I'm getting a repetitive code 32.

I've replaced the egr and egr solenoid, there's nothing left to replace. I get the engine indicator light at 60mph cruise. Come home and clear it, take it out and get it again under the same cruise conditions every time.

1990 350 TBI, very basic upgrades, headers and open intake filter. I'm thinking I've got a short or a bad ecm. Anyone had this problem before? I sure could use your advice.

 

Hey jiminy, welcome to TGO! ive got bad news for ya... If you have replaced your egr valve n solenoid then theres only one last possible snag.. (was also my snag) the intake manifold itself.. the manifold has passages for the exaust gas and over time exessive build up clogs these tiny passages up, closing them off completely, so even if your egr was working properly the gas cant go any where since the passages are blocked, and boom theres the nice orange light... This was also my problem, which i indirectly solved when i put on my new manifold.. So if you want to fix this you will have to take off the manifold and clean those passages some how or replace the manifold altogether... hope this helps

 

i would really check all the vacuum lines before going to the intake and i mean all vacuum lines not just the ones off the egr its self i had the same problem and it was the egr and lines together hope it works but the intake manifold removal is easy as well

 

Thank you for the welcome guys, I appreciate it!

The manifold was hot tanked twice about 2 months ago by the local machine shop, as far as I know it's completely clean inside. The only components that aren't "new" on the manifold set-up ate the TPS, IAC, dist, & coil. The TBI is rebuilt.

I had not replaced the vac lines because they looked to be in very good condition. That will be my next step just to confirm one way or the other.

 

I had the same problem with my 1990 TBI after adding headers and a 3" catback. I put on a new EGR valve but was still getting a code 32. The EGR valve that I put on was a positive backpressure valve that might not work well with exhaust upgrades. All i did was bought a TBI truck EGR (or one that is negative backpressure operated) and the problem went away. Look at the egr valve you put on there and see if it is positive "P" or negative "N" operated.

 

Vac lines replaced, still get the code at cruise. I've got headers, wonder if that is the problem. EGR is a "N" negative backpressure style.

Hmmm.

Working through the EGR troubleshooting tree, I'll let you know what it ends up being.

 

im haveing the same code but how do i get to the 2nd bolt for the egr seems like there is just no room at all for a tool do i need to take off the tbi unit?

 

I've got the same problem. I T'd a vacuum gauge between the solinoid and the EGR valve to watch the operation and found that when the engine went into closed loop W/180* thermoustat it would cut vacuum for 2 sec. as soon as the stat would open and the second time it would do this the SES light would come on. I think it might be trying to go back to open loop as far as EGR operation is concerned. I'm going to try going back to 190* and see what happens. The other thing I've found is the EGR is operating in open loop meaning the ECM isn't grounding the EGR solinoid preventing EGR operation in open loop wich I was under the assumption that it was supposed to do.
This could mean that I have a bad ground or the ECM is not working properly.

 

My 90' is flashing the same code. It didn't start untill after i upgraded my chip. Don't know if this is causing the code or if something else is going bad at the same time.

 

Well we ran through the EGR trouble shooting tree. The only thing that came up was a borderline MAP sensor. So we replaced the MAP and so far the 32 has not come back. If it returns I'll keep you up to date.

I had to undo the fuel line closest to the EGR to get a 1/2 box in there. Your right there isn't much room.

 

There's nothing more aggrivating that an intermitant code! Sometimes, I can go 80-100 miles and no code. Sometimes I can't drive 10 mi. and it (SES) comes on. It's almost to the point of drilling a 1/8th hole right through the dash into the light to put it out of it's misery!

 

I know this thread has been silent for a while but figured it was the perfect place for my question. You guys know if I can replace my stock intake manifold from my '86 LG4 305 with a non-EGR manifold? Any negative effects of such a swap? Anything else I'd have to change to make it right? Thanks.

 

Why would you want to do that? Unless you put headder's and a good free flowing exaust on, your not going to gain much. If your just trying to get rid of a code 32 problem it would be cheaper to get a custom chip with EGR delete. While your at it get rid of the speed limiter too! Just swaping your intake will throw a constant code 32 and retard your timing advance cutting your power and milage.

 

I'm going to do a total rebuild of the 305 this fall/winter and was just fact-finding before I buy new components such as a intake manifold, torquer heads, etc. I'm on a learning curve with the specifics of electronics and engine configurations. If removing EGR from the manifold and chip would not gain me much then I won't bother but I guess I wanted to know what would be the drawbacks (if any) in doing so. Thank you. Now let's talk about this speed limiter...talk to me...how do I get rid of it!!?? :P

 

Performance Resource chips let you bypass the EGR. I don't remember for sure, but possibly it bypasses that speed limiter, too......

