Where's my EGR Valve?

[Leuthesius]

I've got a 96 J30. I'm getting a red EGR trouble code. I just ran seafoam through the engine. I'm thinking its really needing cleaned out.... where is it so I can clean it out?

[Gerardjg]

Back of the engine somewhat centered and around 6 inches down, from the rear top of the plastic cover over the throttle cables

[GerryO]

Replacing the EGR valve would be REALLY tough without first having removed the plenum, which is a bear to do and even then it's no fun at all removing both EGR tubes in order to clean them. The big flare tubing connection nut on the driver's side is a 27mm and it's necessary/best to use an open end wrench to loosen it, after first removing some heater related hoses and piping.

The worst deposits are in the tube side openings just inside of the two plenum bottom entry points and they can be reached without removing the EGR valve or totally disconnecting the tubes, but I'm not sure how well the tubes can be cleaned without completely disconnecting them, as it really helps to be able to work at them from different angles and bang them around a bit to jar deposits loose.

I believe owners manual lists some simple EGR valve tests.

[yodawill2000]

Try cleaning out the Tubes on the bottom center of both sides of the intake.They get clogged with carbon on will throw the code.Does the light stay on or just come on when you around 50 MPH.

[Leuthesius]

My odbII system is blinking EGR but the car has not actually thrown the code yet. So I figured I'd yank it out, clean it, and put it back. I already have a replacement gasket ready... but the thing doesn't appear to be a straight forward EGR.... There's four bolts. I can't tell wtf is what, and I'm quite frustrated since I have to literally sit on my engine to get to it.

[GerryO]

It's the tubes that get plugged, not the EGR valve itself and removing it is really tough, even with the plenum off, along with one of the heater related pipes.

Six bolts total; two for each flange, two mounting and the big 27mm nut. The passenger's side is a piece of cake, compared to the driver's side and then you have to put things back together again.

[yodawill2000]

I repeat

Pull the tubes out of the bottom of the plenum on both sides and clean out the clogged up hole.FYI the hole is facing the rear of the car.Easy job.

[Leuthesius]

Pictures would greatly help. I gave up and said to hell with it. If I'm going to take the EGR off, I might as well replace the damned thing if its that much of a hassle.

[GerryO]

Pictures would greatly help. I gave up and said to hell with it. If I'm going to take the EGR off, I might as well replace the damned thing if its that much of a hassle.

I didn't take the photo myself and it may not exactly be your engine, but it's certainly close enough.



Taken from http://www.z32photoguide.com/sensors.html

Again, unless it is leaking, the EGR valve is probably not your problem. It's clogged tubes near the point where they enter the underside of the plenum.

[yodawill2000]

The tubes that clog are on both sides of the engine.They come from the rear (EGR Valve) and run towards the front and make a 90 degree turn straight up. Two bolts hold them in.Remove the bolts and pull the tube straight down till its out of the Plenum.The hole that will be clogged faces the rear of the car. The top is sealed off.You will need to loosen the dipstick bracket on the passenger side If I recall.

Also the whole tube doesn't clog up. Just the hole that opens up into the plenum. It get's clogged with black carbon looking crud.


Modified by yodawill2000 at 9:56 AM 6/23/2008

[Leuthesius]

Would you happen to have pictures of this thing I need to pull out to check? Bear in mind I'm still pretty new to the 2960. My last car's engine was a 4banger 2.4 Altima engine... This is a completely different beast.

[gr8scott72]

Print out yoda's last post, take it out to your car, pop your hood and read the post while looking at your engine. You'll find it NO problem at all.

[Leuthesius]

Are we talking about those copper colored pipes that run across the top?

[gr8scott72]

Are we talking about those copper colored pipes that run across the top?

No, there are 2 pipes, one on each side of the intake plenum, that run from the rear of the engine to the front UNDER side of the intake plenums. They are visable from either side of the engine. Just look at the side of the intake manifold and just under, but still visable, is where the pipes are.

[GerryO]

You want to clean the each of the rear-facing openings that are very near the ends of the two tube portions that are inside of each side of the plenum once things are bolted together.



Parts #14120 and #14120+A. The actual upward-facing tubing "ends" inside of the plenum are sort of capped.

It helps to remove a few brackets on each side of the engine in order to "bend" the tubes down out of the plenum openings.

I thought I'd cleaned mine pretty well (totally of of the car, brushing and picking at the deposits, and using carburetor cleaner), but after things really dried up inside of them, tapping them around a bit broke a lot of other crud loose.

[GerryO]

The two points that can be cleared/cleaned (without removing the plenum) are visible in this photo.



The openings that get clogged face the rear of the car, so they can't be seen. Removing the plenum and EGR tube brackets on both sides should allow the tubes to move down (don't sit on the plenum with them removed), after the tube ends are unbolted from the undersides of the plenum.

Check the condition of EGR related vacuum hoses/connections too, when trying to fix a Code 32, then again you said:

My odbII system is blinking EGR but the car has not actually thrown the code yet.

which means that it simply might simply have been an old stored code that was never cleared or you could have an intermittent problem. The Check Engine Light will come ON with a Code 32.

[Gerardjg]

I used a piece of 6 gauge stranded copper wire with about 1 inch of it strippedand frayed I pushed it all the way into the tube and hooked the otherend up to a drill like rotor rooter sprayed some cleaner in turned on the drill andslowly pulled it out. Then vacuumed out the tube with some 8x6mm tubing hooked up to a shop vac. the clear tubing was black when I wasdone. I had a difficult time getting the tubes back in they needed some persuasion but I did both Js in about 3 hours.

[yodawill2000]

Mine went back in fairly easy.I think the trick is to pull them down JUST until they can be pulled sightly to the side , then cleaned.

[Leuthesius]

Are we talking about those copper colored pipes that run across the top?

[Gerardjg]

yes just to the right of the power steering fluid tank the section above the flange is what you will have to lower from the manifold. The hole to be cleaned is on the back

[yodawill2000]

The tubes are NOT on the top of the engine.They run along the sides.Look at Gerrys pic. The the left tube is just to the right of the power steering fluid reservoir.On the other side of the engine you will see the other tube in exactly the same location.

The ends of the tubes point straight up.That's the part of the tube that goes into the upper plenum, that isn't on the engine in his pic.

Its really not all this hard man !!!
Modified by yodawill2000 at 2:09 PM 6/25/2008

[GerryO]

The openings are in the immediate vicinities of the two green spots (red circles didn't stick yesterday) and relatively far from, but still connected to the EGR valve.

[yodawill2000]

Thanks Gerry !!I was gonna do the same thing when I got home ..I think he was confusing the balancer tube with the egr tubes.

[Leuthesius]

I know its not supposed to be that hard, but with the new equipment to me, I just need to be absolutely certain of what's what.

What do I clean the pipes with? I saw someone mention oven cleaner. Will that do it?

[gr8scott72]

What do I clean the pipes with?

Paper clip.

[GerryO]

Paper clip.

Really big paper clip. Don't use anything that might leave small metal or plastic particles behind and try to vacuum the loose stuff out before bolting things back together again.

And Scott, what's your method/secret for keeping your wheels looking so good?

[gr8scott72]

And Scott, what's your method/secret for keeping your wheels looking so good?

Eagle One Etching Mag Cleaner. Just be sure to take the center caps off first. (Unless you like them yellow.)

[Leuthesius]

Are there gaskets I need to replace when I do this?

[yodawill2000]

I didn'tIts a metal gasket so it should be OK.