2010- EGR System Maintenance

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Prius_Angie, May 30, 2020.

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  1. Prius_Angie

    Prius_Angie Active Member

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    I just bought a $1000 white beat-up 2010 Prius with 298,000 miles. A lot of work to be done to get back on the road. Upon purchase the only CEL code was- P0401 exhaust gas recirculation. Now off to the hard and detailed work, removing and overhauling the entire EGR system.

    MATERIALS
    - mail ordered "used" EGR valve; clean and reused EGR cooler and pipe
    - pipe cleaning brushes
    - cleaning solutions: water, MAF cleaner, purple degreaser, easyoff oven cleaner, brake parts cleaner, carburetor cleaner
    - E8 socket
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    EGR PIPE.
    - easy access
    - shortcut removal of only the EGR pipe wouldn't require cowel tray removal; but for deeper access to the EGR valve/cooler, cowel removal is necessary
    - cleared with combination of purple degreaser, easy off oven cleaner, brake parts cleaner, pipe cleaning brush
    - the bristling pipe cleaning is great for agitation as a bore punch for that gunk removal
    - added a new rubber gasket replacement
    - got rid of the EGR pipe-strap-doohicky; other than hold down and guiding wires, it seems there is no real purpose for keeping this. Akin to the cowel tray, its a pain of time and labor to go around it. I dont need it any longer
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    EGR VALVE.
    - I couldnt open up the cap w/o destroying the rusted in screws; but I've researched its difficult to clean it to unlock
    - decided to online mail order for an $88 "used" part
    - part came in nice and clean; i just hope it works ; )
    - this was a simple parts-swap out
    - product came with 2x new metal gaskets
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    EGR COOLER
    - I decided to reuse my EGR cooler
    - solid concrete-cooler
    - upon initial visual inspection, i could not see through the cooler
    - liquid could not pass from one side in-port to the other side out-port
    - I let it marinate several times within 24 hours being plugged up (wine bottle plugs) from both ends in a combination of: purple degreaser, brake cleaner, easyoff oven cleaner.--- SADLY IT DID NOTHING.
    - I drilled through all ~50x radiator holes with drill and wire hanger
    - I endured 2x painful hours, bending and unbending the wire hanger, but I was ultimately SUCCESSFUL
    - finishing gargle and wash with a combination of: water, purple degreaser, brake cleaner, easyoff oven cleaner.
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    MAP CLEAN.
    - I performed maintenance on the manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor
    - easy to access beside the throttle body; simple unclip
    - 1x single 10mm screw to remove
    - spray everything down with MAF cleaner
    P_20200530_120402.jpg P_20200530_120955.jpg P_20200530_121012.jpg P_20200530_123544.jpg

    ROAD TEST.
    - ensure you meticulously replug every wire back in place
    - engine startup- erase all codes
    - <10 minutes on back road-- confidence up; parlay...
    - >30 minute roadtrip-bank deposit errand; @Smooth and sustained 70mph
    - no CEL (P0401) returned
    - i hope this "used" EGR valve lasts >5 years in combination with new oil catch can emplacement.
     
    #1 Prius_Angie, May 30, 2020
    Last edited: May 30, 2020
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  2. tankyuong

    tankyuong Senior Member

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    You still have a bad head gasket to deal with
     
    #2 tankyuong, May 30, 2020
  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Maybe just put it in a safe place in case you change your mind the day that wire harness sags down onto the hot EGR pipe.

    Lisle 62140 Seized Fastener Remover Master Kit

    You'll wonder where it's been all your life. (And no, I don't work for Lisle.)

    Didn't see anything in the original post about a bad head gasket to begin with.
     
    #3 ChapmanF, May 30, 2020
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  4. Prius_Angie

    Prius_Angie Active Member

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    Hi Tank, can you expand on that a bit:
    - my oil change was good-- not milky,
    - i have a dry car pad w/ Prius sitting 3x months, and
    - Im not losing any coolant.
    - engine hums nice at +70mph
     
    #4 Prius_Angie, May 30, 2020
    Last edited: May 30, 2020
  5. Prius_Angie

    Prius_Angie Active Member

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    Right on, I tossed doo-hicky in the trunk, for now. ;) Is there a name for that doo-hicky?
    thanks for the tool lead
    Also have you any good luck refurbishing the EGR valve? Not much online of folks tackling it; seems they just replace the carbon-locked-up part.
     
    #5 Prius_Angie, May 30, 2020
    Last edited: May 30, 2020
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Patron saint of newly poured sidewalks

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    FWIW, I cleaned the EGR valve without removing the black cap. Managed to clean it end-to-end. Maybe a little more finicky, but no deal. OTOH, @ChapmanF has posted some interior pics, what "might" be under that black cap, that looked pretty groddy. So a toss-up?

