Community Forums

Dan_Johnston · 02-21-2016, 08:11 AM

I've got 30000 miles on it, it runs fin, but an planning to go to Alaska this summer from the east coast and will probably put on another 20k. Should i do a preventative maintance on the EGR or not? All is running fine, had a couple of hickups last year on another long trip but with extra throttle pressure it went away.

dan

WNDOPDLR · 03-24-2016, 11:35 AM

Surprised no one has answered your post before this. My thought is "what do you have to lose?" I have an 07 and just did mine at 37K. It was carboned, but not too badly. Still, now I have the peace of mind that I don't have to worry with it, and I will do it every oil change from here on out.

On a side note. Enjoy the AK trip. We did it three years ago and logged 15K and 6 weeks. Be very careful of the Alcan north of Whitehorse. Frost heaves are like speed bumps on steroids and can wreak havoc on your MH and contents. They are difficult to spot in advance and not well marked if at all.

Have fun.

Tetonchief · 03-24-2016, 02:11 PM

You might want to clean the sensor in the intake as well. They make a spray cleaner just for this and the leads need to be cleaned so the engine knows how much fuel to give based on air to fuel ratio. It is called the Mass Airflow Sensor

Dan_Johnston · 03-25-2016, 07:25 AM

Just had the two egr sensors replaced, Check Engine light and OBDII showed they were not working. Bet it was just a cleaning issue. Well there went 700 bucks down the MB exhaust pipe. When you took of the egr, did you leave the water hoses attached? I too want to clean it, just for PM issues.

Ak is out this year. Our kids are coming back from living in Switzerland, in July. No time to get to AK from NC this year. We've changed plans and going up to Nova Scotia, PEI and ? Great place up there. This will be our forth time.

thanks guys for your come back.

WNDOPDLR · 03-25-2016, 01:17 PM

I have done two, mine and a friends. I disconnected the water hose both times. Make sure your engine is stone cold and you will lose just a little bit of water. Biggest hassle was getting the EGR out of the housing because of carbon build up. Just be patient and keep tapping lightly. Do not pry or you will have to replace the gasket. When you are done and before re-assembly, coat the male housing LIGHTLY with a product called Never Seize-available at any auto parts store- and it will come apart much easier next time.

Enjoy the kids.

BandSA · 03-25-2016, 01:32 PM

just reading this thread...on my truck the engine light came on last Aug when we entered Wyoming on I-80. Stayed on the entire trip. Had a guy tell me to try putting in a little bit of automatic transmission fluid in the fuel every other fill up. Did just that, over the entire trip home, then about three weeks later, the engine light was out. I'm thinking that the EGR was starting to get plugged up, just very dirty, and the ATF cleaned it out. Now, every two or three fillups, I put in about a cup and a half to two cups of ATF. Smokes a little, but she does run. And haven't changed the EGR and am seriously thinking of blocking it. Will get about 8-10 miles better mpg from what i understand.

You might try using the AFT in yours. A quart of ATF is a lot cheaper than replacing or cleaning that dirty thing.

Dan_Johnston · 03-30-2016, 03:27 PM

I pulled it apart today. Lost about 1/4 cup of coolant, no big deal and had it out in few minutes. used a thin blade screwdriver to lift it a tad then sprayed WD40 and just rocked it out. It was needing a cleaning. The valve was not moving smoothly. Cleaned it, added some anti-sz lub and put it back together. An hour is being generous. Just drove it and it accelerates much smoother.

Dan_Johnston · 03-31-2016, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BandSA

just reading this thread...on my truck the engine light came on last Aug when we entered Wyoming on I-80. Stayed on the entire trip. Had a guy tell me to try putting in a little bit of automatic transmission fluid in the fuel every other fill up. Did just that, over the entire trip home, then about three weeks later, the engine light was out. I'm thinking that the EGR was starting to get plugged up, just very dirty, and the ATF cleaned it out. Now, every two or three fillups, I put in about a cup and a half to two cups of ATF. Smokes a little, but she does run. And haven't changed the EGR and am seriously thinking of blocking it. Will get about 8-10 miles better mpg from what i understand.

You might try using the AFT in yours. A quart of ATF is a lot cheaper than replacing or cleaning that dirty thing.

Interesting idea. After seeing the carbon build up on the egr, i do not see how that would clean it up. short of a blow torch and the only way to clean it is scrubbing. On the valve vanes the piece would turn but was 'chunky' in the turning. After scrubbing and carb cleaner it turns smoothly. In another words there were bits of hardened carbon holding the valve in a position that was about 1/2 open and it would snap back to closed but I can see where the valve could get hung up. to separate the valve unit from it's mounting plate just too a small thin flat blade screwdriver and tapped it gently to separte the two. Once i got them about a playing card distance apart, sprayed WD40 and that helped loosen it. It is a very tight fit and I can see where galavanatic action could cause a problem in getting it out but it did come out.

When apart there is a sensor you can visually see on the left side. Mine are brand new, as are three other temp sensors that I think were burned out when I accidently put gas instead of diesel. Long story short, dead tired, late at night, BP pumps for diesel are not green handle colored, BP Green is unleaded. Frigging BP.

To me, I'll stick with cleaning every so often.