Any tips or hints about removing the hidden EGR Cooler nut?

I recently took off both the nut and the stud. Nothing else was off, say the windshield cowl for example. I believe I did remove the bolts on some of the conduit brackets in the vicinity, tried to pull things out of the way some.

I was using a long-handled ratchet with a swivel-head, easier to snake it in there. I have extensions 1.5" and 3", regular and deep sockets. Played around with both trying to find a sweet spot for length.

I found too, I had very limitted travel for ratchetting the wrench, was doing one or two clicks at best. Especially when extracting the stud (with a Torx socket). Took a punishing amount of time, and I was fearful it was going to seize.

Bottom line, it's doable but barely.

 

3” wobble extension and a deep 12mm socket.

(3/8” drive of course.)

 

You can touch it if you sorta lie on the engine and reach your left hand around, going clockwise around the back. Still, that doesn't equate to a wrench on it, has to be from the right side.

 

I reached it from underneath the vehicle. I was also able to feel it. It took me about 3-5 minutes with an open-ended wrench and lots of patience.

 

As I recall, it's around 3 o'clock relative to the largish coolant hose (with black-braided sleeve). Not that you can see it, but if you start a socket headed in just around there your chances are good.

 

I just did my egr/cooler/intake manifold cleaning this past weekend. For the bottom nut I used a deep socket with a 1” extension. I found it easier to get the socket on the nut first and then try to put the ratchet on the extension as the braided hose is quite close and you have to force it out of the way.

If y don’t have a 1” extension you could use a 3/8 to 1/4 adapter on a 1/4 to 3/8 adapter to make your own version.

Good luck

 

Here are selected notes from when I did it earlier this year:

I did a quick coolant drain to reduce concern for coolant hose removal.

One difference vs. N+B video is I did not remove studs from rear end of EGR cooler. Instead I removed the front and middle side studs since I figured those were easier. Good decision.

(and this is the nut you are wrestling with now: )
Toughest nut + stud was the one on the side, middle fore-aft, low, through the bracket built into the EGR cooler. Taking the time to remove a couple of nearby hoses to improve access was mandatory. Also some work figuring out exactly the right combo of socket + extensions was key. I used: 12mm 1/4" drive deep Craftsman socket, with 3" extension, driven by 1/4" craftsman ratchet drive. Then E8 with similar (same?) extension and drive to remove the stud. Not so hard once I had figured all that out, so reinstalling was pretty easy.

(^^^ when I say there that removing those hoses was "mandatory," those were notes to myself. Nothing is really mandatory. What I meant was that I struggled for a while, and then removed those hoses to let me get a better shot, and it was easy after that. BTW, the whole reason I take notes like this, on something I think I'll do again some day, is to save the time it took to learn all the little tricks.)

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Gloves really are mandatory too here. So easy to cut yourself, and necessary to fit your hands in there. I used cloth mechanics gloves, vs. the thin nitrile ones.

On the selection of socket and extensions, I did not need any wobble, but it kind of had to be just the right length so I could fit the ratchet on it, etc. Not too long, not too short. Also thinner let it fit better, so the 1/4" drive. And deep well so it fits over the Torx stud without having to worry. Depending on what exact tools you have at your disposal, you may find a different optimal setup.

 

I did a lot of the EGR cooler job lying across the top of the engine, starting at the right fender. I'm 6'3" 280 lbs and it was the best way for me to get my big hands in there. That nut was a matter of right socket/extension length so play around with those. When I finished up, I thought I would put the nut back on just for spite but I could not get it started and gave up! Minor blood loss from all the sharp bits.

PEH

 

You can leave or remove (permanently) that lower stud I think. I don't think it's absence creates an alignment issue. If it's gone maybe you don't need to remove the the two rear studs?

That braided hose is surely coolant. I don't think pulling it off would really help much, and unless you're completely draining the engine coolant (I drained only 2 qts, which was sufficient to leave the EGR components dry), you would be spilling quite a bit of coolant. With little advantage?

 

For me it does. I just recall squeezing the socket and extension combo in there. Get the wobble extension set from HF.

 

Wobble Socket Extension Set, 9 Pc.

That’s fair. I think I have this set.

 

Just for next time: if you drain just 2 qts, the EGR will be dry. You can pour it back into reservoir after.

Clamping hoses is not that effective: the bulk of the coolant that'll spill is in the cooler, above at least one of the hoses, so the coolant just runs out regardless.

For throttle body removal, the coolant lines can be left connected; they have plenty of slack.

 

You can either remove both of the rear studs as N+B do, or you can leave them in place and remove the two side studs, as I did. Seemed like it would be easier the way I did it, and it was, for me.

If you remove the rear studs, you don't need to remove this middle one. Check.

If you don't remove the rear studs, the cooler will not come off unless you remove this middle one.

 

I had a difficult time with that nut too. I used a 3/8" ratchet with a wobble extension and deep socket. I wrapped electricians tape around the extension & socket to make it flexible. I didn't want to lose it to the void if it came apart. I worked it in to place carefully until the docket engaged the nut. It came loose easily. Just be careful not to drop the nut into the void. Good luck!

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