{ENGINE} EGR valve

[monterey1962]

'91 GM

My mom took her '91 to the mechanic today and they hooked the computer up to it. The '91 has been cutting out while driving. The code told them it is the EGR valve and/or sensor. I took the valve off tonight and cleaned it up a bit. I found that the gasket was pretty well deteriorated. After I put it together the symptoms have become worse. I'm assuming that the destroyed gasket is at fault. I'm going to toss a new EGR valve, sensor and gasket on, but I have to wait a couple days for the store to get it in.

What I'm wondering is: can anything be damaged with that gasket leak and bad valve? The car is only going to be used for work and back and that's only going to be a total of 50 miles for the two days.

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Justin

[grandpaslincoln]

The gaskets that are used are designed to withstand very high temperatures. They are also made of a soft material, which will come apart very easily say, when you take the EGR off. Usually the gasket will just rip apart. Now that it's not sealing correctly, you have a large vacuum leak between the EGR, and the intake.

The car is going to run like shit. If it's going to leak vacuum, it's also safe to say its going to leak exhaust too. My mom had a 1990 oldsmobile one time. The gasket between the EGR and intake had started to leak. It ended up, that the hot exhaust gasses melted one of the fuel injectors, plus everything else suceptable to high temps.

But, seeing as how your moms car is not an oldsmobile, and I don't know where exactly the EGR is, compared to one on a 5L engine, I have no idea what it will do.

But I would go ahead and replace the EGR and shit. The old one has probably been on there since the car was new anyway.

[monterey1962]

Crap, now I'm worried about her Grand Marquis. Guess I'll just have to keep an eye on it 'til I get the parts.

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Justin

[Lincolnmania]

dont panic!
did your mechanic check the egr valve? do you have a vacuum pump? if you do put vacuum to the valve and see if the plunger moves, and when you release vacuum you want the valve to return to the closed position.
if the valve checks ok, replace the gasket, and buy a new egr position sensor, replace it and then disconnect the battery to clear the codes
scott

[grandpaslincoln]

Fuck. Sorry man, didn't mean to make you nervous or anything. I just reread my post, and it sounds like doom. Sorry again.

[85crownHPP]

lol, yeah if it was that bad of a leak, you would notice or it wouldnt run.

[monterey1962]

New valve, sensor, and gasket. Car still runs like shit and now the "check engine" light is on. I reset the computer twice. My mom just ran it down to the mechanic. Have to see what comes of it.

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Justin

[monterey1962]

Now it's showing a "code 31". That would be improper voltage at the sensor, correct? Since I wasn't there with the car, I don't know if the voltage was too high or too low.

If it is too high, does the shaft on the sensor need to be filed down or extended? What is the proper voltage supposed to be?

Thanks

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Justin

[marquisman]

did you buy a ford EGR or an aftermarket one? (and the gasket is lead by the way!)

[Mercracer]

did you buy a ford EGR or an aftermarket one? (and the gasket is lead by the way!)

Graphite

[marquisman]

the ones i got were lead...but, they were aftermarket

[Mercracer]

the ones i got were lead...but, they were aftermarket

If you say so dude.
The common ones in FelPro and other gaskets kits and on the shelf at stores like AutoZone are soft gray graphite faced.

[marquisman]

i bought some cheap shit one, and said it was lead...so i dont know, im not saying you wrong or anything...

[85crownHPP]

graphite and lead are very simmilar

[monterey1962]

It is an aftermarket valve. It's going to be looked at next week. They got it to idle good and the "jerking" is only when you get on the gas now. If you play the pedal lightly, you can get around fairly good.

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Justin