EGR Cleaning: What did I get myself into?

As far as I know, the cooler is 100% Stainless Steel. So no greying is to be expected. The valve on the other hand, is mostly aluminum: strong alkalines (such as Oxi) will start dulling/greying it.

Yeah, it is not that hard cleaning your own, just takes time.

 

For reference/comparison, some shots of the stock valve/cooler pulled from my 2010 @ 140k miles in April 2017. Swapped in valve/cooler from a 2015 salvage @ 18k miles, $115 shipped eBay. Eagles Ray and Jeff Honeywell assisted in a 4 1/2 hour blitz, including new water pump/t-stat.

My Prius is down 4 quarts of oil 9000 miles after oil change

 

Same boat as you, plan to drive my prius to the ground. Gonna checkout some junk yards here soon for some to be had.

 

Lucky for you I have a spare that can be ready at some point .

All it’ll cost ya is a couple of cans of carb cleaner.

 

If anybody doesn't mind having the car down for a day, you can just clean the one you've got, not that hard.

 

I finally started cleaning my 2010 today around 2pm. Took off a few easy parts and watched football while doing it. Removed egr pipe and realized it wasn't that bad. Cleaned it and put everything back.......back to football lol

 

Did a clean egr change your fuel economy?

 

If anyone is looking for quick EGR cooler swap in SF, I also can provide a clean EGR cooler as long as you return me your old one. I live near SF Zoo.

 

How’s your head gasket doing?

I guess as importan, which gets more driving these days: the Prius or the nice new Volt?

 

I wonder if carb cleaner would be a better solution for cleaning the EGR valve? Brake cleaner is just a degreaser -- and this is not an oil/grease clean-up job. Carb cleaner and a tooth brush work like magic removing coked on crud in carbs, throttle bodies, and intakes.

 

I used carb cleaner and it was fantastic, freed the carbon up in a few minutes

 

Just googling carb vs brake cleaner:

Carb cleaner vs. brake cleaner - The Garage Journal Board

 

I have never done this job but has anyone ever tried oven cleaner to remove the carbon? Just curious.

 

Isn't oven cleaner destructive to aluminum?

Pixel XL ?

 

Yeah but fine on the (stainless steel) cooler. As you know, obviously, it being your tip.

I did try oven cleaner on the intake manifold, but it seemed ineffective. My take:

EGR valve: brake cleaner
Intake manifold: brake cleaner
EGR cooler: brake cleaner with OxiClean follow up.

 

OK good enough for me.

It seems people are doing this on high mileage cars with at least 100,000 miles on them. I kept the last Prius for 10 years and never did anything to the engine other than routine maintenance. I told my wife at our age there is no need to drive old cars.
I don't plan of keeping this one that long and hopefully there will be advances in technology that will give me what I really want an all electric. I like having a car under warranty for traveling.