Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

I got off my butt and replaced my EGR ( it threw the code last year) and cleaned the IACV while I was it. A few comments:
It went pretty much like the writeup I used said it would, except my 2 bolts on the EGR were 12mm (not 10mm like the writeup said) except for the bolt for the little pipe that connects to the EGR (that was 10mm). I used Channel Lock pliers to get the big bolt loose.
It was also easier for me to take the battery and air cleaner assembly out.
Also, again, just as the writeup says, one or both of the coolant hoses have to be loosened (I loosened the top one and lost some coolant in the process).

I didn't have the time to thoroughly clean the throttle body like I wanted to. Man, was there a lot of crap in there! I guess that what happens when a car has 246,xxx miles on it!!

After putting it all back together and resetting the computer, I made sure to top off the radiator and run the heat to get rid of any air in the system.

Initially, the car didn't really feel any different to me, but later on that evening, for some reason, the car did feel stronger. It feels the same off the line, but there is definitely more response and more power especially in passing and merging onto highways.

Thanks to the ORG for the writeup and the info. More than once this board has saved me time and money. It is sincerely appreciated.

I took a couple pics of the EGR and IACV assemblies. You can see them here:
http://target.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph...2004/my_photos

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

Spoke too soon. Light came back today...Oh well....

D-Bo

iTrader: (9)

Nice pics in your album. Did you do a write up with those mirror pics? Very thorough!

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

Thanks. I had offered to do a writeup, but no one seemed to care, so I didn't bother!
I'm trying to decide the next angle of approach with the EGR. I don't have access to a tester, so I'm not able to check for some of the things the EGR thread in the Stickies talks about. I'll probably start simple with the little rubber hose that runs from the EGR to the bottom of the TB or IACV I guess.

cardana24

iTrader: (81)

what were your symtoms of the bad egr other than you threw a code?

7jackmack

Sounbwoy-- if your code is 0302 hi/low egr flow, your problem is most
likely goo in the egr port of the intake plenum. You can take off the
Iacv & access the port ( it's a trough in the plenum that fills with sticky
goo) Use a piece of coat hanger to break it up ,then the small pieces
should stick to your finger. If your egr pipe is also clogged ( where it
connects to port at back of plenum) you mite have to undo that pipe
and clean it to. I was able to get the port cleaned from inside the plenum
and have had no cel for 2 years / 50,000 miles.

MidniteMaxSE

iTrader: (20)

I just asked this question in another thread..but since you just did it..how did you adjust the idle after cleaning the IACV?

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

I had NO symptoms whatsoever. It happened last year. I was just driving one day and it came on. In doing some more research and talking to a friend of mine, I found out that the EGR works mostly during steady state cruising, as it's function is to help lean out the mixture thry reburning the exhaust.
The car never performed any differently at all. Power is already slightly down b/c I need a knock sensor (don't start with me on that, please!!-), but other than the light...nothing..

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

Thanks, man. That's the code I get, so I'll pull it apart again this weekend and do a better job of cleaning. The EGR pipe is the pipe with the biggest nut on it, correct?

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

Sorry for the multiple replies y'all....

I didn't mess the the adjuster screw. I cautiously checked to see how tight it was and decided not to mess with it. I cleaned that area out from the other side. My idle is fine. There is a thread somewhere that outlines how to adjust it, and I believe it's also in the Haynes manual.

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

May 5th- EGR Update
I went back in this morning and pulled it apart. I think I may have discovered the problem. The thin EGR pipe that comes out the side of the EGR valve and goes to up to the other valve that looks like the EGR (this is the BPT, right??? ) connects with a piece of rubber vacuum hose. Mine was old enough that it was twisted and would not allow anything to go thru. While I had the pipe off, I stripped the insulation of some regular speaker wire I ahd and twisted the starnds to form a snake. I used this and Sea Foam "Deep Creep" to clean the pipe. I did get a little gunk out and blowing thru the pipe was easier after I cleaned it. Bought a piece of hose and put it back together. We'll see how this works. See the pic marked "EGR Pipe hose marked" in my album.
While I was at it, I changed the fuel filter (hadn't been changed since 2000 ). See the pictures titled "Dirty Fuel" in my album.
I'll have an update later to see that hose was the culprit for my EGR code.

