I'll give that a try, thank you. I was under the impression I needed the reserve cannister somehow for the HVAC as well.

So 2 lines from the EVR only...1 to the EGR as I've got it and the other to the vacuum tree on the manifold. That's all.

 

The EVR/EGR vacuum supply needs to be tied into the vacuum reservoir on the passenger side inner fender. Under low vacuum conditions the reservoir supplies vacuum to the EGR system.

Similar to the diagram listed belowthat also shows how the air injection system is plumbed in.
Vacuum Diagram

 

So one of the variations I had tried previously, based on that diagram under the hood, was EVR to vac cannister.

Then another line vac cannister to intake manifold.

My vac cannister is the later model, 2-chamber plastic one.

That still chokes the truck when starting.

I either can't figure out the correct combination of those vac lines or there's another issue.

I thought this would have been a little simpler with the air injection system removed. Been a wicked pain for something stupid.

 

There is no ground applied by the computer to the EVR at startup. If the EVR is stuck open mechanically that could explain why all of your jockeying around with vacuum routing is confounding you.

 

Have you checked your idle air control?

 

Certainly could be the case, which is why I'm trying to verify how the lines should actually go so I can rule that out.

I have not. It's fairly new, not that it means it can't be bad, but everything has just surrounded the smog system.

Reconfigured the lines yesterday to be more like the diagram:

EVR to EGR - as it has been.

EVR to vac cannister (top chamber. Bottom chamber ports are capped)

Vac cannister to intake manifold

I tried a few other ways but the truck wouldn't run. This routing incorporates the intake manifold and the symptoms are still the same as they have been.

I let the truck idle up to operating temp and manually rev'd the truck up for a minute to try and visually see the EGR valve move. Didn't see anything but I do see an orange-painted ring sticking up so I'm not sure if that's the valve stuck open. Not a lot of room to see.

If the EGR wasn't functioning, I've got to believe the truck wouldn't run or idle right while driving. It seems to run no problem. Just when starting past its initial start of the day. Which is why something stuck open allowing gases to sit, would choke it for a few seconds when starting.

 

Check for engine codes. Check the resistance of your engine coolant temp sensor and your intake air temp sensor when it's cold and when the engine is warmed up. Compare the resistance to this chart.

 

In case you haven't figured this out yet it mattters which port on the vac canister is connected to the vacuum source, I can't remember if it's left or right but try both.. in one position no vacuum is generated at the other port. And same applied to the EGR solenoid.. the bottom port is vacuum source(from vac res), top port goes to EGR valve.

With that setup correctly and engine idling the EGR valve should be closed so no vacuum coming from the solenoid, if there is disconnect the electrical plug to the solenoid, if that closes the solenoid it is OK but you have an electrical problem between the solenoid and PCM.. either a short, miswire, or faulty computer.

 

I did see that on the vac cannister. On the left, it's got tiny stamped letters saying "vac." Never knew that until I took it out to clean it last year.

So the way I have the lines ran now, you think that (in theory) should be good? If everything else was working correctly.