EGR Valve Cleaning - Symptoms and Confirmation

[hooRAH]

I thought I would post this up in case it helps someone in the future.

My wife recently said the camry was starting to stall off-power. It happened a few times coasting off the interstate. When she stopped, she said the idle was terrible and would often stall. She had to keep her foot on the gas to keep it running. Then, as quickly as it started, it stopped and idled fine.

So, first step I did was clean the intake - throttle body and idle air motor. Also, I found that the intake boot was torn. I thought for sure I had fixed it, but I didn't, it kept stalling intermittantly after that.

Next step - EGR. Bought 2 EGR gaskets from toyota and pulled the EGR valve - holy crap. That thing was FULL of carbon, and not just oily residue, but rock hard chunks of crap. I let the thing soak in carb cleaner for awhile, then picked at it with a pick tool, then soaked, then picked, then soaked.....until I got real tired of doing that. Got a bunch of black crap to come out.

Put it back together, hasn't stalled since. I came to the conclusion that with significant carbon build up, the EGR valve was sticking open off-power and causing the engine to stall when it reached idle. Now the EGR valve is free to close as it should. Cost - free (if you don't count the intake boot that needed to be replaced anyway).

Hope this helps someone in the the future.

[grandpapa]

I have the same problem, car stall at start up, won't hold idle

I have no idea what EGR is, can you show picture? how easy is it to replace/install?
thanks

[projektvertx]

Thanks for letting us know, this should be useful to anyone with some idle problems Silly question, but do you think Intake Cleaner would do the same job? Does it have to be Carb cleaner?

[Rattlin_Steele]

Originally Posted by grandpapa

I have the same problem, car stall at start up, won't hold idle

I have no idea what EGR is, can you show picture? how easy is it to replace/install?
thanks

Look at the last two pics in the first post of this thread:
DIY : EGR Valve removal

Should give you an idea.

[hooRAH]

Originally Posted by grandpapa

I have the same problem, car stall at start up, won't hold idle

I have no idea what EGR is, can you show picture? how easy is it to replace/install?
thanks

Ehh, not quite. I wouldn't call that the same symptom. I was having stalling off-power while hot, you're talking about stalling at startup. Thats unlikely to be caused by a stuck open EGR valve, because the EGR valve doesn't open at idle. It would have had to stick open the last time you ran the car, and then the car would have stalled with it stuck open. Not sure if I'm making any sense to you, but the bottom line is I don't think your EGR valve is sticking open on cold start.

Its not terribly difficult to remove and replace, but I don't know your level of ability. I'd say it was a pretty easy job, but then again, I think jobs like brakes and control arms are easy also. I'd say its about as easy as cleaning out the throttle body (by disconnecting it from the car first).

[hooRAH]

Originally Posted by Rattlin_Steele

Look at the last two pics in the first post of this thread:
DIY : EGR Valve removal

Should give you an idea.

Thanks for the reference link. Personally, I thought it was unnecessary to put the car on ramps, I had no problem getting the valve out from the top, but thats just me.

It took FAR more time to clean and pick out the carbon than it did to remove/replace it.

[hooRAH]

Originally Posted by projektvertx

Thanks for letting us know, this should be useful to anyone with some idle problems Silly question, but do you think Intake Cleaner would do the same job? Does it have to be Carb cleaner?

Same thing. I use carb cleaner as a universal term, I have no idea what the actual cleaner said. So long as it dissolves carbon.

[hawkeye]

Originally Posted by grandpapa

I have the same problem, car stall at start up, won't hold idle

I have no idea what EGR is, can you show picture? how easy is it to replace/install?
thanks

I had a dirty/sticky IAC valve that gave this symptom intermittently, FYI.