Pictures HERE:http://target.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph...2004/my_photos

LudeAEM

i tried the coat hanger approach and it worked only for a bit and the light would come back on. So one day i said fack it and took the whole upper intake manifold off for a good cleaning (212,000 miles) and i found out that egr line going in the back of the manifold was COMPLETLY packed with carbon. It was insane, so i used some aircraft stripper and applied it in the manifold and flushed it out a few minutes later. Worked great and code is gone.

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

That will probably be my next step. The light came back on this evening I guess I shouldn't complain too much. 246,xxx and still going strong.

LudeAEM

good luck with it. taking off the manifold is actually pretty easy. the only tihng that is a ***** is the two support bolts on the back (by the firewall). I didn't put them back on btw

knight71

I had this 0302 code last yr..mine problem was resolved by replacing EGR solenoid valve..maybe these threads may help:

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=350528
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=350528

EGR troubleshooting guide:
http://img52.photobucket.com/albums/v158/evilBIGD/EGR/

7jackmack

sounboy - certainly plenum removal/ cleaning would be the
most thorough approach, but for the average d.i.y. it creates
opportunities to screw up other things that are not -as of
now- broken.
The coat hanger approach costs nothing (dealer wanted $300.00
to replace my perfectly fine egr valve).
I would try this first - as it's free - Just be very persistant,
as the egr port/trough is quite difficult to access after you
remove the iacv/ wire harnesses. Two hours of labor to remove
iacv and carefully break up and remove that gunk ( i covered
both side of two large rags with the goo I got out) saved me
hundreds.
I did the cleanout at around 195,000 miles and have not had
a return of the cel since - now at 251,000.. Also the car has
passed emissions twice since then.

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

7jackmack: To make sure I'm following you, where exactly are you using the coat hanger? HERE?
http://target.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph...nm=6598re2.jpg
or HERE? http://target.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph...nm=4bbdre2.jpg

7jackmack

Sounbwoy -- the iacv attach point photo is the correct area.
To the right- there is the brass colored elbow with two bolts.
This is the egr pipe coming into the plenum. If you extend a
finger into the plenum via the opening where the iacv mounts,
you'll feel a trough, inline with that egr
elbow. This is the trough/port that gets clogged with thick
carbon gunk. If you break up the gunk with a piece of coat
hanger,then stick your finger in, pieces will stick to
your finger . Try to get it all out, then see if you can shoot
some throttle body cleaner into the trough , towards the
elbow. It's tedious, finger stretching work - but it worked
great for me. If the egr elbow/pipe is too clogged (my clog
was mainly in the plenum port) perhaps you could remove the
egr temp sensor ( bolt head with wire coming out toward
camera in your photo) and snake an piece of wire or old speed-
meter cable in to clean that out.

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

I really appreciate the guidance. I'll take a look at it this week and post an update. Thanks again 7jackmack.

Guinader

iTrader: (1)

Ok here is my emergenxy, as of right now 7:25 eastertiome....
for the past 2.5 hours I've been rtring to get the two bolts from the EGR temp sensor back in place, I have plenty of space to try to bolt in, but the bolts just won't go in.
My question is, will the car work if the EGR temp sensor is not connected (space in between) I know air will go in... but it is gewtting dark and I just can't get this thing is//// I can try agian in one week basically.

Guinader

iTrader: (1)

ok, I put everything together (except the two bolts for the EGR temp sensor, I tried to turn the car on, and it turned but it would die right away, then the last tiem i tried the RPMS just went cray up to max, I had shut the car off just before it hit 6K....
Here is how I figure how to solve the problem.... I need to remove the 30mm bolt, but it is very very rusted, anyone know if it will come off.
becasue having that lose, I think I can easily wiggle and align correctly... man I'm stupid....
anyone had any problems putting things together?

