EGR cleaning question

[uncle_asa]

How you guys clean EGR? There's a gasket that cannot be removed and I heard it have a good chance to be damaged during cleaning. So if you know the way to avoid that I'll really appreciate that info.

[nfpgasmask]

A nice step-by-step with photos would be great. The last thing I want to do is try to clean my EGR to reduce my oil consumption and end up with a CEL or worse...

Bart


How you guys clean EGR? There's a gasket that cannot be removed and I heard it have a good chance to be damaged during cleaning. So if you know the way to avoid that I'll really appreciate that info.

[JHarris1385]

Cant locate them yet. But there are great step-by-step write ups on this. They were actually just posted on here no more than 2 weeks ago.

Its easy.

[biju]

When my mechanic cleaned mine he explained that the gasket had to be replaced whenever cleaning happens...

Think it was a $30 part, but I could be wrong...

-biju.

[Zorak]

[QUOTE=biju]When my mechanic cleaned mine he explained that the gasket had to be replaced whenever cleaning happens...

Think it was a $30 part, but I could be wrong...

-biju.[/QUOT

$6.36 at isuzuparts.com

[uncle_asa]

When my mechanic cleaned mine he explained that the gasket had to be replaced whenever cleaning happens...

Think it was a $30 part, but I could be wrong...

-biju.
There's a non-removable gasket on it (about half inch from the bottom side, IIRC): you have to completely distructable disassemble the valve to change it.

[IndianaVX]

zorak,
did your gasket have a burn off screen on it??
i have cleaned my egr aat least 5 times, and havent changed the gasket yet. it came off clean, and figured i could re use it.'
i have heard of a gasket with the screen built into it, and it supposedly helps burn off carbon before it can be deposited in the egr, which is the problem anyway.
i would sure like to find em somewhere.......
david

[Zorak]

zorak,
did your gasket have a burn off screen on it??
i have cleaned my egr aat least 5 times, and havent changed the gasket yet. it came off clean, and figured i could re use it.'
i have heard of a gasket with the screen built into it, and it supposedly helps burn off carbon before it can be deposited in the egr, which is the problem anyway.
i would sure like to find em somewhere.......
david

The only supplier for those gaskets with screens that I have ever been able to find is this one:

http://tomco-inc.com/Klean_Screen_9176.aspx

but they don't list any Isuzu 3.5L applications :mad:

If anybody else knows of a source for these I would certainly be interested...

[JHarris1385]

Thanks Zorak I like the clean screens they offer.

[rowhard]

You know, I wonder IF, just maybe, and I don't know, IF this EGR valve might be an off the shelf GM part like the idle motor is, (according to my mechanic). Sure would be sweet if it was.

[ankgupta]

Hi,

Dont mean to steal the thread. This is my first post here. Let me first introduce myself. I own a Isuzu Rodeo 2nd Gen. Always wanted to own a VX but ended up owning a Rodeo. Interesting info on the EGR. I think the EGR in our vehicle is interchangeable from lot of GM cars. Please check the thread below.

http://forum.planetisuzoo.com/viewtopic.php?t=6869

Some time back I bought the EGR gasket from Kragen and the part number interchanged with Saturn too. So if any body gives the kleen screen gasket a shot, please post back if it helps.

Thanks,

-Ankur

[rowhard]

ankgupta, very interesting, thanks for that. I brought this up about a year ago about a cross reference list for GM versus ISUZU parts. Sure would be nice if a member here worked at a parts house.

[rowhard]

Might be onto something here. As ankgupta said, our 3.5 wasn't listed. But that is out of their pdf manual that is probable outdated since their website is being updated. For s@#t's and giggles, I took the part number for the Isuzu 3.1 V6 and it crosses to many GM motor's. Will contact them and see if I can get a updated PDF catalog. IF they help out, will start the process of building us a cross reference list for everything I can cross. Keep your fingers crossed.

[blacksambo]

Sounds wonderful! Keep going and let us all know.

[IndianaVX]

Uncle asa,
Sorry brother, i didnt mean to start a hijack...... Back to your question, CLEANING the egr. The other post about the fire, and blowing up things.....dont let it intimidate you too much. I guess i could happen, I got a large phillips head screwdriver and a shop rag, starting with the corner of the rag,i poked it down the hole closest to the firewall, and just kept packing it in there REAL TIGHT!!!
After that, i sprayed intake cleaner, throttle body cleaner with the small tube attached (as long as its oxygen sensor safe) down the other hole, and let it soak.
while it was soaking, i took the 4" diameter air intake off of the throttle body, so i could get behind the "butterfly" in the throttle body.
Carefully manipulate the butterfly all the way open, and look for a small tube at the bottom, its about 3/8 dia. spray some of the intake cleaner into that hole and let it soak.
NOW, while all thats soaking, I turn the actual egr valve upsidedown, fill the cacity up with the cleaner and let it soak.
Now back to the throttle body.....i had a rifle cleaning brush, dont know the size, but it was a bit smaller than the tube in the throttle body. i attached it to a section of the rifle cleaning rod, and opened the butterfly again with one hand, and used the rod with brush attached, and scrubbed the inside of that 3/8 tube as best i could, being careful not to damage the butterfly, or bust anything else. after doing this, i "rinsed" the tube out with the cleaner,while im in there, i used the same cleaner to clean up the throttle body itself, and used a rag to get the inside of the throttle body clean and "aluminumy" and re-assembled the air intake to the throttle body.

now with the egr still removed, and soaking, get your intake/throttle body cleaner, with tube attached in your hand, go start the truck, if the rag is still in the hole, spray some short burst of spray down the egr valve hole thats not plugged up. do this several times. ( the spray may stop the engine, just go start it again, and continue)
i sprayed quite a bit of the spray down there, but definatly not the whole can.
shut the truck off, and remove the rag.
now i just carefully started pushing on the "piston" up and down. if it gets stuck in the down position, i spray some more cleaniner in there, and tap it gently. just keep working with it till it moves up and down smoothly. you know, spray it, soak, pour it out, work it, spray it, work it, soak it, till it works smooth,
replace the gasket (in my case, the gasket came off clean and undamaged, so i reused it) put the egr back , and bolt it down. you should be in good shape now. replace the pcv valve now too. I felt a big difference in the way the truck drove. smoother idle, etc.
Hope this makes up for making this a gasket thread, asa.
and it will also come up again if someone uses the search, so its all good
Take care my friend
Hope this helps
David

[uncle_asa]

Thanks, David!