EGR Valve clogged?

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lamb88ert

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Is it a common thing for EGR valves to clog up on these cars? For a long time i feel an occasional and mild bogging, which shows all the damn symptoms of coils but my buddy who owns a shop swears thats not the prob, and that the EGR valve clogs up and thats what code its throwing. Let me also add, its in no way shape or form some real hardcore stutters and misses, its more of a slight stutter that i notice and its very infrequent. I've never used anything but 93 octane from top stations.

I dont remember readin this on the forums, its not something that immediately needs fixed. Ive been thinking about selling my LS, but i do honestly love it and have considered doin the "pimp my ride" treatment and keepin it tucked away as a collector.

Alax, bullschmidt, mlara, rollin, andrizzle, all you guys have badass rides! (many more vets that ive missed)

I dont wanna pay out the ass to take my engine apart and find it still isnt fixed.
Just asking for some insight. its an 03 v8 ultimate.120k
 
lamb88ert said:
Let me also add, its in no way shape or form some real hardcore stutters and misses, its more of a slight stutter that i notice and its very infrequent.
Click to expand...

Im just saying, this sounds like the beginning of every coil failure ive ever seen.

just wondering what test your buddy ran to confirm the coils are good? stress test?
 
Thanks.

+1 to loudls

Not idea on the egr clogging though.

To add to loudls and to try and quote joegr from a recent thread, the coils have marginal failure, wont fail completely, and you wont be able to really test them unless you do a stress test using an oscilloscope.

I have accepted the coil issue on the LS and after ruining my pcm from ignoring the now obvious coil failure, I just replace all 8 coils and plugs once I feel misfires, slight stutter, or the famous etc failsafe. 200 bucks for visteon coils and plugs is a small price to pay for peace of mind and a smooth running LS.
 
EGR clogging up is almost unheard of on these cars. (Though there are some cases of problems with the DFPE tube.)

Marginal coils are a legendarily common LS problem. Your symptoms point to that.
 
When my EGR went, the only real symptom was a CEL (maybe there was something in the Message Center, too, but it has been a couple of years). Your issues sound a lot more like the dime-a-dozen LS COP problems.
 
Hi. What is the exact code you are getting?

You can check EGR valve for its condition. 2003 valve slightly differs from 2000 (having a digital sensor in addition, correct me guys if I am wrong), but you might check it on both ways, for vacuum mechanically and for a signal electrically. You will probably be able to check both without removing the valve from its place, again in 2000 model its only mechanical valve, but I think its pretty close on 2003 model with sensor. For the first one you will need to create vacuum and hear click inside the valve (its pretty basic check without removing) and second is with multimeter, hooked up to a sensor, same procedure as in first, it should react to the valve opening, when keys on ready position.(you should check the exact response in manual and compare).
Further step might be removing and cleaning.

Again depending on the code, it might be something else in EGR system.
 
I dont think a clogged EGR valve will cause any operational problems (CEL only). If the valve is stuck open thats a different story.
 
i just hate dealing with sorry @$$ mechanics. SO many dip****s who dont have a clue. And the thing is im not being cheap about it at all, i had everything lined up to buy about a yr ago, and it was like the dude begged me to not do it cuz it would be "useless" and waste of money. Because egr valves clog up on these things all the time.

I also i added that ive never heard of this being a common issue, and 99.9% of the time its the damn COPs. :eek:

I have more than one vehicle, so i keep the car in my storage unit, im not out just beatin it around stutterin. So i cant remember the code it was throwing, ill check it out today, ONCE I GET A RIM THAT CAN HOLD AIR!!!! lol

It def is some type of EGR code just cant remember.
 
lamb88ert said:
i just hate dealing with sorry @$$ mechanics. ....
Click to expand...

It could be worse. I tried to help a guy getting ETC failsafe who also had the typical marginal coil symptoms.
When I first talked to him, his mechanic had already convinced him to have the throttle body replaced. He bought and installed a used one and of course it didn't change anything.
I told him it was the coils, but his "mechanic" said that was nonsense, after all "there were no misfire codes." He then paid for a brand new throttle body and for the mechanic to install it. This, of course, changed nothing.
Now the mechanic says it is the PCM. He is now buying a used PCM to have put in. I can guess the rest of the story. The used PCM will change nothing, so the mechanic will insist that he buy a new one. This, of course, won't fix it either. I wonder if after spending such a fortune, they will finally try the cheap thing and change the coils?
 
lol no doubt joegr, he looked at me crazy for wanting to replace all the coils. I had already researched the best price and best coil option and was ready to go. Now its not coming to me.

What are the best option in coils brand-wise? ill look into it a lil deeper w search
 
lamb88ert said:
lol no doubt joegr, he looked at me crazy for wanting to replace all the coils. I had already researched the best price and best coil option and was ready to go. Now its not coming to me.

What are the best option in coils brand-wise? ill look into it a lil deeper w search
Click to expand...

Things have changed. The really low cost 8 coil Visteon set is either gone or harder to find. If you can find them, you need Visteon VIS60-1008. Otherwise, Motorcraft DG529 is a good choice (just more expensive). There are other, cheaper, choices, but I don't know how good they are.
 
joegr said:
It could be worse. I tried to help a guy getting ETC failsafe who also had the typical marginal coil symptoms.
When I first talked to him, his mechanic had already convinced him to have the throttle body replaced. He bought and installed a used one and of course it didn't change anything.
I told him it was the coils, but his "mechanic" said that was nonsense, after all "there were no misfire codes." He then paid for a brand new throttle body and for the mechanic to install it. This, of course, changed nothing.
Now the mechanic says it is the PCM. He is now buying a used PCM to have put in. I can guess the rest of the story. The used PCM will change nothing, so the mechanic will insist that he buy a new one. This, of course, won't fix it either. I wonder if after spending such a fortune, they will finally try the cheap thing and change the coils?
Click to expand...

Yep, I called it. He and mechanic are still refusing to change the coils, and still have the same ETC problem after three throttle bodies and two or three PCMs.
 
Might try GUNK Carb0Medic to clean EGR valve. Only carb cleaner that will remove/disolve varnish etc. All others have some quantity of water in them.
STP worst!
 
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