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

Sunday May 14th Update. Those of you with EGR problems should look at this.
First off, BIG UP and NUFF RESPEC to 7JACKMACK for the guidance. He pointed me in the right direction, and I believe it's finally taken care off.
If you follow the thread you'll see I had issues with the EGR valve code but here's a quick summary. I http://target.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph...nm=dfc2re2.jpgreplaced it as well as a small piece of old http://target.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph...nm=ed24re2.jpghose that was blocking the passage.
7Jackmack told me to look http://target.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph...nm=6598re2.jpghere; (where the thin wire is coming out).
Well, I decided to pull it off and look. Here's what 246,xxx miles of carbon looks like:
http://target.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph...nm=b7d0re2.jpg
http://target.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph...nm=323cre2.jpg
Getting it off was the hard part, as there are two 12mm bolts on the bottom mounting point, and one is partially blocked by the big EGR pipe that comes out the back of the EGR valve assembly. Once off, I cleaned with Sea Foam, coat hanger wire, pick tool and flexible wire till I could blow thru it with no restrictions.
So far I'm crossing my fingers, and no CEL yet.Thanks again to 7Jackmack and the Org in general for the help.

While I was at it, I finally put my 17's on. You can see them here:
http://target.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph...nm=79f5re2.jpg
http://target.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph...nm=9fdare2.jpg
http://target.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph...nm=9fdare2.jpg

7jackmack

a good way to confirm that clogged egr plumbing is your
problem, is to attach a vacuum pump to the egr valve
and with the car at regular idle (about 600 rpm) and warmed
up to normal operating temperature - apply
some vacuum and activate the egr. I did it the quick way
and CAREFULLY reached in between the egr "spokes" and
pushed up on the diaphragm manually.
If your plenum port and/or egr pipe is clogged , nothing will
happen.But when everything has been adequately cleaned out,
doing the above test should STALL the engine - as the egr
opens and recirculates some exhaust into the intake ONLY at
higher rpms -under normal operation.
Nice pics Sounbwoy - quite a clog!

sportbikenut

iTrader: (1)

Great thread. Thanks for the info.. I've got to replace the EGR as well. Is it necessary to remove the intake manifold? Is the EGR then visible? I can't seem to locate. I have to do the Knock sensor as well, and then looks to be a real pain without removing the intake. Thoughts or direction? Thanks again.

wlaukaitis

hi

I have to clean my egr passages out as well. I'd hate to pay someone to do it. Where is the writeup on this? Does the whole pipe have to be removed?? What about the upper intake manifold??

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

I don't think there's a specific writeup on this procedure. I tried to be as specific as possible so if you go back and read what I did and look at the pics, you should be able to do it with no issues.
The pipe is one piece so, that should answer that question.
As far as the upper intake, I have not yet cleaned that. I never removed mine, but there are others that took everything off.

sportbikenut

iTrader: (1)

Hello - I'm still having this problem. I've replaced the EGR valve, EGR solenoid valve, some hoses, and cleaned out the tubes that connect to the EGR valve. Did not have to remove the intake manifold, just the air intake tube to the air cleaner. The post above (dated May 14th) has a very good write-up. Review the links.
Now I need to do that other pipe that he mentions above. Code keeps coming back.....

sportbikenut

iTrader: (1)

Sounbway - What is the IACV? I need to locate that pipe that you show with the extensive carbon build up. Thanks.

wlaukaitis

IF the pipe needs to be removed, I am curious as to how you got to the passenger side of the pipe, it's kinda tight in there

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

It IS very tight. It requires a 12mm socket, and a lot of patience. I also used my breaker bar to get leverage. If you want to remove it, you just have to spend the time on it.

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

If you have the stock air cleaner assembly, look at the silencer (the big black block/square). There should be a fairly thick black rubber hose that leaves the silencer and goes to a "pipe" that has some sensor connections attached to it. They are different colors (brown, purple and a couple others). Where the connections mount to is the IACV.
If you look at Post #6 in this thread link directly below, you can get a better visual:
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=487973

I don't have a picture of the IACV on the car, but the famous diagram that always comes up shows a couple things.
The pipe is the one with the number #14713. See it here:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v1...gAnch=imgAnch1
The smaller pipe (the one I had cleaned FIRST, is #14751. Make sure the hose that connects that pipe is STRAIGHT. I have a pic of mine before replacing it. Look for the pic labelled "Egr Pipe Hose marked" and look for the poorly drawn red circle.

A diagram of the IACV is here: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v1...gAnch=imgAnch4
You can tell where to look once you get the right orientation.

