if there is coolant present at the EGR valve then the EGR cooler is leaking, is this correct? and if the cooler is leaking can you plug the ends to keep the cooler in place, or must it be removed/replaced?

 

No the EGR valve is in the intake,and you could plug the cooler after it ruptures but all the carbon in the hot side would get into the coolant.Page 37: Air Management System

 

so it would be best to eleminate the egr cooler?

 

That is debatable (Tex)I have one truck with and one without,both very reliable rigs.

 

I am replacing my oil cooler this weekend and looking to do something with the EGR cooler without spending all my wifes' money.

 

You can take the cooler out, clean it to get the carbon gunk out, cap the ends , and then put it back in the system. Mine has been this way for a long time. It only functions as an oversized water pipe now.

 

What year is the truck,the 03 motor has a very stout cooler much better design than the later ones.If you put a coolant filter on, it should keep the egr cooler alive for a good while.It is now known that casting sand left in the block and particulate drop out from the coolant plug the coolant side of the oil cooler which in turn plugs the coolant flow to the EGR cooler causing a failure of the internal rad.This wasn't known years ago and the EGR delete was born,with a coolant filter your odds of a EGR cooler failure are much lower if all other systems are healthy.Ford now replaces the EGR cooler with a failed oil cooler,they figured out the sequence of events involved in the cooler failure.

 

Some are going with the Bulletproof cooler if they replace it. Some delete it, but you should determine if they test during inspections before you go this route. The oversized water pipe is sneaky it you need to go that route.

 

He shows to be in West Virginia and I don't think they emissions test, but I came back to edit my post before you mentioned it to suggest that he check that aspect.

 

my truck is an 07 F-350 "new to me" with 171000. miles. by looking around and under,it spent a lot of time in the dirt. so now I get to do all the fun stuff I have been reading about.

 

IMHO save your money.Replace the oil cooler flush the coolant and put a coolant filter on.

 

OK so back to the original question. if the egr cooler is leaking does it have to be removed/replaced?

 

Yes it does,(unless you are a redneck) and if you interupt the exhaust flow on a 07 you will need a tuner.

 

I answered it in my first post. NO it does NOT have to be replaced. It can be plugged at the y-pipe end and at the manifold end (I used a u-joint cap from a 72 chevy--LOL). But you are going to have to run a tuner on an 07 to turn the light off and keep it from going into limp mode.

 

Thanks, that is what I thought. I'm a little slow ya know....
OK so off to replace rear wheel bearings for tonight. thanks again for the info.