How To: EGR Removal and Cleaning for Rough Idle Fix
- Thread starter 122 Vega
- Start date
i dont know what to do ive had nothing but problems with this car I think its goin up for sale.- :
- 2003.5 MP5 Laser Blue Automatic (SOLD)
the little piston in the egr valve may be bent from the gas pressure inside the egrvalve so even if you clean it it still might get stuck eventually when a thick enough carbon buildup returns. mine was stuck in the closed position after i removed it and it did idle like crap and stalled on me alot. since the original cleaning it only lasted 1200 miles till i decided to order a new one. save yourself from further headaches and get yourself a new one (check earlier in this thread for my post with info and prices i paid)
Nickd said:
- :
- 2003.5 MP5 Laser Blue Automatic (SOLD)
when you get the engine light you should check the error code. mine said low egr flow pressure or something and multiple cylinder misfire. i had a someone plug the code reader in and thats what it said. egr valve is a mechanical part unfortunatelly so it will happen again but with a new one atleast you know it shouldnt happen soon. i expect my new one to last atleast to 100000 miles now since ther original lasted 50000. and i dont know if this has anything to do with it but with each and every cold start of my car i let it warm up atleast 3 minutes before driving. so when its cold isnt there a rich fuel mixture in the engine? and rich mixture would create extra carbon buildup cuz its not burned off as completely as when hot? im trying to analize this as the breakdown times for the egr valves of people i talked to vary alot. could it be cuz of how you operate your car? like with warmups and stuff like that?
Kansei said:
CrazyCaker
Member
- :
- '10 Stang GT / '06 Mazda5 GT
Just to follow up on this...
I cleaned mine a second time due to experiencing the same symptoms only a few months later. I found that the valve shaft inside was caked with carbon! This was causing the valve to stick even after letting it sit for hours soaked in carb cleaner.
My solution:
This on my Dremel. With this you can get into the housing and actually CLEAN the valve shaft! While pressing on the spring to get the valve to open and close and turning it to get completely around I was able to bring both the valve and the shaft to a mirror like finish, just like new.
I cleaned mine a second time due to experiencing the same symptoms only a few months later. I found that the valve shaft inside was caked with carbon! This was causing the valve to stick even after letting it sit for hours soaked in carb cleaner.
My solution:
This on my Dremel. With this you can get into the housing and actually CLEAN the valve shaft! While pressing on the spring to get the valve to open and close and turning it to get completely around I was able to bring both the valve and the shaft to a mirror like finish, just like new.
Maxx Mazda
Contributor
- :
- Stock P5
CrazyCaker said:Just to follow up on this...
I cleaned mine a second time due to experiencing the same symptoms only a few months later. I found that the valve shaft inside was caked with carbon! This was causing the valve to stick even after letting it sit for hours soaked in carb cleaner.
My solution:
This on my Dremel. With this you can get into the housing and actually CLEAN the valve shaft! While pressing on the spring to get the valve to open and close and turning it to get completely around I was able to bring both the valve and the shaft to a mirror like finish, just like new.
And? Idle and everything back to normal?
CrazyCaker
Member
- :
- '10 Stang GT / '06 Mazda5 GT
Maxx Mazda said:
Of course
reaveyster
Member
1993 Mazda Protege EGR
I have a 1993 Mazda Protege that just failed inspection. The problem is NXO so it may be an EGR problem. Can anyone telll me how to clean or replace an EGR on a 1993? Or any tricks to get it through inspection? The internet, other then this forum, has been no help even for a replacement.
I have a 1993 Mazda Protege that just failed inspection. The problem is NXO so it may be an EGR problem. Can anyone telll me how to clean or replace an EGR on a 1993? Or any tricks to get it through inspection? The internet, other then this forum, has been no help even for a replacement.
I have a 2002 protege LX with auto-trans and about 40,000 KM.
I started to get the rough idle problem a few months ago and it slowly got worse, but it never stalled.
I googled around and found this forum and I read all the posts in this thread.
Two weeks ago I cleaned the solenoid, because it's much easier to remove, but it didn't help.
Last weekend I got some throttle body cleaner from Canadian Tire, and a small ratchet wrench with a 4" handle, the only one that fit under the EGR.
I spread a white rag under the EGR in case anything fell, the socket bit and bolts did fall a few times.
