How To Clean EGR Valve?

[jlells01]

'95 Lumina LS with the 3.1L V6

 

The SES light comes on upon decelerating from highway speeds, and I'm pretty much positive that it's an EGR issue. It's been a long-term issue, and the one time I had it scanned with a professional tool, I believe it popped up as an EGR solenoid error...

 

Is there anyway to clean the digital EGR valve on these cars (to avoid paying the BIG bucks for a new one)?

 

Even with this issue, the engine runs strong, smooth, and at last check, was averaging 26 mpg's in mixed (city/backroads/highway) service.

 

Thanks

[chadz34]

You might need a new EGR valve. Since is simply pulls exhaust gasses from your exhaust and introduces them back into your engine's intake air it only makes sense that eventually it will become clogged or stuck open/closed from the carbon deposits.

It you remove the EGR from the vehicle you can either just spray it out or let it soak in a shallow bath of carburetor cleaner. DO NOT soak the electronic piece if yours is electronically controlled. This cleaning should fix it up for a while. It's a lot cheaper for a $1.99 can of cleaner than it is for any EGR valve.

[skiiirt]

I ran a bottle of cleens (GM Top Engine Cleaner) through. I dont think I got rid of the problem but it definately made it better. I had the same problem when decelerating from highway speeds. I think I'm gunna run like 2 or 4 more bottles of that stuff. I dont think the chamber has ever been cleaned. I tried cleaning the passages before but that didnt seem to help. I have a feeling its a chunk of carbon that flies around and eventually with enough pressure gets sucked into the egr valve. I have noticed if I pull over for 2 mins and tuen the car off, the EGR valve starts to work again

[5speedz34]

Make sure to spray down the EGR tube, and clean it out with a pipe cleaner.

 

 

If you look on ebay there are some brand new OEM GM ones floating around. I think I found one for $40 last time I checked.

[jlells01]

Ok, so should I just spray up into the EGR valve, and down into the "tube" (is this synonymous to manifold) with carb cleaner as shown below?

 

 

 

[Crazy K]

I use a battery terminal brush to clean the port on 3.1 motors. But I take the egr off with the 2 nuts and the bolt, leaving the adapter attached to the egr. then pop off the flextube and spray it all with carb cleaner while holding the butterfly open

[slick]

Yep, spray into the tube, and into the little ports that run into the intake manifold itself. Then take some small pipe cleaners and go nuts for about 20-30 minutes. Should do the job.

[jlells01]

Yep, spray into the tube, and into the little ports that run into the intake manifold itself. Then take some small pipe cleaners and go nuts for about 20-30 minutes. Should do the job.

 

If I'm reading this correctly, you just mention spraying into the engine itself, not the actual EGR valve unit.

 

Just to clarify, is it safe to spray up into the EGR valve?

 

Thanks.

[slick]

Spray into the port that that runs from the EGR into the intake plenum and clean that throughouly. I would take a fine wire brush to the EGR itself and clean up any gunk or carbon build up on that.

[fargo_182]

Here is the best tutorial ever made

 

I've done it to two, and works wonders, made me drop my emissions from over 600 to 80

 

http://www.v6z24.com/jbodyforum/viewtopic.php?t=42708&highlight=egr+rebuild

 

just scroll down 3/4 of the way

[skiiirt]

too bad all the pics are broken

[fargo_182]

Basically you take all the torx screws holding the gaskets, and base plate onto the big black heavy thing off. DO NOT remove the screws on the top of the black electromagnets.

 

now you clean all the peices, including the holes the piston type magnets go into, make sure nothing is caught inside there, and the pistons move freely, and smooth.

 

YOU DO NOT CLEAN THE GASKETS. You do not scrape any carbon off of them, the crab cleaner will destroy the gasket.

 

Soak the pistons in carb cleaner while you scrape the base plate free of as much carbon as you can.

 

Then put it back together, remember which way the base plate is angled, because it is different between engines. my 3.1 was differently angled to my 3.4, so I'm guessing the 3100 is too.

 

Checking the electromagnets for clicking is important to make sure it is working properly, I went to the junkyard and cut off the connector from another vehice, it made things so much easier.