Obviously, it'll be easier to get to the pipe with the IACV off. Here's the pic with the IACV off and the pipe behind it. The pipe where the thin wire leads into is the culprit.
http://target.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph...e2.jpg&.src=ph

I'd also review the thread and pay close attention to the comments from 7Jackmack. He pointed me in the right direction to begin with. The only thing I would see a problem with using the coat hanger apporach is if you get to the little port in the intake that LEADS to that pipe. And if the pipe is clogged as bad as mine was, you may never know how effective it is.

wlaukaitis

Hi Again

I looked at the EGR pipe again, I guess I should have been more detailed. I was wondering how you got the pipe out of the exhaust manifold, that area looks tight. I think I'll be able to get the pipe off the EGR but I am slightly concerned with the exhaust manifold side.

--OR--

Do you normally just take the EGR off and clean out the pipe the best you can (without taking it off). I would guess that would be easier

Thanks for your help ans patience

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

Maybe I should ask you which pipe you're referring to? There is a big pipe that attaches to the exhaust manifold from the EGR valve (#14120) in the diagram. I did NOT remove this pipe. I never even considered cleaning it. I guess that pipe could get clogged too, but that is AFTER the EGR, so I'm not sure that really figures. The pipe I removed is (#14713). My EGR light has not come back since I cleaned that pipe out and replaced the little hose.

adithius

Sounbwoy - I've been trying to remove the 12MM bolt on the bottom of the EGR tube. So far I've been able to get the left one off, but not the right one. How did you do it? The other large EGR tube is blocking my way from getting it. Did you have to remove it? If so, how did you do it? Thanks for your help.

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

If you're talking about the tube that goes to the manifold, no, I didn't remove it. I'm hazy on it now, but I believe I got some leverage after I had removed the EGR valve itself. There's no easy way around it. A small amount of, uhhmm, persuasion, was needed.

ardika

iTrader: (3)

Just got a 0302 today. Subscribing through the thread to see what's up.

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

You won't see much action. This was back from the summer and it's all good...Between this thread and a couple others that came up more recently, you should be able to fix it.

sky jumper

good thread.

can someone confirm that the '99 has a different EGR design? photos here don't seem to jive with what I have under my hood. and my FSM talks about an electronic stepper motor to adjust EGR flow.

ardika

iTrader: (3)

I just spent a little bit of time inspecting the IACV and that supposedly clogged pipe. I understand that it's very difficult to disconnect the pipe (the one that's brassy color, where the EGR temp sensor plugged into it).

The 2 bolts for IACV should be relatively easy to disconnect, but the third one (closest to firewall) is blocked by the harnesses mounted on IACV. I did some clicking to release the harness but they won't budge. Any pointers on disconnecting the harnesses (I know this sounds dumb)?

I suppose once you have the IACV off the upper manifold, we could either fish the carbon with coat hangar or have the brassy pipe removed completely. I don't know how bad is mine, but I am hoping it won't be the latter, since it looks pretty hard to get this piece off.

Seems that the IACV has a gasket between it and the manifold, is this something that I should buy before takling it? Or could I just use the old one?

Reading through Hayness, I don't see a torque rating on those IACV bolts, do you guys have any idea what's the rating on them (ft-lbs preferred, of course)?

Perhaps this will be a good time to do my spark plugs, fuel filter and PCV valve as well. Darn.

2da mizzax

iTrader: (4)

the bracket on the IAC Valve that holds the harness for the EGR flow sensor is held on by a 10mm bolt. take it off to get access to the 3rd bolt and also to actually be able to get the IAC Valve out before the rest of the stuff comes out. Gasket is recommended but not absolutely necesary. you can not clean teh EGR pipe without taking it off as most of the blockage occurs in the middle of the tube and not just at the upper opening. you will have to take the sensor out of the pipe when it is off (just use a set of vise grips) and dig all of the way through. you will also need to clean both the upper and lowr openings on the motor. Dont forget to top off your coolant when you are done and do your plugs afterwards as all fo the TB cleaner (not carb cleaner) you are going to use may harm the plugs. i stress may. PM Dexter from this thread and he should be able to fwd you some detailed instructions i sent him that make life a whole lot easier removing the small pipe. no bolt cutting needed. http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=501941