EGR Cleaning: What did I get myself into?

Speaking of egr cleaning:



Getting my spare ready for the next person.

If I only knew who that would be.

 

Even if they were open, I’m not sure they would have em anyway.

 

I’d check before then based on what I found after the spare getting swapped in and checked at 57k miles .

But taking your time through the cleaning process has it’s benefits.

 

Tell me about it I dropped the gasket then a socket then extension 1 screw and when almost all was done and put together I checked phone for photos on the wiper blade assembly and dropped my phone into the engine belly.

 

Well, at least you managed not to fall yourself into the engine bay

Maybe you should install some safety net under the engine

 

The rear gasket on cooler is almost guaranteed to fall in there, because:
1. The aforementioned lack of clips.
2. By the time you get to lift it out, you are so stoked to be actually accomplishing something, that you are completely distracted from trivia like catching the gasket, or even thinking that it might exist.

 

Thanks for the tips everyone. My 2010 with 227k was never cleaned until i started 5 days ago...with the soak, then another, then another... i did three 8-12 over night soaks with oxyclean, water, & vinegar...the egr cooler was submerged the whole time & then I took a nozzle on a hose (like a less powerful pressure washer) & spray it through the cooler...everytime i did some deposits or dark water would come out...3 days straight... I was ready to give up & buy a new cooler...but kept reading this thread...bought some 19 gauge utility wire from OReillys & started poking through the cooler...worked amazing...The cooler was just so built up with crud, I took about 4 hours to really go to EVERY port of the cooler, then back to the hose, i got water to easily flow through the cooler & no more deposits coming out! Im pretty excited after a week of doing this! I bought a new gasket, in case i drop my in the abyss
I cleaned the IM & TB a couple months ago, but I think I'm gonna clean them again, while I have everything out, plus I just ordered the OCC & will want to install it too.
Plus, I'm running the new TT plugs, but I think I'm going back to the originals...they ran almost 150k before I had the "shakes", replaced them, & they lasted til about 220k miles & put the TT's in & a few thousand miles later started throwing the egr codes & misfire codes. Hopefully those go away when I reinstall the egr system...trying to make it to the 300k club!

 

Could be just the EGR clogging and the PCV dumping oil, that's causing the problems? Maybe just clean the plugs (with something non-abrasive, say carb cleaner with a tooth brush) and reinstall, see how that goes. OTOH, it is a good time for replacement, with the cowl off, can't agree with myself, lol.

(Carb cleaner doesn't dissolve toothbrush bristle does it? Seem to recall that's what I used.)

 

The back gasket of the EGR cooler? That *#$! thing should have clips. I dropped it too, but managed to spot it, fish it out.

 

A spare cooler is the way to go. Mine was not that clogged. I used gunk and oven cleaner which did a good job.
Only took about 30 minutes to clean it out.

 

Sounds like you need more practice .

At least you got it back.

 

I was so excited to lift the cooler out, that I forgot there even was a gasket back there.

It was only when I was putting things back that I realized, maybe looked at the diagrams too, then starting looking. Luckily it was hung up and fairly visible.

 

That’s a tough Easter egg hunt .

But a mirror in a stick and a pole magnet are up for the task.

Excellent tools to have are around “just in case”.

 

Yeah, I have grabber and magnet reachers. No mirror one yet.