i have an 88 and i was wondering if i could just unplug my egr and still have the car running normal like it was. I have the problem that many do. The car will hesitate and an odd sound will come from the exhaust after the car warms up.

 

Sure ya can; you can unplug the vacuum line leading to the EGR valve, and plug the line with a golf tee. This is done to mine right now. The diaphragm is sticking in the "open" position, and not releasing.

I assume this is just for diagnostic, right? EGR is only supposed to activate when the car's warmed up, the engine's at low rpm, and the car's at high speed. (This is a.k.a "cruising" condition.) On my car, upon cruising conditions, the EGR would activate, and the valve would open. When I'd slow down, the EGR system would de-activate (no vacuum to EGR valve), but the EGR valve would stick open.


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)

 

I see but would this screw up the car some how???? Or decrease performance...

 

I had the same problem and cured it by plugging it up. I have checked the spark plugs and it is still fine. Hasnt effected my performance at all. However if your EGR is stuck open all the time you have to free it up with penetrating oil to close it ,than cap the sucker.

 

Hey i wuz just wondering wutz the EGR??? I'm new with cars.

 

recirculates a small amount of exhaust gas back through the engine via the intake. Strictly for polution control. I have also read that it decreases combution temperature,I have never heard of an engine tearing up by disconnecting an EGR valve.

 

well doesn't the EGR close when the car is on??if so it should be simple no??

 

ICan'tDrive55 (good song, by the way), I actually shot it with compressed air. As my car was stumbling around in my driveway, I turned the compressor on, and got the blow gun out. I gave the valve 10PSI, it slammed shut, and the car idled normally right away. I have to replace it soon... hm, maybe this weekend... January is my "smog check" month.

CV, if the EGR's open when it shouldn't be, too much exhaust gas goes into the engine. The engine doesn't have enough fresh air to run correctly.

And yeah, the EGR reduces combustion temp- and the emissions pollutioned called "NOx" (oxides of nitrogen... not Nitrous Oxide, which is NO2). NOx's are caused by high temperature, high pressure explosions- just what happens inside our engines when we drive! By reintroducing exhaust gas into the intake, NOx's are reduced simply because exhaust gas won't combust as easily (if at all) as fresh oxygen. It takes the place of oxygen... so, since the explosion is less violent, it's at a lower temperature; and lower temps reduce NOx's.

3-way cat convertors also reduce NOx's. (A two way convertor will combine the CO and HC pollutants to form H20, water.)

[edit] CV, you can also see this first-hand. Next time your engine's cold (so you don't burn yourself!), pop the hood, and start the engine. As it idles, find the EGR valve. While practicing normal safety routines for working over a running engine (loose clothing/hair/neckties/fingers/blah/blah/blah), reach underneath the EGR valve. You'll find that it's "cut out" underneath there. What your fingers find underneath is the EGR diaphram. Push that upward as the engine idles. Your engine will start to idle poorly, and it's likely that it'll stall. Release the diaphragm (let it slam down), and the car will come back to normal.

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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)

[This message has been edited by TomP (edited September 14, 2001).]

 

bottom line without the damn egr it can't pass emissions can it????? THat is dekcuf up (read it backward) damn the enviroment when u have to add 400 extra lbs and crap to make a little 2.8l safe....GRRR i'm getting angrier by the second.........

 

Actually the EGR doesn't hurt performance, and doesn't really add weight, so it's not as annoying as (for example) an A.I.R pump. It can still be a pain in the rear tho! If you don't have to pass the new "dyno" emissions test, and they just check your emissions while your car idles, and they don't open the hood, then you can bypass the EGR and still pass.


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)

 

You can always move to N Dakota, they just glad the car is running, let alone smog/safety inspections. Abilene tx doesn't have smog test (yet), and in ohio, they just did the e-check with the car on the dyno going 25 mph(no underhood check). md has smog, so does certain parts of va. don't know of the other states.

[This message has been edited by Project: 85 2.8 bird (edited September 17, 2001).]

 

ok about the egr..95% of the time it's hoses so any tips or anything..like where to look and what to use and what not

 

Often the EGR vacuum solenoid will go bad.
The vacuum going to the EGR valve usually runs through this vacuum solenoid and usually has a plug on it with two wires. The
vacuum solenoid controls and restricts the amount of vacuum to send to the EGR valve . when they go bad there will be too much vacuum at the EGR valve thus creating too much of lean mixture (like having a major vacuum leak). The engine will hesitate when you gun it and run like crap at cruising speeds.