had to change my egr pick up tube from manifold, there a baffle in the tube and if it get slightly resricted it will give a ck engine light, oh reason had to buy a new tube was i ran a pipe brush downn the tube, welp that says it all couldnt get it back out , 120 dollar mistake, good luck, oh yea the new tube took care of my problem, maybe il soak it in cleaner next time

 

$120 sounds cheap for the repair you must have needed. Do you know what the inside of a properly functioning tube (I know just what it looks like, but not its name) is supposed to look like? Did you take any pictures, or save the old one?
The reason I ask, is, that if the rest of us knows what the inside of that tube looks like, we might be able to avoid repeating your mistake. Would it have been possible to run a long drill bit or sharpened metal rod down that pipe to get rid of the baffle restriction?
I have read somewhere that a 3/16" drill bit will clean out the notoriously difficult EGR ports in the intake manifold of my 4.2L V6. I haven't got to that point yet, and will take pics & report back.

 

To many bends in the pipe for a drill, sorry pitched the pipe after it rolled around in the bed a few months, yea it was cheap considering

 

Do you think a bent sharpened coat hanger wire might have done the job?

 

Tried it all, couldnt get anything through,

 

Well, maybe that thing just needed to be replaced, then!

 

Lol maybe,

 

was wondering if this cleaning of the egr ports pertain to the 5.4 also some what?

 

Be sure to report back on this fix once your heads have cracked. When was replied to this is completely true. Bypassing or fooling the system messes with other systems too. When the EGR valve opens, the computer advances ignition timing, and reduces the fuel flow. So if the EGR system is not working and the computer thinks it is, then think this through, you computer is advancing the timing while simultaneously leaning out the mixture. Does that sound like a good recipe for your engine?

 

As I mentioned, the 'hack' was a temporary measure to get through emissions testing, and in no way an attempt to bypass the EGR otherwise. I reversed the change. I've been driving this year with the CEL light on and an EGR valve which (most likely) does not actually recirculate anything. In any case, drawing a vacuum on my EGR while my hot engine is idling does nothing at all, unlike its behavior years ago when it was much newer -- I did actually do the test then also, and results were as expected.
I have read statements about installing a programmed chip in the engine's computer that indeed does bypass everything the EGR system was meant to do. I don't know if anyone has done this on a 4.2L F150. It's not the sort of thing I'm interested in. I just like plain vanilla trucks that run well for 20 or 30 years.
Up until very recently, I didn't have access to the info necessary to do the EGR port cleaning on a 4.2L. Now I have the gaskets, intake manifold isolator bolts & even a set of intake manifold vacuum retainer bushings. Just waiting for the rain and snow to stop, and I will go for it.

 

Judging from the volume of queries & comments on clogged EGR ports I have found with many Google searches, Ford's 4.2L engine must be especially prone to this ailment. Maybe a query on the 5.4L forum will answer your question.

 

artdf, this is just a discussion to bring about more info and perspective for others to read and learn.
To begin with, the thread about being a 'hack' should never be brought here as a usefull idea on any motor.
If some other forum does these things that's fine but it's still not a useful action on any motor.
The EGR tube has an .040" orface the DPFE measures pressure drop across to report 'test' results back to the PCM. It does nothing else but be a test sensor for low flow, excess flow and other tests to tell if the hoses on the DPFE are sealed.
The exhaust is full of water, carbon and other by products of combustion.
These by products solidify on the cooler surfaces and eventually block the ports.
This happens mostly at the times the engine is not allowed to full heat up and if the A/F ratio is quite rich resulting in extra carbon in the exhaust.
A v6, v8 or other models all are prone to a carbon blockage as far back as the first EGR system of this type in about 1973.
It is used as the only way the motors can pass federal EPA regulations for NOX emmissions.
Not every motor has to have this system if the NOX is able to be lowered by design or the fuel used has a lower BTU content and combustion efficiency is higher.
Good luck. Happy Holidays.

 

Is there any way to clean that tube should its orifice be blocked, or must it be replaced?

 

Soaking id suggest

 

Throttle body cleaner should be of help.
Once it's open you should feel the exhaust pulsing from the second DPFE pipe with the first one blocked with your finger and engine running.
EGR is closed at this point.
The exhaust has no other place to go but out the second tube.
These are part of the ways to check out the whole hardware system without trying to get lucky and changing parts on a guess.
Good luck.