I had to use grip pliers to take off the 4 screws, they were rusted and bent, so I replaced them with new ones.
The EGR was coated inside with carbon and the valve/spring was difficult to move and would stick open.
I soaked the EGR in the throttle body cleaner for a few hours then took it out and wiped it inside with a rag, I did this about 5 times over the weekend.
The throttle body cleaner was clear like water, but would turn black every time the EGR soaked in it.
The spring/valve finnally moved freely and didn't stick, there was still a bit of carbon inside, but I was pressed for time so I put it back on the engine.
I've been driving it every morning since monday and there is no more rough idle, and it seems to have more power when i'm accelerating from a stop.
Thanks Britt and everyone else who contributed to this thread.
PS.
The rough idling would only occur in the first 10~20 minutes that I used my car in the morning, after the engine was hot for a while it would idle ok.
I always used regular 5w30 oil in the car, but this past May I decided to use synthetic oil, and a few days after is when I first noticed the rough idling.
So I'm thinking that the rough idle was a side effect of using the synthetic oil, because the engine took longer to get hot.
I guess the rough idle would have eventually happened if I still used regular oil, but switching to synthetic caused the problem to occur sooner.
PS2.
Removing the battery gave me extra elbow room and make the removal and installtion easier, and without power the ECU was reset.
Is there a reset switch for the ECU or is removing the battery for an hour the only way to do it?
I started to get the rough idle problem a few months ago and it slowly got worse, but it never stalled.
I googled around and found this forum and I read all the posts in this thread.
Two weeks ago I cleaned the solenoid, because it's much easier to remove, but it didn't help.
Last weekend I got some throttle body cleaner from Canadian Tire, and a small ratchet wrench with a 4" handle, the only one that fit under the EGR.
I spread a white rag under the EGR in case anything fell, the socket bit and bolts did fall a few times.
I had to use grip pliers to take off the 4 screws, they were rusted and bent, so I replaced them with new ones.
The EGR was coated inside with carbon and the valve/spring was difficult to move and would stick open.
I soaked the EGR in the throttle body cleaner for a few hours then took it out and wiped it inside with a rag, I did this about 5 times over the weekend.
The throttle body cleaner was clear like water, but would turn black every time the EGR soaked in it.
The spring/valve finnally moved freely and didn't stick, there was still a bit of carbon inside, but I was pressed for time so I put it back on the engine.
I've been driving it every morning since monday and there is no more rough idle, and it seems to have more power when i'm accelerating from a stop.
Thanks Britt and everyone else who contributed to this thread.
PS.
The rough idling would only occur in the first 10~20 minutes that I used my car in the morning, after the engine was hot for a while it would idle ok.
I always used regular 5w30 oil in the car, but this past May I decided to use synthetic oil, and a few days after is when I first noticed the rough idling.
So I'm thinking that the rough idle was a side effect of using the synthetic oil, because the engine took longer to get hot.
I guess the rough idle would have eventually happened if I still used regular oil, but switching to synthetic caused the problem to occur sooner.
PS2.
Removing the battery gave me extra elbow room and make the removal and installtion easier, and without power the ECU was reset.
Is there a reset switch for the ECU or is removing the battery for an hour the only way to do it?
Last edited:
silverrotor
Member
- :
- Mazda Protege '02 ES GT
Yeah, I did exactly as CrazyCaker did. That little Dremol bit worked wonders. As mentioned previously, I ran the bit over the plunger/rod awhile rotating It to bring back a mirror shine. I used PB Blaster (man I love this stuff). I didn't even bother to lube the shaft with oil or anything else b'c It would have promoted gumming up of the valve anyway.
A little trick I learned awhile re-installing the valve back was I layed a thin layer of hylomer b'n the metal gasket and the valve Itself. Doing this would make Installation TONS easier and prevents the gasket from falling. The hylomer ends up burning off anyway.
A little trick I learned awhile re-installing the valve back was I layed a thin layer of hylomer b'n the metal gasket and the valve Itself. Doing this would make Installation TONS easier and prevents the gasket from falling. The hylomer ends up burning off anyway.
- :
- '03.5 Blazin' MSP (sold) ................. '14 Soul 6 GT
What is hylomer and where can you purchase it? Thanks for the info!
silverrotor said:
