Well I did it. I bought a 06 F250 with a 6.0. When I picked it up it only had 9000 miles on it, it now has about 29K.

I guess what I need to know, is what do I need to do to make this thing last. I havent had any problems with it as of yet.

I keep reading about the EGR. Whats that all about.

I keep up on the maintance pretty good. Change the oil every 3000 miles and the fuel filters every 6000.

If someone can help please

Thanks

 

egr is exhaust gas recirculation. it sends the fuel around for a second burn giving cleaner emissions. The valve tends to gunk up and not opporate, sending code P0401 EGR flow malfunction. You can either clean or replace it. The other issue is something leaks and then coolant gets in and it makes a mess. However at 29k, i would not worry. I have 209k and clean my valve every 10k or so. I have a delete kit, just haven't had the time to stick it on.

I would not call the egr a system that needs to go, especially not at your miles. Keep in mind for every 5 people you see complain, thousands upon thousands are doing just fine.

 

Will cleaning the EGR valve every 10,000 (or so) miles prevent the cooler from going bad all together? My truck went 58,000 before I started having problems, however, had I know about the EGR valve needing maintenance every now and then, I'd would have cleaned it out much sooner.

 

To the original poster - highly recommend you getting a way to monitor some vital info on your engine such as oil temp, tranny temp, high pressure oil (HPO) system valve duty cycle and pressures. A lot of guys use the ScanGauge II for about $160 (AutoZone, Amazon, eBay, etc.) and there are several that will help you set it up and tell you what to look for. There is the cooler and more expensive Edge CTS that doesn't monitor as much but has other advantages such as hooking in a backup camera, fuel pressure sender, etc.

It's highly debatable about doing an EGR delete, I kept mine and others prefer to delete. I recommend sticking your nose in the Tech Folder and clicking on every link in there. You won't be disappointed about the time you spend learning about your truck.

No, cleaning the EGR valve will not prevent the cooler from having issues. Clogged oil coolers cause EGR coolers to rupture or leak. Again, you need a way to monitor your oil temperature. Clogged oil coolers cause your oil temp to rise, causing your EGR cooler to rupture.

Cleaning your EGR valve periodically is a good idea, but not for the reason you were thinking. A dirty EGR valve can cause serious drive-ability issues and in extreme cases, no start conditions.

 

To expand a little on what jay said, under certain conditions, the egr system puts exhaust gas back into the intake manifold to reduce Nox emissions at the tailpipe. Nox is bad stuff and supposedly a major contributor to smog in large cities. The systen consists of a valve that controls exhaust flow (EGR valve) and because the gasses are so hot their is an EGR cooler. The cooler has what looks like a small radiator inside a metal tube. Coolant passes through the radiator part and exhaust gasses flow through it (inside the tube). When the valve is commanded open by the vehicles computer this cooled exhaust is mixed with the intake air and goes into the cylinder to be re-combusted. I'm not a chemical engineer but somehow diluting the intake charge with this cooled exhaust gas lowers Nox emission. It's important to note that this system has no benefits except lowered emissions. That is why many people choose to delete it. It's also important to note it is illegal to delete it on a passenger vehicle. There are legal exceptions for "off road use" and competition vehicles. Now the problem. Common wisdom is you have to start with the coolant system. It's a source of debate around here how it starts but either casting sand left in the engine during manufacture or the silicates in your antifreeze build up in the oil cooler, restricting coolant flow to the EGR cooler which is the next thing down that pipe. The EGR cooler overheats due to the lack of coolant flow and fails due to cracking of the coolant passages inside it small radiator parts. When it fails, coolant is released into the flow of gasses and goes right into the cylinders with the intake charge. That's where your white smoke (steam) comes out the tailpipe. Also, water in the cylinder expands more during the combustion cycle which can raise cylinder pressure high enough to lift the cylinder head away from the engine block, stretching the head bolts and blowing the head gaskets in the process. Worse yet, after shut down, a leaking EGR cooler can fill cylinders that have the intake valves open. This can bend connecting rods and flatten connecting rod bearings when the piston tries to move up against the "solid" water in the cylinder when the engine is cranked or started.
Fortunately, there are some options. If you live in a state with stringent inspections, deleting the valve and cooler isn't going to pass a visual inspection. There are block off kits that will pass a visual, and some people block them off with welded in freeze plugs and weld the valves. This approach works if you just have to pass a visual however the trucks computer (ECM) will sense the lack of EGR flow and set a code ('05 and up if I remember right) that the inspection will catch if they plug their computer into your truck. If you have a tail pipe sniffer test it will show your EGR delete no matter how you did it. If on the other hand your state/local doesn't inspect at all, any of these approaches will work. If on the other hand you don't want to break the law or modify your truck in a way that makes it illegal, or you are concerned about the environment, there are steps you can take to help prevent the failure of the EGR system. First is keeping the coolant system in top shape. Scheduled services are a must on these trucks. You might also consider a coolant bypass filter. They are inexpensive and most diesel parts suppliers have one from basic to fancy billet pieces. Remember the oil cooler has smallest passages in the coolant system. Any trash, sand, or goop will eventually end up stuck in there and once it clogs up enough, the EGR cooler will see less and less coolant flow until it fails. The progression of this failure can be easily monitored with a digital gauge that simply plugs into the OBD port under the dash. By watching the difference between the oil temp and coolant temp you can not only tell IF the oil cooler is clogged but how bad. There are a few options on thes gauges from $160 bucks up to several hundred depending how nice of one you want and they monitor many other systems on your truck.
Hope this info was what you were looking for and I didn't get too long winded.

 

Thank you all for the help I will use the info provided. I live in AZ so i might consider the EGR delete.

 

Since I have done the EGR Deleate my fuel milage went up 1-2 mpg
no more putting spent air back into the cylinders
Plus colder air has more molicules to burn so better combustion this is also why we have a Charge Air Cooler
My Intake manafold temps are considerably lower now
Also the risk of Hydro lock from a Popped egr is none existent cant fail if its gone

I say deleate it but thats just my .002

 

Deleted my EGR Cooler and valve prior to any failure. Also Cat delete. Save these items if you are in Phoenix or Tucson. I'm in Yuma. No Smog. You'll need to reinstall the EGR valve and CAT prior to smog inspection for the visual part. Just got ahead of the failures. I do oil changes @ 5K and fuel filters @ 15K.
06 6.0 F350
I've only been in this forum for a little over a year and these guys are very well informed and knowledgeable. Welcome to the FTE and the 6.0 world.