Myotis1134 Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 Putting the engine back together tonight, after a long weekend of pulling it apart to get at the back head to fix a helicoil blowout. Installing the egr when the tube broke off close to the manifold. OReilly's is charging $377 for new egr, so I checked out gmpartsdirect. This is the funny part: actual egr valve $124.43, filter (wherever that goes) $8.98, control valve silencer $10.60, stainless steel tube $226.72. SERIOUSLY? Damn tube costs $200? Napa has one for $125, but no tube. All I know is that there's no way I'm paying over $200 for a tube, which means the junk yard. According to wiki, my best bet for finding one is to look for grand prix, cutlass supreme, regal, cavalier, sunbird and firebird in the 1990 to 1994 range. Objections or modifications to this statement? I'm all ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 junkyard or ask if someone here has one to sell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Cutlass94 Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 Picture of said damage? You might be able to fix the tube instead of buying another one. And at this point, I think a jy or another member is the only option. All the dealers around here dont stock them anymore as I believe they have been discontinued. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtremerevolution Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 Whenever I visit junkyards, I usually snag about 4 of those EGR tubes if they're good just for good measure because they seem to fail on everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oilpatch197 Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 (edited) It is stainless, ever priced stainless exhaust pipe? Then you would know why it's so expensive. Â I would recommend that you buy a new *stainless* EGR tube. I bought stainless, which was a little more expensive, but I probably wont be changing it for a long time. I would also recommend some high-temp anti-seize so the next unlucky SOB that has to take it off will not be busting his knuckles. I believe that the temps can get to several hundred degrees. This is exhaust gases after all. GM did make this line out of some rather heat resistant metal from the get go. Â ...and no you can't have mine. Â Perhaps you can fix it temporarily with an exhaust repair kit or a use a soda can and some screw type clamps. Edited July 6, 2011 by Oilpatch197 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white4d96 Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Is deleting the EGR an option? You could make a blockoff plate or buy one (IIRC) and just plug all the holes up. I wouldn't know if you would have to delete a code on your car or not though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breakdown Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 I have a working (it was when it came off of the car) EGR from a 1995 Grand Prix 3100. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted2bass Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 I have the same problem with my TGP. The previous owner must have either lost or broke the tube. The EGR is still on the car but the tube, which goes to the crossover pipe on the turbo, is gone. The hole in the crossover is capped off with what appears to be a copper pipe end fitting. Ghetto but its does work, im looking for a new one but im fairly sure mine is turbo specific and a differant length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gp90se Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 I have the same problem with my TGP. The previous owner must have either lost or broke the tube. The EGR is still on the car but the tube, which goes to the crossover pipe on the turbo, is gone. The hole in the crossover is capped off with what appears to be a copper pipe end fitting. Ghetto but its does work, im looking for a new one but im fairly sure mine is turbo specific and a differant length. Â with a vacuum controlled egr that's how I've always done it, keeps the upper intake much cleaner for things like air to pass through Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myotis1134 Posted July 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2011 does it screw with emissions when you remove the egr from the equation? I don't have to worry about that too much on the kenai peninsula, but if I moved to anchorage I would have to pass. Â I have called all the junkyards to no avail. I have one last yard to call tomorrow, and I think it is the most likely to have the tube. It is the same junkyard I got a sub-frame from, and it is in the middle of nowhere. However, if I can't find one there, and I don't feel inclined to blow $200+, does anyone have objections to this crazy idea I had earlier - to replace the flexi-tube with hard-line? I'll document if it comes to that (and if it works). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted July 9, 2011 Report Share Posted July 9, 2011 you would likely fail a visual inspection, but it depends on how they run their smog tests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted2bass Posted July 9, 2011 Report Share Posted July 9, 2011 with a vacuum controlled egr that's how I've always done it, keeps the upper intake much cleaner for things like air to pass through  So I should just leave it? I was going to try to track down a flex pipe and hook it up correctly. But if its not hurting anything the way it is I may as well just leave it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gp90se Posted July 9, 2011 Report Share Posted July 9, 2011 It did not send an ses code, I also blocked off the vacuum tube but left it plugged in. unlessyour visual inspection they look behind the engine to see if the egr tube is connected, you should be fine.  