How To: EGR Removal and Cleaning for Rough Idle Fix

[hopeful]

i just did this and i think it took like 30-45mins, anyways mine was STUCK wide open, and for a while i've been having idle problems (thought it was the IAC, even cleaned it a few days ago) This explains alot to me.

Bought car at 68K, replaced rod bearings at 70K-- over revving/detonation, but engine was detonating (I only heard it when i turned the radio down) prev owner put in bosch plat4s!. --put in NGK alot of it was gone (stil a toiny bit remained) couldnt get rid of it but im sure having an operational egr will help.

btw, i dont recommend putting oil on the valve anywhere, it''ll burn and become a deposit (how do you think the deposits on there now got there?)

btw, anyone else here also run straight 30wt? (sick)

 

[AceProtege]

great thread......just cleaned my valve!

 

[hopeful]

it fixed it, the check engine light even went away on its own, awesome thread. (first)

 

[AceProtege]

yeah, my car runs super smooth right now.....this will be a half year service for my car now.......

 

[fLyPiNoY7]

just cleaned mine and my idle is a whole lot better!...had some issues reinstalling the bolts due to all the hoses blocking the path of the ratchet, but that was quickly solved by switching to my smaller ratchet...all in all, it took me 3 hours to do, but most of that was waiting for my dad to get back from the parts store with intake cleaner and me also performing the throttle body bypass mod...btw, where do you get the torx wrench to remove the iac?...looks like it needs to be hollow...

 

[P-Funk!]

^What is the 'Throttle Body Bypass Mod' you mention?

Thankx.

 

[A.V.MSP]

you disconnect the coolant lines from the TB and just connect them together so hot coolant doesnt go through the TB and heat up the air

 

[prostylez]

just did mine... the fluctuating rpm drop has vanished... great write up.. thx for the help. (thumb)

 

[wannabe]

you disconnect the coolant lines from the TB and just connect them together so hot coolant doesnt go through the TB and heat up the air

(pics)

 

[Erci]

My car was running fine (23k with zero problems), so I did this "just because".
Sure enough, it idles smoother now, so I'm happy
Definitely not a 30 minute job unless you're a pro mechanic or if you've done it before. I *could* probably do it in 30 minutes now, but it took me a hell of a lot longer to figure it all out the first time.
Mostly problems accessing screws/bolts. They ARE all made of cheese and I didn't have the special (hollow) torx wrench, so I had to use vice-grips with very little room to swing'em.

 

[Erci]

Forgot to mention.. I couldn't clean the throttle body the conventional way (pulling intake off and spraying throttle body cleaner past the butterfly while keeping rpm's up. The car would start and immediately die, no matter how high I'd try to get the rpm's up right after start.
Anyone do this successfully?

 

[peepsalot]

Forgot to mention.. I couldn't clean the throttle body the conventional way (pulling intake off and spraying throttle body cleaner past the butterfly while keeping rpm's up. The car would start and immediately die, no matter how high I'd try to get the rpm's up right after start.
Anyone do this successfully?

You can't run the engine with the intake off, you need that MAF there. Clean the throttle body with the engine off.

 

[kipper88]

This how/to kicks ass...thanks

edit to say: if i can do it, any dumbass w/ a screw driver can do it.

 

[Dr.Sound]

did it make a difference?

 

[wannabe]

i have a quick update for this thread as far as my idle problems go. i had been having issues with the car idling low, and even stalling, when i cleaned the EGR it made a difference for the next couple starts, but then went right back to stalling and spluttering.

i have since cleaned it again, soaking it with the cleaner for a long period of time, i guess the last time i did it i didnt torque the bolts all the way down because one of them was missing (boom07), so i replaced that bolt, i have also replaced the pcv, ran seafoam through the vacuum lines and gas tank, and reset the ECU. since then it has been running wonderfully with no issues yet. i did this all a couple weeks ago, and have driven over 1000 miles since doing it. apparently my issues are better, hopefully for good now.

 

[L8R]

It seems to me like our cars need a lot of maintanence. Does Mazda point these issues out? Or is this normal maintanence?

 

[Titanium-99]

awesome info! i think im going to do this today

 

[chowhoundMSP]

everyone else is doing it, guess i should try it as well

peer pressure!

 

[carbonkid]

me too! lol!

 

[hopeful]

I can imagine this only happens to people who beat on their motors more. the carbon build up comes from excess hydrocarbons in the exhaust, either unburnt fuel (most likely coming from WOT situations) or even worse, burning oil.

i bet grandmas driving the auto p5's dont get this problem at all. I'm a firm beleiver in that I cause all my own vehicle problems.