EGR valve removal

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modusmillerns

New member
Hello all,

I recently had a check engine light come on in my 2008 dodge sprinter 3500 and have traced it back to the EGR valve. My plan was to remove the valve and clean it out in hopes that I wouldn't need to spend hundreds of dollars for a new one. The only problem is, I can't get it out. I have removed the hoses, electrical harness, and four bolts. When I try yanking it out, no luck. I watched a few youtube videos which have suggested small taps with a hammer, pliers, and pry bars. I tired the hammer technique and the pliers but was not able to make it budge much at all. I was wondering if anyone else has had the problem and if there is an elegant solution that i'm missing.

Thanks!
KM
 
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plarkin

Active member
I had the same issue first time I remove the EGR valve in 2019. Don't know if it had ever been removed on my new to me 2012 Sprinter. I kept taping it with a hammer to get it to just move sideways on one direction and then back the other direction while pulling up with a large jaw pliers. This went on for over an hour when it was turning but not coming out. I them got more aggressive with the large jaw pliers in rocking one side up and then the other hopping I wasn't going to get it jammed in place. I finally got it out but not without marking in the casing with the pliers. It cleared up well and was firm going back in. Now almost a year later I have removed it and the EGR cooler for a cleaning at 94K+ miles. This time it did come out less effort. After soaking the parts in Berryman's carb cleaner and using some G2 water proof P1500 emory paper on the EGR valve and the housing it is fitting much better. At some point I will need to replace the valve so have a spare on hand. All this work has been for maintenance to hopefully prevent and problems while traveling.....so far it has been working!! I am replacing the lower radiator hose and the hoses on the EGR cooler at the same time as the EGR cooler cleaning.

Just keep working it slowly.

Lance
 
dbuzz77

dbuzz77

Dbuzz77
I just finished that job today. it would not move then i tapped in both directions and it moved slightly. then for 3 days i kept spraying loosening spray at the base and it would suck it in and today i sprayed brake cleaner at the base for half an hour. after that i took a crowbar type tool and between the front 2 bolts there are ribs and i pryed up slightly and it came out. like he said slowly and don't hit it too hard.
 
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modusmillerns

New member
Thanks! I'll give it another go tomorrow and see what I can do. I was hesitant to really bang on it or wrench on it too much as I was worried about damaging the housing too much. But it sounds like i need to put a little more elbow grease in.
 
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modusmillerns

New member
Hello again all,

Thanks for the ideas to get the EGR removed. I finally got it out after another full day of struggling. I eventually caved and got a slide hammer. Worked like a charm. I got the valve all cleaned and operational and have reinstalled it on the manifold. One problem..... Now the vehicle wont turn over. It gives me s few cranks and sputters out. Is there something I may have done wrong while cleaning, or reinstalling the EGR? I feel so close to being over with this nightmare. any further help would be much appreciated!

Thank you!
KM
 
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Jbernielh

Active member
I sure can't think of anything that you could have done with the EGR that would cause that.. reusing the gasket isn't a big issue

Bernie
 
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modusmillerns

New member
Jbernielh said:
I sure can't think of anything that you could have done with the EGR that would cause that.. reusing the gasket isn't a big issue

Bernie
Click to expand...
Is it possible the electrical port could have gotten splashed with soot while I was cleaning it and now the ECU is having a fit? I felt like I was cautious enough when cleaning it but that's all I can think of. It seems people are pretty wary of getting the cleaner solution into the electrical port.
 
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beez

Member
You said you removed 4 screws? I thought there were only 2 that held the EGR valve in, and 2 more that held the stepper motor to the EGR valve. If you separated the two, you must reassemble them properly... The ones on my 2016 that hold the motor onto the valve are security torx to make it clear you are not supposed to remove them...
 
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modusmillerns

New member
beez said:
You said you removed 4 screws? I thought there were only 2 that held the EGR valve in, and 2 more that held the stepper motor to the EGR valve. If you separated the two, you must reassemble them properly... The ones on my 2016 that hold the motor onto the valve are security torx to make it clear you are not supposed to remove them...
Click to expand...
Nope, mine has 4 bolts that mount it to the manifold and 2 more that hold the motor to the valve itself. I didn't remove the 2 holding the motor to the valve.
 
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beez

Member
Well, I can say cleaning the EGR valve worked for me, because it's been so long I couldn't remember how many bolts there were! :whistle:
I can now confirm that on the 2016 2500 there are 4.

So, when you had it apart, were you able to open the valve "petals" with your finger and did it return closed under spring pressure?
Were there any eroded areas under the valve petals? Mine had some minor eroded areas on those seats. I reinstalled it anyway after cleaning and it definitely fixed the bucking.

Good luck!
Chris
 
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modusmillerns

New member
update:

I checked the code again. it's giving me the generic P040B. EGR temp sensor A circuit range performance. upon closer examination of the temp sensor right behind the egr valve I have found the wiring casing to be melted and eroded. I assume from the high heat around it. I did a quick and dirty repair job and have gotten the light to turn off.

turns out the non-starting was stemming from the coolant not being properly pressurized after I removed the egr valve and re-installed. I performed a few cycles of the key from the off position to the on position, without starting the vehicle and the pump did it's job and now it runs like a dream.

thanks for everyone's input!
KM
 
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mike01001

Member
I would like to add, in removal of mine in a 2014 3.0, to use light force with a small ball peen hammer when trying to motivate the part. I used a little too much and caused a leak in the upper area where the halves are glued together. Also I found the Harbor Freight oil filter vice grips (about $10) were long enough and wide enough to clamp over the top of the egr in various locations to aid in loosening it, similar to what plarkin suggested above. Once it starts to separate from the mating surface it progressively becomes easier to remove. Would also recommend a new gasket, they're cheap and can become disfigured upon removal.
 
sparkplug

sparkplug

Well-known member
I echo the comments on the gasket, but will also add that my temp sensor had welded itself into the metal housing and was impossible to remove.

Someone had tried previously and had broken the rear of it in the process leaving the electrical terminals exposed, very badly damaged and poorly soldered together (with no attempt to cover them with so much as electrical tape)

The metal housing had also been damaged as the previous owner (or mechanic, but I doubt it) so I feared it would become an expensive job.

Fortunately the metal housing, sensor, gasket and 'wire repair kit' are sold as a bundle kit by Mercedes and it wasn't particularly expensive.

It should be a simple bolt on job and a bit of soldering for the cable. You will also need to drain and replace your coolant.

In my case I discovered that one of the bolts had been overtightened and had stripped the thread and that the resulting leak had been plugged up with some silicone sealant. So I had a bit more of a clean up to do and a bit of careful drilling in a confined space in order to insert a helicoil than you should have to do, but even so it wasn't a difficult or time consuming job.

The time consuming part for me was having to flush the coolant system out because I didn't know what coolant had been put in there. I couldn't figure out where the drain point was in my rad so I ended up blowing through the disconnected tube from the temp sensor housing in order to force the water out. This doesn't remove all the liquid like draining it would have done so it took several attempts and about 25lit of distilled water to get it running clear.

Time evaporated between connecting everything back up and going for a drive before disconnecting, flushing, reconnecting, driving again, and repeat until the water was clear.

In hindsight I think I should have invested more time figuring out where the drain was on the rad, but I'd broken my ribs not long before and I really wasn't happy lying on my back for any period of time.

Sorry for the long rambling reply. Hope some of it is useful to someone!
 
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