I know, it's seriously way too much money for such a simple kit.

 

...and Pipewelder71, if you weren't in Washington State (the furthest you could possibly be from me in the U.S.) I'd be all over your offer like a bum on a bologna sammich!

I am having serious issues involving the EGR system and have tried everything "on the cheap" that I can...it's time to start spending $$$$$$$$ it seems and the expensive solutions are out of the question for now as this economy has laid the smackdown on my "disposeable" income...I can't even figure out how we're going to go racing next season as there's ZERO $$$$$$$ in the budget and we usually do a couple $K worth of mods/upgrades/maintenance to the car over the Winter - not a chance.

Now with 113K mi. on the odo my truck is acting up like crazy. I pulled the codes and got the typical P401-405 codes, yanked the EGR valve, cleaned it up good and replaced - worked for about a week then back to it's old tricks. Bought a new EGR valve on eBay to my door for about $60 so figured that was a good deal - no fix.

Last night I unplugged the EGR valve and the truck seemed to run well all the way home.

Got in it this AM to go workout, warmed up for about 5min. hit the road and approx. 4mi. into the trip I nailed it - sputter/stammer/choke-choke and a CEL.

ADDITIONAL INFO. - today was a warm day, if I drive the truck and get it FULLY warmed up, it doesn't seem to stutter/stammer, at least not as much but still doesn't seem as fast as it was before.

I checked for the throttle plate in the elbow today by removing the turbo boost tube and the aluminum elbow (easy...four bolts) and saw that I apparently have a LATE '03 - no plate.

I reset the codes and they just came back...I have a Predator - is there any way to use this to turn the EGR off like I read on here? WHAT is an SCT??

I have run the truck on 65hp mode with my Predator for about 3years now and it's the very reason I LOVE this truck...but lately...

Say I delete the EGR system altogether like many on here and I still have the stutter/stammering issue when I put the hammer down - what is the next thing to check being that I only have EGR codes??

So far it appears my EGR cooler is intact, but I'm about convinced to not take any further chances...I'm going to work on this thing in the next few weeks and take off the intake, etc. - WOW, not looking forward to that.

I'm going to order a bottle of the Secret Shots oil additive and continue to use Amsoil fuel additive - unless someone on here tells me I should STOP for good reason?

ANY tips would be appreciated.

I'd like to change the alternator/etc. belt here soon as well...need an easy tip on removing the fan shroud without breaking it...looks to be two pieces and I can't figure out how to get the 1st piece to slide out!

The truck has run PERFECT with the exception of needing two ICP valves replaced due to oil leakage...seems when I crossed over 100K things went South...not the good South either.

 

Hey Jeff, that's sounds like you have a hand full!

Some trucks will throw a CEL when the EGR valve is unplugged, some won't.

I would plug in you EGR valve and see if your truck runs better. If you plug up the up pipe and EGR cooler. You wouldn't have to worry about unplugging the EGR valve

I would get rid of the Predator and go to a SCT. All the Predator will do is increase your fuel pressure, just throwing more fuel in the combustion camber, it doesn't do anything for your tranny. The SCT will program your engine and tranny, it's alot more safer to increase power this way than a Predator. Plus, you can get rid of the EGR CEL code too.

As far as oil additives goes, I was told that Syn. oil was the they to go. That you didn't need to add anything. But I could be wrong, it wouldn't be the first time .

Hey email me pipewelder71@msn.com, talk to you soon.

 

I'd like to change the alternator/etc. belt here soon as well...need an easy tip on removing the fan shroud without breaking it...looks to be two pieces and I can't figure out how to get the 1st piece to slide out!

The upper shroud can be tricky the first few times, I use a Snap On Hook tool in my pick set. You can release the little tabs (while holding up) on the shroud so they don't pop back in. You release the tabs one at a time starting at the end of the shroud..

 

Hopefully, when you work on the truck, that you'll be able to put on end to this. I know since I plugged up the EGR cooler and up pipe, I've been getting better engine performance and running cooler.

