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1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks 1987 - 1996 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350 and larger pickups - including the 1997 heavy-duty F250/F350+ trucks
View Poll Results: Do you clean your EGR valve?
Yes… every time I change my oil.
0
0%
Yes… and the muffler bearing, too.
2
11.76%
No… it's self cleaning.
2
11.76%
No… what's an EGR valve?
1
5.88%
No… I only fix what's broke.
12
70.59%
Voters: 17. You may not vote on this poll

EGR Query…..

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Old Aug 31, 2014 | 02:00 PM
  #1  
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krooser
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EGR Query…..

How do like that $10.00 word Query? This joint is getting sum sofishticashun, huh?

Anywho… I'm wondering if any of you guys are doing any regular cleaning of the EGR valve. I haven't done anything in many years to any of my vehicles… back to the old carburetor days to be honest. But I have the hood up, and I'm probably going to pull off the throttle body and give it the once over.

I'm probably the last guy you'll see doing might as well repairs but if the shoe fits…..

So…. clean it or not?
 
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Old Aug 31, 2014 | 02:15 PM
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I'm all for preventive maintenance but that EGR tube is pretty fragile and these parts like to rust together so there is a high chance you will break the tube trying to get the valve off. Testing the EGR to see if it's functioning normally is pretty easy, get the motor idling, attach a vacuum line to a spare port on the vacuum tree, and attach it to the vacuum port on the EGR valve momentarilly. The engine should stumble or stall and if so everything is working fine.
 
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Old Aug 31, 2014 | 02:15 PM
  #3  
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I found one line in this answer amusing…


It is a good idea to clean the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve at least once a year. This helps avoid rough idle, stalling and poor fuel economy due to block passages from carbon deposits. Sometimes, small rocks will fly during road travel and find their way into the valve case, causing diaphragm malfunction, specially on four-wheel drive models. Use this guide to clean the EGR valve on your Ford vehicle and replace the gasket, if necessary. Have a question? Get an answer from a mechanic now!

Read more : How to Clean a Ford EGR Valve | eHow
 
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Old Aug 31, 2014 | 02:26 PM
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Those eHow articles are totally useless.. I wonder why the web is so polluted with them.
 
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Old Aug 31, 2014 | 02:48 PM
  #5  
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If you keep the engine in tune there is very little, if any need, to clean the EGR valve.

Waste of time and loaded with pitfalls.
 
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Old Aug 31, 2014 | 02:51 PM
  #6  
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OK I got ambitious….

Before….

After…

Before…

After…

I still have to clean the edges of the throttle plates with a little mild abrasive… there was quite a bit of corrosion along the edges from the truck not being driven for 10 years.

Now it's time for a nap….
 
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Old Aug 31, 2014 | 06:04 PM
  #7  
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I cleaned my EGR lines/valve when I had a EGR issue. I had the EGR valve off and figured what the heck and cleaned the passages out. There was some carbon in the lines but nothing bad enough to cause the issue I had.
 
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Old Aug 31, 2014 | 06:58 PM
  #8  
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Off topic… has anyone figured out an easy way to get the oil pressure switch? Long arms would help I guess. Maybe I can get at it from below if I can get access to my lift (I've had a d*mn Chevy stock car on it for two years!).

I want to install an oil pressure gauge so I'll need to get a tee fitting and such… Ideas?

 
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Old Aug 31, 2014 | 07:22 PM
  #9  
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Originally Posted by krooser
OK I got ambitious….
I think you get points just for how nice it looks afterwards. Makes me want to go pull mine and check it out... after the few dozen other item that are higher on the list.
 

Last edited by Island Time; Aug 31, 2014 at 07:23 PM. Reason: Fix the quote tags
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Old Aug 31, 2014 | 09:07 PM
  #10  
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Originally Posted by Island Time
I think you get points just for how nice it looks afterwards. Makes me want to go pull mine and check it out... after the few dozen other item that are higher on the list.
Thanks… I usually just get demerit points.

After I snapped the pic I removed the throttle plates from the t-body and cleaned them a little more with some 600 grit abrasive cloth. There was a bit of carbon on the edges of the plates that bothered me… and there's a little 'step' in the body that the plate sit on at idle… that also had some carbon on it. I used a dental pick and a small flat blade screwdriver with a generous shot of carb cleaner to finish it off.

I also pulled the sensor that sits below the two throttle boys and cleaned that. It was loaded with dirt… this truck sat in a desert horse pasture for ten years… the whole engine compartment was full of sand and dirt… a good cleaning is in order.
 
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Old Aug 31, 2014 | 09:18 PM
  #11  
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Originally Posted by krooser
Off topic… has anyone figured out an easy way to get the oil pressure switch? Long arms would help I guess. Maybe I can get at it from below if I can get access to my lift (I've had a d*mn Chevy stock car on it for two years!).

I want to install an oil pressure gauge so I'll need to get a tee fitting and such… Ideas?

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...em-gauges.html

Here's how I did mine, might give you a few ideas.
 
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Old Sep 1, 2014 | 08:14 AM
  #12  
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the only thing i own that may have egr valves are the 99 crown vic and the 04 F-350 with the 5.4.
so to answer your question, no i do not clean them, because i do not even know if they have them.
 
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Old Sep 1, 2014 | 08:42 AM
  #13  
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Originally Posted by tjc transport
the only thing i own that may have egr valves are the 99 crown vic and the 04 F-350 with the 5.4.
so to answer your question, no i do not clean them, because i do not even know if they have them.
If you have a gas powered vehicle from the last 30-35 years or so, and haven't eliminated the EGR personally, it's got an EGR valve.
 
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Old Sep 1, 2014 | 03:09 PM
  #14  
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everything i own besides those two is either diesel or pre 1979.
 
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Old Sep 1, 2014 | 07:55 PM
  #15  
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Update…

I have to tell you that now that I have a fresh sensor for the water temp, new EEC and fuel pump relays and a clean throttle body this 460 runs so smooth… starts on the 2nd revolution and it just sounds so much snappier.

I have a few more things to do on this truck this week but now I feel I'm finally making some progress...
 
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