Help M104 96' E320 can't remove the Egr valve
 

Im desperately need your help guys I have a check engine light on my 96' e320 i searched the arcvhive and found the cause maybe its a gas cap or egr valve pipe plug.Im trying to remove the egr valve but i got stuck with it with the egr pipe that goes to the intake port.HOw do i remove the egr valve to the pipe that needs to be clean.I did everything i wiggle it ,twist it.HElp.

Mmmm, I'm having the same issue with my '86 560SL - cannot free EGR valve from the EGR pipe. The nuts securing the EGR valve to the exhaust manifold came off easily, as did the bolt that holds the valve on to the pipe, but the valve still seems well secured.

I haven't pulled too hard for fear of damaging the pipe, but is there anything else I need to remove, or is it just a case of brute force?

Any help appreciated, Ryan

I've also attached a photo which depicts the problem connection for those that didn't understand my garbled explanation...;)

And just what do you plan to do with that EGR valve when you got it off. Of the thousands of things that turn on the check engine light some are involved with EGR, but in the hundreds of EGR codes I have fixed not a one was the EGR valve itself.

You know what they say about a little knowledge.

I read your article regarding the egr pipe blockage on the intake,I have a m104 engine and i want to clean the egr pipe.

The blockage as pictured in the artcle is on the otherside of the motor four foot down the pipe from the EGR valve.

There is no need to do this if the code is for secondary air injection say or any of the other numerous possibilities. You must at least read the fault codes first.

I know i need to read the fault codes but i also wanna do this as a preventive maintenance I read that you included it on your 30k service for M104 engine,Now if you share the secret on how to seperate the egr pipe to the valve ;)

There is a certain amount of bending of the pipe that runs toward the back of the car necessary - not much but a couple mms. You probably need to squirt the joint with a penetrant oil and let it soak. (You DID remove/loosen the single bolt securing the EGR valve to the engine I presume). I get the dreaded P0400 code about every six months and its a ***** getting the pipe off each time. It binds. Maybe there IS a secret. Also, FYI, I can only get the rotorooter to go in 20" but it cures it so I guess that's the blockage. I used a piece of wire rope with the end soldered (so it doesn't fray) chucked in my low speed drill - gotta run it in reverse to keep the rope from unraveling. HTH,
-Tom

Thanks for the reply Tom,Yes i removed every bolts i can find + the single bolt that holds the egr valve in place.Ok im gonna soak with penetrating oil do you think i will damage the pipe if i do some force.I did twist the egr valve but it wont get loose to the pipe.What's your secret?:)

More a pushing of the valve toward the front than a twist, which will put the tubes into a bind. Twist the valve along the axis of the line out (the one you are trying to remove) while pulling on the line toward the back of the car - like removing a baked on vacuum hose. Penetrant on both lines and put some ass into it.

(If you DO get it off some high temp anti sieze may help future maintenance) apply sparingly to avoid getting it into the tubes!

Oh and putting it back on is at least twice as hard as removal!!





(just kidding)

-Tom

In the two or three I have had trouble removing the pipes I have left them alone. It isn't that hard to take the pipe off at the manifold where the charcoal depsoits exist. You sure don't want to creat a problem at the valve trying to use the roto-router method.

The reason that you have to do it every 6 months is because you are not going through 100% of the pipe.

I have always thought that it would be pretty easy to solder a "clean out" in the heel of the 90 bend at the manifold end that would let you have a straight shot into the manifold. The time to make the mod would be when you have the head off and you can put the pipe on the bench.

Jim-
I want to replace my troublesome pipe with the updated version (less work than the cleanout you suggest) but it looks like a huge job to get at the intake manifold side. I wish someone would do this in the DIY section and post pics or perhaps I'll hafta take my next vacation to Gainesville and let a pro do it :)

Ronald - a gentle tap tap with a metallic hammer may relieve the bind your valve has probably been twisted into, do not put too much ass into it (in light of Steve B's advice)!!

Don't forget you haven't even confirmed this is a blockage yet! Just tighten it back up and go to AutoZone and get them to read the friggin codes!! Youre makin' me nervous ;)

-Tom

<<Don't forget you haven't even confirmed this is a blockage yet! Just tighten it back up and go to AutoZone and get them to read the friggin codes!! Youre makin' me nervous
>>

The simple 2 min. test for egr flow is to hook a hand vac to the egr vac port and pull 15" of vac when the car is at idle .. if the car runs very rough when you apply vac. , you do not have blockage..this also verifies the EGR valve mechanics....so do this test first.
... and an egr code means nothing more than the ecu has detected a fault in the egr SYSTEM,, be it egr valve , ecu sig, switch over valve, tube blockage, vac hose leak, etc, etc ..
Any of these will bring up an EGR code, as the ecu is looking for a vac change when the SOV is sent an electrical EGR application signal.

thanks for the advice guys.