egr valve because my check engine soon light comes on. It hasn't helped the problem!!!!!!!!

Answer by BG
Submitted on 1/3/2005
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What does the EGR valve look like and where is it located on a 1995 ford Taurus? Thanks

Answer by Vortec95
Submitted on 1/5/2005
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I am having the same problem as all of you. But in my case, the problem persists, then goes away, then comes back, still the egr right?

Answer by Ricanpwr
Submitted on 1/9/2005
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I owned a 2000 Blazer and is running rough and chokes every time i hit the gas. I was told at a chat room that it is the EGR. Could anyone tell me were it is located on my vehicle?. IM overseas and there is no Chevy services here in Spain. I need to tell the mechanic where it is. Thanks. My email is ricanpwr@yahoo.com

Answer by deliveryguy5
Submitted on 1/20/2005
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Just bought a '95 grand-am with a v-6. now i know this is not a tiny car but i oughta get better than 11 miles per gallon! I've been told that this is an EGR valve problem.Who has an answer?

Answer by theehussey
Submitted on 1/21/2005
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there is a modified egr gasket you can purchase. it has a screen to catch the particles of carbon. i hear it works very well. i'll be installing mine tomorrow. you'll find it here>> http://www.tomco-inc.com/ or at http://www.northernautoparts.com