How do I clean my EGR?

[TheV6Bird]

Any special techniques? I have a 3.4.

I am tired of getting poor gas mileage and I am trying to troubleshoot the small things first, like cleaning the EGR and replacing the PCV valve.

I've never touched my EGR before, any special procedures to getting it off?

[pontiac nino]

Not really just spray carb cleaner through the three openings and let it dry. Clean you're throttle body, seriously, it's the worse crap on 3.4's, and take a look at the intake elbow while you are at it, it's usually pretty dirty. [img]smile.gif[/img]
Oh yeah, EGR uses 2 10mm bolts pretty simple, the pipe that goes through the intake also uses 2 10mm's.

[memphis_raines]

Like he said, it's pretty simple. I just replaced my valve and gasket, took the pipe off and sprayed out the inside with seafoam, then used a bent coat hanger with an old shop rag on the end of it to clean out the inside of the pipe.

[TheV6Bird]

Holy cripe!!! This thing won't come off even if you PAID it to!

How do you go about taking off the electrical plug for starters? That thing is really stubborn and won't come out; is there a connector in the back that I don't know about?

[Dan Vincent]

The plug has a lock tab on it, make sure you're pulling the lock tab when you're pulling the plug.

[pontiac nino]

Take off the locking tab (color orange) like Dan said, and if you can't take off the plug w/ you're hand loosen it a bit w/ a small flathead screwdriver.

[Dan Vincent]

It's easy to miss those locktabs - I missed the one on my alternator because it was hidden, drove me freaking nuts until I figured it out.

[TheV6Bird]

Originally posted by pontiac nino:
Take off the locking tab (color orange) like Dan said, and if you can't take off the plug w/ you're hand loosen it a bit w/ a small flathead screwdriver.

yeah I see the lock tab. Popped it out but it still won't budge. I'll just have to work it more with the screwdriver or wait until it is warmer; I hate working in the cold!

And I bought fuel injector cleaner (hey my car is fuel injected, I thought). When I get this EGR off, can I spray the FI cleaner down the exhaust manifold opening as well, or should I just stick the EGR assembly itself?