Troubleshooting EGR system

[kw]

I was coming back home from a road trip to Rochester NY to pick up a tractor. Check engine light came on part way home and I limped it in to So. MD.

Did the paper clip test and it was throwing a 32 code for EGR. A buddy here at work was able to download the troubleshooting steps for checking the EGR system and one step in the process says to "ground diagnostic test terminal".

I'm not familiar with how to do this but would like to proceed and finish up to see if I need a new EGR valve or an ECM.

Vehicle is an '88 GMC Suburban with 4X4.

Can anybody tell me how to do this?

Thanks,

Kurt

[Captkaos]

It is probably the ground terminal of the plug on the EGR connector.

Pull up on the diaphram and see if it dies.
Have you tried pulling the vacuum line off the EGR valve, to verify it isn't staying open?

Just found this, is this what you are looking at?
http://www.troublecodes.net/articles/egr.shtml

[kw]

Hey,

Thanks for the reply.

I was going by this troubleshooting guide:
http://www.autozone.com/addVehicleId...00c1528008f04e

I picked up a replacement valve and solenoid (Advance Auto Parts stuff), installed both and proceeded to test the system out using a vacuum pump as shown in the procedure. Solenoid passed the test so far, the replacement valve did not, wouldn't hold vacuum, so I picked up another one this morning and will install it this evening. All vacuum lines seem to be holding good vacuum.

The one step I had to skip was where it says to ground the diagnostic test terminal as I'm not sure how to do that. Most of the rest of the troubleshooting relies on the answer to that step, so if the new valve doesn't do it, then I'm stuck till I can figure out this grounding thing.

Edit: Even after the engine threw the code 32, it ran, but felt like it was only on 4 cylinders, rough as heck, and is gulping fuel. from PA to So. MD I went thru 32 gal of fuel.

Thanks,

Kurt

[Captkaos]

For some reason I can't get the images to show, but if you need to ground the test terminal, where is it saying, at the sensor or the ALDL. I don't know what you are looking at so I am guessing...

To ground it at the EGR, you just need to know which one is the test port and just ground it with a test light.

[kw]

I think they mean grounding it at the ALDL connector unter the dash, and I'm not sure how to do that.

I'm not sure why you can't read the instructions on the autozone site. The images are real small, I clicked on them and they popped right up. I'll try posting one up.

[kw]

Trying an image...

[Captkaos]

Jumper the A and B terminals of the ALDL connector (paper clips works)