EGR cleaning seems successful - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

mr magoo · 05-23-2007, 03:29 PM

I had alot of trouble with low idle and stalling after long highway rides last September. After consulting this forum, I isolated the EGR by unplugging the vacuum line and plugging it with a golf tee. The car ran fine in all conditions this way. Every time I reattached the vacuum line, the symptoms returned. In the mean time, I sprayed cleaner into the EGR from time to time to give it a chance. Last weekend I reattached the vacuum hose and reset the service engine light. I have since taken a 600 mile trip and driven daily without incident. I will need to go to the Massachusetts vehicle inspection program next week and am wondering if my recent resetting of code will be a problem. Everything is now running fine and the code has not recurred.
Does anyone have any other knowledge to share? Thanks a million!

dc_98_cam · 05-23-2007, 03:45 PM

I recently got a reject ... due to disconnecting the battery terminals prior to the state safety inspection. I drove 15 or 20 miles and returned for reinspection in a few days and passed.
That was here in Texas.

***Punks_Not_Dead5*** · 05-23-2007, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr magoo

I had alot of trouble with low idle and stalling after long highway rides last September. After consulting this forum, I isolated the EGR by unplugging the vacuum line and plugging it with a golf tee. The car ran fine in all conditions this way. Every time I reattached the vacuum line, the symptoms returned. In the mean time, I sprayed cleaner into the EGR from time to time to give it a chance. Last weekend I reattached the vacuum hose and reset the service engine light. I have since taken a 600 mile trip and driven daily without incident. I will need to go to the Massachusetts vehicle inspection program next week and am wondering if my recent resetting of code will be a problem. Everything is now running fine and the code has not recurred.
Does anyone have any other knowledge to share? Thanks a million!

i just had my gen5 in and they want 600 bucks to replace the EGR valve. Mine happens on cold start ups..jerks the car forward like there's a hesitation... you think cleaning it might prolong it long enough until i can afford to pay to get it fixed?? (please say yes!)

***toyomoho*** · 05-23-2007, 05:13 PM

The EGR valve and pipe going to it can be cleaned of carbon. The valve may also have temp gauge that goes bad. The VSV valve that controls the EGR can go bad.

Suggest looking at the posts at the end of this page for more info, plus reading about the system by finding the correct generation manual at the link below.

http://oregonstate.edu/~tongt/camry

mr magoo · 05-23-2007, 07:29 PM

I will post in this space next week whether the cleaning was sufficuent to pass inspection. It was successful in restoring operating under all conditions and not throwing a code. an easy test to narrow things down is to pull the vacuum hose off and plug it with a golf tee. If your poor running conditions cease, and then resume when the line is reattached, you have a clearer picture. I was also quoted $600 for replacement and can buy a new EGR for $130-$170 on line.

Stillrunning · 05-23-2007, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Punks_Not_Dead5

you think cleaning it might prolong it long enough until i can afford to pay to get it fixed?? (please say yes!)

I have never replaced an EGR. Remove it and clean it. They are robust and made to last. You may need to do some scraping just be careful not to damage the poppet valve seat. I'm not sure how your Gen5 EGR is attached but you may need a crows foot to undo the large nut. Apply some PB Blaster or like overnight. Get a small wire brush and some B12 Chemtool carb & choke cleaner. Compressed air can't hurt either. If you have a hand vacuum pump you can open the valve to help flush crud off the seat.

***Punks_Not_Dead5*** · 05-23-2007, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stillrunning

I have never replaced an EGR. Remove it and clean it. They are robust and made to last. You may need to do some scraping just be careful not to damage the poppet valve seat. I'm not sure how your Gen5 EGR is attached but you may need a crows foot to undo the large nut. Apply some PB Blaster or like overnight. Get a small wire brush and some B12 Chemtool carb & choke cleaner. Compressed air can't hurt either. If you have a hand vacuum pump you can open the valve to help flush crud off the seat.

Thanks for your help and input guys/gals sorry for hijacking your Gen 4 thread. I'll try all that and report back!

Maim Menu · 05-23-2007, 08:21 PM

The nuts on mine are so rusted I won't be able to undo them. The bolts that attach the Vavle to the Throttle body are fine though. All I've done yet is spurt Throttle Body cleaner in the top vacuum line and the bigger one that connects to the tube underneath the egr while it was attached to the car, didn't make a big difference. I might try to take out the egr with the pipe under it still attached to the valve. It's a big bolt on the cylinder head that could be fairly easily taken out with a big ajustable wrench.

Stillrunning · 05-24-2007, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maim Menu

All I've done yet is spurt Throttle Body cleaner in the top vacuum line

That line is only used for vacuum to the dash pot that opens/closes the EGR. If you're not careful you will damage the rubber inside the dash pot. It does not carbon up.

Quote:

and the bigger one that connects to the tube underneath the egr

That one goes to the modulating valve. It does get plugged with carbon as well but you need to take it all the way off and clean it out. There is also a filter on the modulating valve that can be blown out.

As for your rusted mounting bolts, I suspect they are studs. You can buy a new set and replace if you break one. Lots of PB Blaster over night will work wonders. Also try heat to help break loose. Patience will work the best.

jnoley07 · 06-04-2007, 10:01 AM

This weekend I removed the EGR Valve from my 01 and cleaned it out, the code had been popping for about a month now, I just kept disconnecting the batt. But after a good cleaning, it seems to be working fine. It wasn't as hard to remove as i thought it would be, it is a 12mm on top and a 10mm socket on bottom. I will let you know if it the cleaning solved the problem.

mr magoo · 06-04-2007, 01:15 PM

To conclued this thread, the 96 I4 wagon passed emissions after changing nothing.
I started with severe but intermittant drivability problems at a redlight following a fast highway run. (Code: EGR). One shop wanted $600 but wasn't sure it was the cure and treated with a 3 part cleaner that did not work. Another shop drove it around for 3 weeks trying to reproduce the trouble. Said they put in cleaner, but changed nothing. someone on this site told me about the golf tee trick, so I bypassed the egr for months with no trouble at all. With emissions inspection looming I sprayed carb cleaner into the vacuum hole several times, had no drivabliliy problems for 2000 miles and finally passed Massachusetts emssions on June 1.
Thanks to all who helped me out.