 

Another chip guy is TPI CHIPS he used to be tbichips .com but recently changed his web add. he has a site on Ebay too but he's getting a little pricey on there. You can call his # on the site and he will recomend a performance chip to match your engine package whatever you decide to put together if you want to keep the computer or, you can toss it and install an HEI dist. and a non computerized quad!

 

I have the exact same probem on my 89 TBI. I have replaced the solenoid, didn't fix it. I have cleaned the EGR valve, didn't fix it. I had wondered about the intake manifold restriction, when I was a mechanic I saw a lot of those. The intake gasket is leaking coolant so the intake is coming off soon and I have an edelbrock manifold thats going on, so hopefully I will fix it somehow. Whats the deal with the positive and negative EGR valves? Never heard of them, whats the difference? I like learning new things.

 

LilJayV10, What temp. thermoustat are you running? If your running 180* or less without reprograming the chip, You might be confusing the comp. (open loop, or closed loop) and causing it to throw a code 32.
Problems with intermitant code 32: 1. start engine and drive 4-5 mi. and ses light comes on. 2. start engine and drive 50 mi. and no ses light. 3. sometimes ses light will come on and go off after 20-30 mi. 4. sometimes ses light will come on and not go off untill engine is shut off and resarted again.
After careful monitoring of the engine temp. and vaccum readings between the solinoid and EGR valve during engine operation, I tried changing back to a 190* stat. and the problem went away. I changed to a 180* therm. after replacing the radiator with a new one and thought, I'm going to run cool now! my EGR problem surfaced not long after.

 

acutally i am running a 180 stat with the matching fan switch. The car doesn't have a cat either. I posted in another thread about the o2 switching slow. I just replaced it and it switches slow. I am use to an LT1 car that switces really fast.

 

A week ago I wouldn't have been able to answer this question. Lately I have been researching EGR valves. On that note. . .

There is also a third EGR valve called a 'ported' valve.

A ported EGR valve simply opens and closes via the vacuum on the diaphram.

A positive pressure EGR valve needs exhaust pressure along with vacuum on the diaphram to open. This type of valve will not open at idle or with the engine off even with vacuum applied to it.

A negative pressure EGR valve will close as the exhaust pressure increases. This type of valve regulates the gas flow into the intake manifold. It requires vacuum on the diaphram to open, then as the exhaust pressure increases the valve closes down.

RBob.

 

Well after a year I think I finally solved the code 32, by accident no less.

Just to give you the background again. This code 32 problem was occuring on a 77 Chevy pick-up that was converted to the later model 1990 truck TBI system. All components from the donor truck under hood were used, there were no short cuts. I used a painless harness and frame rail mounted Gerator pump. The only continuous problem I had with the system was the code 32 issue. I would consistently get the code light at cruise, usually on light throttle deceleration. I had checked the system using the TBI troubleshooting guide and found nothing to indicate where the code 32 was coming from. I broke down and took the truck to 3 seperate mechanics, all of which could not locate the problem. Eventually I resigned myself to living with it.

Well last week I picked up a code 44. While diagnosing the new problem I believe I solved the code 32 issue. During the code 44 troubleshooting process I happened to notice that my brake booster line was slightly loose, enough that I could rotate it by hand. For those unfamiliar with the Chevy truck TBI there is a metal brake booster line that feeds into the driver's side manifold. The other end hooks up to a rubber vac line that feeds the brake booster. In all my checking it never occured to me to check this line. The line actually threads into a fitting that threads into the manifold. After I had tightened it up the code 32 went away and has yet to return.

The theory is that there was just enough of a vac leak to affect the manifold value at the MAP so that when the egr opened the Map did not read the correct voltage parameter. Here's a link to the short CK5 thread.

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=199183

Anyway I wanted to update this in case someone else runs into a similar problem. Thirdgen.org has the best EFI tech around so there are a lot of us without F-body cars that come here to learn from you. Thanks to everyone here at Thirdgen that helped, I got the advice I needed here, but I wasn't looking at all the vac lines.

 

Well im popping a code 32 after changing to a 3 inch exhaust, and no cat....What are the pro's and con's of getting a chip made that does away with the EGR????? Im not real up on the newer computer stuff.....Should I perhaps try the N version of the EGR...Thanks, Tom

 

This code 32 issue was finally solved by an diligent local mechanic and I thought I'd update for the benefit of others.

It ended up being a bad ground wire from the ECM to the back nether regions of the engine block. The ground looked good from the exterior but it was not tightly crimped inside, so with a gentle tug it would move. Once this ground was replaced the code 32 and rough idle issues went away.

The guys who are experienced in the TBI system often talk about double checking your ground wires, I had checked the grounds but overlooked this particular one because it was in a hard to reach position.