EGR valve - PO removed and plugged vac line

[TimQ]

I've been tinkering with my truck (86, c10, 4.3 v6 with 92k miles) for the last year I've been slowly working on one problem and then the next. Good news is, after some problems with stalls, cracked flex plate, and some other stuff, she's running as good as ever since I've owned her.

When recently tracking down a vacuum leak to an old and cracking hose, I noticed that the previous owner had disconnected the vac line from the EGR valve and plugged it (plugged the hose not the port on the EGR valve). It's been like this, I assume, for the 15 years I've owned it. When I hooked the line back up, the truck idled rough and stalled out (never left the driveway) so I just disconnected it again, plugged the line, and left it be.

I'd like to see if I could get it hooked back up properly for both the mileage and emissions benefit it is meant to give. I already have a new EGR valve and was going to try to install it this weekend. Any tips on what adjustments I might need to make once I hook up the new one? Does it sound like the existing one is faulty? Any thoughts are welcome.

Thanks,
TimQ

[motornut]

may wana pull it if you can ,make sure it works,seen them get fulla carbon
seen some 350s blocked off with a chunk of steel under the egr and the egr valve plug thing broken off

[RandyP]

My suggestion is to leave the EGR off. They sell block off plates just for this reason. Having a functioning EGR is really not going to improve your gas mileage, just keeps some of the pollution stuff in place really.

If you're really that green about it all, probably need to replace the cat's and the smog pump while you're at it.

[babyJay]

I agree with Randy. It's part of the whole emissions "system". If the rest of it isn't there, don't bother. In Indiana most guys yank that stuff off as soon as they buy a vehicle. We don't have inspections here though.

[justinburnett]

Personally I figure if I'm going to drive a big old gas guzzling pollution machine, I'm not going to worry about little stuff like that. Mine doesn't have an EGR, and there's no way in hell I'm going to bother to put one on. If i wanted to save the environment, I'd drive a Prius.

[old Rusty C10]

I agree witht he general consensus.. Ive pulled the EGR and the oxygen pump on all the trucks ive owned. Ive installed bolts in the holes where the tubes were in the exhaust manifolds and not worried about emmissions..
I would also say that driving a Pirus may mean less emmissions while the car is on the road, but when you consider the batteries etc, they are more toxic that the biggest gas pig on the road

[RandyP]

http://www.katu.com/news/7561002.html

I remember reading a few articles about the prius vs hummer, as far as their total harm to the environment over their lifetime. The prius is very harmful to build, is what it boils down to.

[TimQ]

Well, thanks for all the input. Put the new valve on today. Must say, it was one of the easier things I've done. Who knows if it will do anything for mileage or emissions but there was an added side benefit...I no longer get the odd pinging when cruising along or slightly accelerating. Judging by all the carbon gunking up the old one, I'm guessing it must have been partially open at all times or something.

As a side note since someone brought it up, that Prius vs. Hummer study (done by a marketing firm for what its worth) has been debunked as crap science countless times. Here's just one commentary on it: http://www.slate.com/id/2186786/

[1LowToy]

Having the EGR funtioning properly it reduces cylinder combustion temeratures and yes it can stop the pinging.

No I'm not and environmentalist, but I have exposed them as BS