I failed emissions on my 89 years ago, the nox by .02 without the egr. Hooked it back up and ran it again, passed by .02, useless. I was running synthetic oil, 192 stat, and had cleaned/lightly polished the plenum  3.1 mpfi ftw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artemis Posted July 9, 2011 Report Share Posted July 9, 2011 You should do a search, there was a guy on here who built his own tube. Must of cost him less than $10. It looked pretty easy, very easy in fact. Just a quick trip to Home Depot if I recall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oilpatch197 Posted July 9, 2011 Report Share Posted July 9, 2011 The EGR is still on the car but the tube, which goes to the crossover pipe on the turbo, is gone. The hole in the crossover is capped off with what appears to be a copper pipe end fitting. Ghetto but its does work, Â Now on older trucks where they do rust through, I just crimp the pipe shut and forget about it.... Disclaimer: all my vehicles are for off road use only. Just like venting refrigerant from your AC system, modifying emission equipment is illegal and you can face fines or Jail time courtesy of the EPA. Â But here in Illinois with NO emissions testing(Chicago excluded) it's the wild west when it comes to compliance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myotis1134 Posted July 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 So GmPartsDirect has discontinued selling an EGR tube for the 3.1, and probably any other engine in the 90s era. Called a Chevy dealership and it's the same thing - discontinued. Did find a website that sells it for $181.00, but that's too much at this point. One last salvage yard to try, and they should be open tomorrow. If they don't have it then I'm finding some appropriate flexi pipe and fittings and making one. How hard can it be? I did look into the homemade EGR tube post, but anything that costs $10 to make is going to leak eventually. I don't want my mileage to go down with gas prices like they are, and I don't want to put a cheap part that's going to fail on the car. Thus, my only three options are to pay ridiculous prices from online dealers who know they can screw us because no one else is selling the part, somehow find a junkyard that has the part in decent condition, or make one out of quality materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 I would search the junkyard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galaxie500XL Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 I'd make a friend that works at a business that does custom tubing...lots of industrial customers have stuff custom made for their plants... and those type of businesses have access to good stainless, and uber welding skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oilpatch197 Posted July 12, 2011 Report Share Posted July 12, 2011 (edited) So GmPartsDirect has discontinued selling an EGR tube for the 3.1, and probably any other engine in the 90s era. Called a Chevy dealership and it's the same thing - discontinued. Thus, my only three options are to pay ridiculous prices from online dealers who know they can screw us because no one else is selling the part, somehow find a junkyard that has the part in decent condition, or make one out of quality materials. Â Why did GM do this? Was it because they reorganized or what? The reason I ask is I was at a Ford dealer and looking for a fuel sender unit for a twenty year old truck, they did not have the sender I needed, but the guy said, "is it a diesel?" I told him no, and he said, "the senders for the diesel are still available." Â Mind you a twenty year old truck, and the diesels are fairly rare. Â The only part I could get from GM was the trunk lid strut rods for my '92!! I couldn't get anything else...(engine nylon fuel line assembly/headlamp assembly(and aftermarket depos are crap)/ power antenna, they had nothing and the parts guy wasn't really enthusiastic. Â When I was searching for these items, there is very little aftermarket support! Thanks to high scrap prices, the chances of getting a junkyard unit are slim in my area. Â I understand that they are required to support a vehicle for ten years after production, but after that there is no support, they bomb it(GM), they either sell off whatever is left to third party vendors.... and you are SOL! Edited July 12, 2011 by Oilpatch197 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myotis1134 Posted July 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2011 Junkyards are a bust. Found 3 websites that have the part for "reasonable" prices: http://www.gmpartsdistributor.com is the most reasonable of the lot, offering the tube for $77.67. The other two were in the $160 range. Guess I'll bend to the man this time and order the damn part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artemis Posted July 13, 2011 Report Share Posted July 13, 2011 Just make one, if it lasts only a year then so be it. If it only costs you $10 is it really a big deal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted July 13, 2011 Report Share Posted July 13, 2011 explain... year and engine? I should have the part.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myotis1134 Posted July 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2011 1991 lumina euro 3.1 vin T. Automatic 4-speed 4T60. I'm looking for the EGR tube - mine broke when I was installing. I'm not in the mood to dicker, and I would be grateful if you were interested in selling one. However, as scarce and expensive as they have become, I wouldn't hold it against you if you wanted to hold on to any you have. Â I looked more closely at the site where I found the $77 tube, and it is only for engines with vin J. Not sure how much difference there can be, but there it is. Next best site is http://www.gm-partscenter.com where part is $161.54. I asked them about their shipping options, as ground for $12 is the only visible option, and they have assured me they do overnight and 2nd day for an arm and a leg I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myotis1134 Posted July 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2011 Just got off the phone with my uncle, who has been a plumber for 30+ years. He seems to think there is no reason NOT to hard line - the manifold is bolted to the engine, and so is the throttle body/intake manifold, so there's no problem with movement. He doesn't even think that stainless steel is required. I got the name of a shop in Anchorage that he thinks will be able to make something that will work. I'm thinking as few bends as possible for the most efficient flow, maybe an initial 45-64 degree bend right after it comes out of the manifiold, run it straight up to the EGR, another 45-65 and compression fittings all around. Plain carbon steel? I'm going to call and talk to someone. Let you all know how it pans out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GutlessSupreme Posted July 13, 2011 Report Share Posted July 13, 2011 take a look at stainless steel flex hose used for natural gas (like dryer connections etc). I found a section years ago that would've worked really well if I could've gotten a section that was shorter. The fitting on one end screwed right onto my TGP's crossover, the other problem was that at the time I didn't have a way of attaching the other end to the EGR valve. But now that I have a welder... we'll see lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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