Replaced egr and vsv

[toyota forever]

I had the egr valve and vsv replaced on my 95 avalon with 288,000 kms, check engine keeps coming on, dealer says I need a new engine problem is with one of the piston rings
blow by gases are causing engine oil to clog egr valve.

any truth to this happening

thanks

[ShawnM]

Its possible. Hard to say if thats whats actually happening to your car tho. Are you seeing any puffs of smoke out of the exhaust on acceleration? If you dont really trust them get a second opinion. My wifes old camry had a completely plugged up breather passage in the valve cover that would set EGR codes, but that was due to her 10K miles between oil changes habit before we got together. I cleaned out all the passeges by taking the valve cover apart, then put it back together and the problem went away.

[toyota forever]

On acceleration I notice more exhast out of my avalon than the cars around me, The exhast smells rich the color is white, no different than any other cars exhast. I do have an exhast leak where the first section of exhast meets the middle section after the catylitic convertor.

I have changed the oil and oil filter every 5,000 kms up to the first 200,000 kms and every 3,000 - 4,000 km from 200,000 to the current 291,400 kms.

The car starts great, but I have notice I'm getting less mileage per tank.

I don't like the idea of driving a car that is polluting but changing an engine that doesn't burn oil and starts up just fine in minus 25 degree canadian winters. makes no sense.

Thanks

[OEMonkey]

Did you clean the EGR passage on the Intake manifold? Those get clogged w/ carbon over time and restricts EGR flow. What check engine light code are you getting? code 71 or P0401?

[toyota forever]

I have not cleaned out the egr passage. I'll wait till spring to do that. Thanks for the tip and the code that's coming up is P0401.

Thanks again

[toyomoho]

Check the Gen_3 Camry 1MZ-FE section at the link below. It has a very good description of this code and what causes it.

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

[toyota forever]

great help, using the information from the link I drove to a nearby toyota dealer. not the one that changed the egr valve and vsv. with the new information I explained the work that was done and within 30 minutes I was in the service bay with a great mechanic who had my car on the diagnostic scanner and had narrowed the problem to the egr gas temperature sensor. The computer showed a temperature of 44 degrees, is that a factory default. The sensor should have read 159.3 degrees. When he placed a jumper wire the computer showed 159 degrees.

At $ 193 cdn I'm going back to my trusty wreckers to see if I could pick one up cheap. I hope the trail ends here. I've learned alot from this forum and thank those that have responded.

Any suggestions on a OBDII scanner I might purchase.

Thanks

[aznstylez]

where is the egr gas temperature sensor located at?

[toyomoho]

Look for a wire going to a sensor installed in (or near) the EGR valve (not the VSV valve).

[aigochamaloh]

the sensor is installed on the egr valve. it's mounted kind of like an o2 sensor would be mounted on an exhaust manifold...

[2way]

Originally Posted by toyota forever

Any suggestions on a OBDII scanner I might purchase.

Thanks

This looks to be a really nifty gadget... especially for the price: http://www.scangauge.com/
3-in-one Automotive Computer
Trip Computer - Digital Gauges - Scan Tool
& you can yank it out temp to use on another vehicle.

[toyomoho]

Do a TN history for scanner recommendations, the Camry members bring this up on occation. Rockauto has the sensor for $107 US. Suggest you check the part number and see if other years of Avalon and perhaps Camry will also work. Saves time in running down a junker car at a yard.

[toyota forever]

Its spring in Montreal, temp in the high teens and I got around to removing the air plennem, The pcv valve was shot and oil had gotten into the back where the brake booster is located. The egr passage into the air plenem was blocked solid with carbon. I used throttle body cleaner 3 cans of the stuff and a small brush used to clean the tubes in a barbeque. A couple of hours work and some pretty dirty hands and the job was done. CEL came back, I then open the pressure regulator which is mounted inches from the egr valve and cleaned out the filter.

At last 2 days and and 400 km later no more CEL.

One really BIG thanks to all who helped, You know who you are..


p.s. what kind of mechanics are working at these dealer garages.... none of them came close to the solution..

Thanks again, everyone

TOYOTA FOREVER

[toyota forever]

I almost forgot the egr temp sensor was probably O.K. I picked one up for $10 CDN off a Camry V6 with a 1mzfe engine. The egr passage was blocked like I mentioned earlier and I guess that was not allowing hotter exhaust gases to pass by the sensor therefore the lower temp reading.

Thanks again