    Refresh my memory: you've done the intake manifold already? I'm thinking you must have, including it's EGR passageways, if everything's running smoothly now.
     
    #6 Mendel Leisk, May 30, 2020
    Last edited: May 30, 2020
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  7. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    All the egr valve internals don't look like that;).

    Only the ones from the salt belt do:cool:.

    But I've disassembled about a dozen different ones :).

    So I know my way around the valve. Enough to know an impact screwdriver is a good tool to remove the black cap(y).
     
    #7 Raytheeagle, May 31, 2020
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  8. Prius_Angie

    Prius_Angie Active Member

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    yeah, a shame we can clean the EGR pipe and cooler, but notso for valve. :(
    oh, I spoke too soon...
     
    #8 Prius_Angie, May 31, 2020
    Last edited: May 31, 2020
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Patron saint of newly poured sidewalks

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    You can clean the valve completely without removing the cap. Your call.

    One thing, I think the (impact screw driver) tool @ChapmanF mentioned requires an air compressor? An old-school impact screw drive that you just wack with a hammer (or small sledge hammer) is also quite effective. Again, see first sentence, and maybe depends on location. I'm not sure how salt spray would kick up to the EGR valve. Maybe more so if engine underpanel was missing?
     
    #9 Mendel Leisk, May 31, 2020
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  10. Prius_Angie

    Prius_Angie Active Member

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    RTE,
    nice new 2019 Prius Prime
    Thanks for the lead on impact screw driver.
    Have you been successful in cleaning out and refurbing any EGR valves; or are they DOA with carbon buildup?
     
    #10 Prius_Angie, May 31, 2020
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  11. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    When did the egr circuit on @m.wynn 's daughters 2011, you could tell the salt got to the block:eek:.

    And it was in New York for most of its life;).

    The back egr nuts were rusted on:cool:.

    So how does this happen when the best coast cars don't see this:whistle:?

    The salt solution now employed by municipalities does a number on cars, which when that solution gets all over the place and then causes the bare surfaces to begin the corrosion process:(.

    But I got it done and she was down the road in better shape (y).
     
    #11 Raytheeagle, May 31, 2020
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  12. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    I have refurbed all of them;).

    The impact screwdriver is the key to access and a proper cleaning:).

    Give it a shot and see for yourself (y).
     
    #12 Raytheeagle, May 31, 2020
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  13. Prius_Angie

    Prius_Angie Active Member

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    ML,
    thanks, Yeah I cleaned all I could aside from entering that black cap, when I first cleaned out the EGR cooler.
    but still CEL code (P0401) & engine misfiring were still persisted even after my light cleaning of EGR valve
    Imma try that impact screw driver for affect--- i now have 3x EGR valves to play with. :whistle:
     
    #13 Prius_Angie, May 31, 2020
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  14. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Right, it was only a few years ago that an air hammer came into my life, and I've wondered ever since what I was doing without that too. :)

    For example, you've mentioned in some thread you might have managed to get into the valve if you had wanted to go 'gonzo' with the impact tool and a hammer. It turns out (and I had heard this before, but I guess never really believed it) that it isn't about how hard you smack the thing (sledge? OMG no, might crack the ears right off the aluminum casting) but about lots of very light taps. Like, barely pulling air-hammer trigger light. If you've got an arm that can do 30 light strokes a second with a hammer, you've got no need of this tool. :)

    ... and you should probably be the one sending me spam email about herbal vigor supplements.

    I should also mention, the way the Lisle tool works, all the hammer energy is used only to tap straight down on the screw. It doesn't have any sort of cams changing part of the blow into twisting force. It has flats on the sides, and you put an ordinary wrench on the flats, and apply your own steady light loosening pressure on the wrench, while the tool just bonks straight down on the screw over and over. Works great, and there's no way you're going to round out the Phillips head or break the screw.

    I opened one up that was pretty grody inside. I just cleaned up the grode and put it back together and it seems to move smoothly and freely and do everything it would be wanted to do.
     
    #14 ChapmanF, May 31, 2020
    Last edited: May 31, 2020
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  15. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Maybe just think of it as the "don't let my $4,000 engine wiring harness drape down on a hot EGR pipe doo-hicky"? Not the official name, I'm sure, but easy to remember. :)
     
    #15 ChapmanF, May 31, 2020
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  16. tankyuong

    tankyuong Senior Member

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    #16 tankyuong, Jun 1, 2020
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