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Cleaned EGR valve, not sure if full circuit is needed. 111k miles

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by gboss, Aug 12, 2024.

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  1. gboss

    gboss Member

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    Here are both sides of the cooler. Do you see carbon clogs? To my newb eye I can't see any (there are still bubbles in there as it is still drying from the recent wash). If see carbon or suggest another clean...I think it would be interesting to test either a dish pod or baking soda as those are a much more potent version of Dawn Dish soap. Never tried a pod but baking soda has cleaned out my ovens before.
    IMG_1979.jpg IMG_1980.jpg

    And here is a shot pointed up at a ceiling light:
    IMG_1978.PNG

    Oh yeah, I've been at it over a couple of days. Let it dry. Jammed in the clothes hanger (and wiper blade wire). Cleaning soak. Wire..repeat.
     
    #41 gboss, Aug 20, 2024
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2024
  2. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Days versus minutes??? MMMM (n):whistle:

    I believe it's clean enough.
    You should search ebay, and use duck duck go to search junk yards for the EGR Cooler.
    Get a spare and clean it up for the next time. It will save you a LOT of time and heart ache...
     
    #42 ASRDogman, Aug 21, 2024
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2024
    gboss likes this.
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    That’s looking pretty good. With EGR cleaning, you want to get the cooler cleaning started as early as possible; it’s the time consuming part.

    There’s maybe a slight “patina” of carbon on the convoluted fins, hard to tell.

    keep in mind, it’s not just “clogs” you’re trying to dispel; the main object of that contraption is to cool the exhaust gasses, and even a thin layer of carbon reduces it’s efficacy.
     
    #43 Mendel Leisk, Aug 21, 2024
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  4. gboss

    gboss Member

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    Thanks, yeah I'm thinking this is good enough to throw on so will knock that out.

    For what it's worth, I found the 'bolt from hell' to be incredible easy, but the two studs holding the cooler on to be incredible difficult to remove (I lost my 12mm socket down in the engine trying to get these things off).

    Reached my arm around backside of the engine and used this tool on the bolt from hell....it took all of 30 seconds to remove:
    tempImageJzssPk.png
     
    #44 gboss, Aug 23, 2024
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  5. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Make sure you connect the pcv hose to the intake manifold when you put the intake
    manifold back on. It's right next to the top coolant hose on the throttle body.
    Because if you don't, the hybrid battery will turn the engine over, but it won't start.
    And you'll get the "check hybrid system" on the display... :(:whistle:

    Then you'll have to remove the air filter housing to install it....
    How do I know this???? (n):whistle:

    I cleaned my egr system today. Pretty quick when you have an already cleaned
    spare cooler!
    I also changed the trans fluid and the engine coolant. No issues with air in the system
    because I fill about a cup at a time and VERY slowly, and wait for it to flow out of the
    coolant tank.

    After connecting the pcv hose, and reinstalling the air filter housing, in the hot sun, the
    engine started, ran rough for 3 or 4 second then smoothed out.

    The cooler was completely blocked, but everything else just had soot. Easy to clean out.
    The 4 egr holes in the manifold were not blocked.
    The engine runs VERY smooth again.
     
    #45 ASRDogman, Aug 23, 2024
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  6. gboss

    gboss Member

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    It’s really interesting how different the mindset is on the Prius subReddit versus this forum. Here on Priuschat everyone is set on cleaning the EGR as a preventative to prevent uneven heat distribution on the engine block, but on Reddit everyone says it’s a worthless endeavor if you’re doing EGR cleaning to save your head gasket because the head gasket will inevitably fail from engine cycling (on and off hundreds of times while driving) - the aluminum head expansion/contraction on an iron block during frequent hybrid cycling is what kills it.

    The Reddit mafia does agree EGR is a good thing to do to keep the engine running efficiently but they say that all of the Gen 3 cars with the original flat head gasket design will have head gasket issues between 160K-190k miles - but swapping to the different profile Felpro head gasket design used as a replacement is one of the true fixes for head gasket issues.

    What do you guys think?
     
    #46 gboss, Sep 1, 2024 at 12:04 AM
  7. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Everyone has their idea of why the head gasket fails.
    My personal opinion is that it's a little of each.
    I only went 301,000 before my head gasket failed....

    And only time will tell if the felpro gasket "fixes" a head gasket failure...
    No one has reported going 2-300,000 miles with it. And if they don't clean the cooler
    and intake manifold....
     
    #47 ASRDogman, Sep 1, 2024 at 7:31 AM
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