ericantonio

Hi guys, been reading and youtubing some EGR fun. Was thinking of taking mine off and seeing if there is a bunch of carbon in there and in the intake portion.

What size is that thing? I know I don't have anything that large. Is it standard or metric?

BLDTruth

I don't know, but if your EGR valve was failing or clogged, your truck would let you know. Are you planning on just replacing it? Otherwise I would just leave it alone.

ericantonio

Sounds like a plan!!!

Then what else can I take apart this month? Hmmmm....

raski

You would likely break the plumbing attempting. If you insist, go with a pipe wrench.

Eric Fullerton

I took mine apart to get the upper intake completely off (4.9), and it was a bear. I have big wrenches for heavy equipment don't really remember the size, but the hard part as Raski says, is not destroying it in the process. I used a big pipe wrench to hold the body steady while I turned the nut, still held my breath.

ericantonio

Sounds like a plan!!! I probably will wreck it if I try to undo it. Just leave it eh?

The truck DEFINITELY is so much better with a new alternator. Not as much stumble. Bizarre that the problem could have been electrical. I tried driving uphill last night and that's when I usually get a stumble but it didn't. I was so expecting it and then I was like "hmmmm, smooth all the way to the top".

qdeezie

A few thoughts.

1) Soak it with PB blaster or whatever your favorite penetrant spray is before pulling on it.

2) Not something I've ever seen mentioned, but the area of the lower intake manifold where the EGR tube runs to can become clogged up with a bunch of crud. If you ever remove your lower, it's worth investigating.

Steve83

Buy a cheap plastic Vernier caliper, and keep it in your tool box. A cheap digital electronic one isn't ridiculously expensive, though.

DO NOT use a pipe wrench (or anything self-adjusting) or vise-grips on a flare nut, like the ones holding the EGR tube to the valve or the fitting at the other end. The nut is soft, and will crush, making it a nightmare to remove, and impossible to re-install. Since you can't get a true flare-nut wrench that size, use either an open-end, or a large adjustable (Crescent) wrench. Penetrating oil will help. Once it's off, clean up the threads & apply ant-seize lube so it goes on & comes off easier next time.


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But I agree with BLDTruth; if it ain't broke, don't break it by messing with it for no good reason. And even if you think you have a good reason, try to find a replacement EGR tube before you start.

ericantonio

Good thinking! Next time I'm at the pick/part place, I'll see if I can get one. I do have a caliper, don't know why I didn't think of using it!! Duh!!

And next time I'm at the parts/pick, it'll be good practice to remove one of those. I'll bring some PB.

raski

You can easily test the EGR system for blockages. Remove the vacuum line off the valve and put a piece of vacuum line on the valve. Apply vaccuum to the valve by sucking on the hose. At idle, the engine should stumble if not stall out all together. If it doesn't, you either have a blockage, stuck valve or bad valve diaphram. I wouldn't buy or do anything till you test it. Usually if you do not have sufficient flow, the engine will tend to detonate and NOX readings will be very high.