 

Man I hope I can nip these issues in the butt ASAP...with minimal cost. I don't have the time to take out the up pipe/cooler and send them somewhere to be modified and I'm not about to undergo the expense of buying a 'ready' kit from the guys that need $500-$600 for their products...although those parts do look pretty nice when they're done with them.

This truck is my daily driver and I'm single at the moment...so no hoochie-momma that can loan me her car and I need to have the truck "down" no longer than a day.

I'm thinking the $150 solutions on eBay might do the trick, seems easy enough...I've looked things over in the engine compartment and am guessing that I could "Git 'R' Dun" on a decent Saturday afternoon or something.

I have LOTS of tools and build race cars on the side, so I can handle this job...I'm certain.

I'm SO confused as to what is really wrong with the truck though. Tonight on the way home it was almost 70deg. here in Virginia Beach, but it's raining...the truck ran GREAT, I still have the EGR valve unplugged and I did tromp it a few times to get a good laugh at breaking traction so easily in the rain and didn't hear/feel any stumbling/stammering.

The truck got up to operating temp fairly quickly and with the high-humidity I'm wondering if that helped?? I get the battery light on the dash to come on and off and when I 1st cleaned the EGR valve a few weeks ago this took care of it...no light, GREAT power...no issues...about a week later the problems returned.

I have since replaced the EGR valve and NO FIX, just to reiterate. The battery light comes on and off for no apparent reason but WHAT is causing it to do this? I think I actually have another issue that isn't exactly EGR related...although it seems when I mess with the EGR valve or anything related the issue goes away for a day or almost a week the 1st time I cleaned things up.

SO, I'm thinking I'll take the manifold off, have it clean-tanked at the local machine shop, put all new gaskets on, plug up the up pipe with the frost plug solution, block the manifold end of the EGR cooler with the block-off plates provided in that kit and plug my EGR valve back in...if I still have stuttering/stammering issues we're talking MAF sensor or ECT sensor?? I really don't know...but this issue is starting to irritate me.

I'll drop you an email with some pics Pipewelder71. Maybe you can "adopt" me and get me through this situation.

 

This didn't cost me much of anything. Intake gaskets, die grinder cutting wheels, and some welding supplies is about it...

My egr cooler after being scavenged for parts...


The crackpipe made with parts from the egr cooler...


Crackpipe bolted to the intake...


Installed, with hose to oil cooler...


You'll have to find a hose that fits, and you'll need to weld the egr valve shut or close the egr valve port in the intake in some other manner.

Cheap is good (sometimes).

 

Huisman, I saw those pics in another post, great enginuity...love it. I think I'm going for the block-off solution from eBay due to the fact that I cannot have more than an afternoon's worth of downtime as this is my daily driver.

I can do EVERYTHING but welding and bodywork/paint...those I leave up to professionals.

The V.B. Police do NOT like when I "run errands" in my Porsche race car...they kind of frown on it, I think it's the stickers that "irk" them, or maybe the header exhaust, I dunno.

I figure for $150 and a potential 8hrs time investment it'll fix it up and I can continue chasing down my sputter/stammer/stumble issue at WOT...if this doesn't clear it up. At least if I get everything blocked off I know that's not the issue but there's a restriction or a sensor malfunctioning somewhere...it's not the EGR valve.

Has anyone figured out a good way to test the wiring harness to the EGR Valve?? I think my Predator has a way to watch it cycle "live" or I can record some data and watch it later...can anyone tell me if this is useful info. and what to look for?

IS there a way to post pics on here without having to upload my pics to another server and posting the link??

 

What are you buying for $150? Post a link and let us see.

I strongly urge you to do some more reading on this forum regarding EGR solutions on these trucks before you spend $150 on that ebay "kit".

 

The Ebay kit works great, I cant beleive I did not think of the simplicity of it... A 35mm freeze plug and a steel gasket sandwiched between 2 factory gaskets for the intake side. I have had the kit on my 04 for a year now..http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/03-07...spagenameZWDVW

The high dollar kits sure do look pretty but man what a waste of money!! That is unless your rich which I am not..

 

Well, I'm pretty mechanically inclined. I do all the work on my truck except for transmission flushes. I also build race cars on the side to supplement my "habit". I also toy with Harleys quite a bit, doing upgrades, maintenance and mods.

