egr valve

i am getting my car ready to be sold and i need to fix my check engine light. it is the insufficent egr flow one. i pulled the egr valve assembly thing and was wondering if there was a way to test it? i really do not want to spend $100 on this part. also, could i hook up a vac. tester to the green vac line that goes to the valve? if i did that what should the reading be. thank you
 
I just had the one on the SN out today for a cleaning. You can apply 5" of vac to the nipple to see if the diaphram moves. I stood in a mirror and sucked on it and watched its movement - pretty good range.

If the flow is insufficient, chances are the valve is all coked up with carbon. I sprayed mine out and then put carb cleaner in it (filled up each port) and let it sit and soak.

The other possibility is that the EVR is not calibrated. This can happen if the EGR valve seat wears.

JRichker has the complete run-down on full testing of it. This is just my tired thoughts.

GOod luck.
 
87_GT said:
thanks for the reply. i will try sucking on it since i dont have one of those hand held vacuum things. if that seat wears, do i just have to buy a whole new egr valve?
You can either get a new valve or you can adjust the EVP's sensor so that it baselines (zeroes out) with the new seat height. That is kind of a pain though (you keep playing with it till it works).

A good cleaning might take care of it alone (and making sure the diaphram is not ruptured when you suck on it).

I forgot to check your sig (I am in the quote reply page right now), but you dont have a real (illuminated) CEL, right?

Good luck.
 
Ok, got it. This is on an SN. It really takes 3 minutes to get the EGR off. FYI, I had to soak the feed-tube threads in PB blaster before I could get the fitting loose. Then two bolts and off it is. Make sure the gasket looks ok or have a spare ready.

Good luck.
 
I will have to look up the info on that since it is for an SN and there may be differences (it is SO unlikely, I will hold off. You are not spitting the right code for it. Since the SN's have better processors, it would likely spit the correct code).

Otherwise just make sure the valve is really clean and that all the connections are clean and good to go. A bad ground on the EVR connector will toss a limit code (which you dont appear to have anyhow).

Those passageways should be fairly healthy - a straight brush should remove carbon in the 90* bend (I did not have one of those brushes on hand so I could not clean it as well as I wanted. A toothbrush does not fit down one of the passages very well).

In its dynamic, you should be able to check the values at the connector (VRef, signal, ground) and make sure the right signal are being sent. At that point you can see if the sensor is calibrated too (see if the signal reading is off)

Though the passageways many not puke out lots of filth (mine didnt), cleaning can 'unhang' the pintle's movement. There is not much vac to that diaphram, so getting it unhung is important (so it actuates real smooth). That really might take care of it.

Good luck.
 
I'm having the same problem on my '89 GT. I've cleaned it out good. CEL came back. Checked the wires, the voltages seem fine. How do I go about adjusting the baseline? I'm tired of constantly having the CEL flash on and off at random times for "insufficient flow".

Thanks.
 
i was unable to fix the problem, so i went out and bought a new valve and the position sensor, went to take her around the block and the check engine light popped back on. so my i am now thinking that the vacuum line is prabably bad. if i hook up a vacuum gauge to the end of the green line goin to the valve, what should the reading be?
 
"I stood in a mirror and sucked on it and watched its movement - pretty good range."

Aw, c'mon JT - save that stuff for those other sites you frequent....and stay away from my wife. :)

What in the world were you thinking when you typed that? I'm ROFL......
 
Michael Yount said:
What in the world were you thinking when you typed that? I'm ROFL......
Look at what time I typed it. Normally I catch it when I type something like that - not this time.
Normally it would not be a problem to say something like that - it is you guys who have your minds in the gutter. :D

Or maybe I just like to brag (and make my dog feel less superior). :lol:

It is not as bad as the guy who had a thread title asking for Grady to look at his log. :D
 
87_GT said:
i am getting my car ready to be sold and i need to fix my check engine light. it is the insufficent egr flow one. i pulled the egr valve assembly thing and was wondering if there was a way to test it? i really do not want to spend $100 on this part. also, could i hook up a vac. tester to the green vac line that goes to the valve? if i did that what should the reading be. thank you

You may be able to find a good EGR valve on Ebay for a cheap price...I did and it works great.
Tim
 
HISSIN50 said:
Jeremy, you're sick!
I don't know if you noticed, but I added your ill-conceived quote to my sig, but I thought you might get offended by being immortalized to all as the member who "stands in the mirror and sucks on it"...so I took it out....:notnice:
Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.
Oh yeah, and stay away from my fiance, too...
And my dog:nono:
 
You're scaring me jaymac -- I was gonna post it as a poll (pole!) thread like so:

The following quote --- "I stood in a mirror and sucked on it and watched its movement - pretty good range." refers to:

A) How a lonely, but well endowed guy with low self esteem spends Friday night (well, every night)
B) Guy testing the viscosity of his favorite 'make it thicker' milkshake
C) The proper way to check the function of your egr valve
D) Someone practicing their gas-siphoning technique