I have learned everything I know about this truck on this site, including the EGR system and it really seems like a VERY basic setup. If one wants to block the EGR system off, it seems there are about half a dozen ways to do it. I like your version but I don't weld and besides, dunno if you really need to go that far or be that 'neat' - although if you know me well, I'd like to!

The frost plug and aluminum plate block-off route seems pretty clear cut...and I don't see having this truck but another two years as I'll be up towards 160K by then and time to trade up for one of those new fangled units.

MANY have done the block-off plate and frost plug "mod" and I have yet to hear any negatives with regards to it...I am really here nor there as to what is the best method after TONS and TONS of reading, viewing pics and taking pieces off the top of my motor to look "down in there" over the last few weeks.

BUT, I can only have this truck out of service, for at most...a day. So the eBay "kit" seems the best solution for me. Believe me, I would LOVE to get all that stuff welded up neat, cut the 90deg. out of the up pipe, you name it...but I just wouldn't have the time, although I have the friends/resources that could get it done...just not on a Saturday/Sunday.

I'm really starting to think my issue is injectors. I talked with a good friend of mine tonight and he reminded me of the CRAZY troubles he had with his 6.0 when he bought it used a couple years ago. I barely recall his issues and the bucking/stuttering/stammering is exactly what his truck was doing when he bought it...it's one of the reasons he got it so cheap.

He took it to the dealership and they ran tests on each injector...one that operated each one individually and would indicate whether they were bad, going bad, etc. - they wound up replacing four of them and about a month later did another three...one had been replaced by the P.O. under warranty...it solved every single issue he had, plus they upgraded him to the "buzz" flash...all under warranty.

I have the "buzz" flash but have been using Chevron Delo "dino" oil since day one...going to order a gallon of that Hott Shots Secret additive and change to synthetic once the Hott Shots comes in...hopefully I will see an improvement because I believe I'm at the point where these injectors can be saved?

Anyway, just thinking/planning "out loud" here...thanks for listening.

I think when it gets warmer towards Springtime, I will do the EGR delete...until then, I hope to enjoy my new EGR valve and hopefully I won't blow the cooler by the time I get things changed out.

 

Most of the parts in that kit are oem gaskets and o-rings for the intake and egr cooler. The only part that does any egr blocking is the freeze plug.

Seems to me you could pick one of those up at just about any parts store for a buck or two and save yourself some dough. Then remove the up-pipe (you can get at it through the left front wheel well), weld the one-dollar frost plug in the egr inlet in the up-pipe, and reinstall the up-pipe.

Total cost of about $1, and dealers can't tell it's been modified unless they tear into it.

I ran around like this for the better part of a year, up until I completely got rid of the cooler last week.

 

You can get to the up pipe from the LEFT front wheel well? I have yet to check it out but I had thought it was on the RIGHT side of the truck?

Again, I really don't know but will soon!

Yup, I thought about that last night, does the intake really need to be removed to facilitate blocking the up pipe? From what you said, seems it's OK to just block the up pipe and not worry about the intake end?? ...after all, we're just trying to stop the flow of exhaust into the EGR cooler for the risk of leaks and a dirty intake, etc.

Have I got this all right in my head now?

 

My bad. "Right" is right. Here's a thread of how to get at the up-pipe through the wheel well. Scroll down to post #7.

The frost plug in the up-pipe will block exhaust flow into the cooler. The exhaust effluent (i.e. the egr valve) needs to be blocked as well.

One option is to unplug the egr valve when the truck is cold and the valve is closed. With the up-pipe plugged, the egr valve should stay closed since the intake pressure should always be greater than the pressure in the EGR cooler (unless the cooler springs a leak and you get 16psi of coolant pressure against the valve). To be sure the valve stays closed, you could weld it shut or buy this spool valve off ebay.

 

I think this is the answer to the problem. Quality and price.

eBay Motors: EGR Cooler Delete Kit F250 F350 Super Duty Powerstroke (item 190276326603 end time Jan-02-09 11:00:36 PST)