How to clean EGR cooler?

Cleaning out the EGR cooler is part of the manifold cleaning process for me.
I never bother to pull the cooler off and try to soak it

I use a 3/16" X 12" drill bit in the old DeWalt and round off of the corners so as not to dig into the heater exchanger tubes. Nibble at it ...1/4"-1/2" stroke clearing the crud from the hole often while keeping the drill aligned with the tubes and only the tubes that can be accessed straight-on. That amounts to may 8 or 9 tubes. It is enough to satisfy the EGR's requirements.
Don't try to bend the drill and don't force it! Let the drill draw out the carbon. If you push hard it will pack the carbon and make it all the harder to bore through.


There are these:
https://www.mcmaster.com/#long-length-drill-bits/=17jc92k
a little pricey ($25) but designed for the "chip" removal.

or these:
https://www.mcmaster.com/#long-length-drill-bits/=17jc8al
about $16 for 3/16"X12"L and suit the purpose for me

I'm trying to get power back in my 2001 1.9L (365k and I saw no notes in previous owners records of the intake ever being cleaned. I've had it for last 90k with decline in power over last 40k or so).
From above posts I'm a bit confused.

I have things apart.
My intake does not look as bad a previous cars intake, but surely does need cleaning, as well as EGR itself.
The EGR Cooler does look pretty clogged to me, but I haven't ever seen a clean one to know how bad it is.
Connecting hose nuts are not budging so that's not coming off.

So do I understand it does NOT matter if my EGR Cooler is clogged?
Engine will get fresh air instead of recirculated?

Basically what I need to know is can I get by (and restore power) by just cleaning my EGR and Intake? OR do I have to clean the EGR Cooler as well to restore power? (No emissions test on cars where I'm at). New cooler price rules that option out for me.

Thanks for any help!!

You are correct; EGR is fed in to reduce NOX. The ECU can compensate for lower flow to a point, and if it goes out-of-band it will trip a MIL but is otherwise has little effect.

Just clean the EGR and intake, and at the same time check your boost levels and vacuum hoses.

Thank you so much Genesis!
Well if checking boost requires equipment l can’t do that.
l can visually inspect vacuum hoses.

You cannot be sure what the car is doing without VCDS. You can (and should) inspect the vacuum hoses; if they're the original cloth-covered ones and have never been replaced it's nearly certain they're compromised and should be replaced, but in terms of knowing what the car is actually doing .vs. what it wants to do (e.g. what the ECU commands .vs. what actually happens) VCDS is the tool to determine that.

Finished cleaning the intake. Everything's back together. I don't see any unfastened wires or hoses. Everything was dry. I was careful not to get cleaner in the anti-shudder valve ir EGR. I did not clean the EGR cooler. I did have to drain antifreeze to replace a part that broke. I've replace most of the antifreeze and was waiting to start the car to top it off.
HOWEVER, car is NOT starting right up. I wasn't sure if I should expect this or not. It cranks but doesn't start. At one instance the coolant light came on. On my last try the oil light came on and stayed on while it was cranking so I stopped because that made me uncomfortable. (Oil level is fine.) battery started to sound like it was weakening.
Could I have dislodged something? And what? I didn't think I did. Or is this long cranking expected after vacuum hoses have been opened up?
Thanks for any help!

No, it should start immediately. Check to make sure you did not dislodge something electrical (like the connector to the IP.)

The oil light is normal with extended cranking.

I cracked a couple fuel injector lines, cranked car. No fuel leaked out. I can't imagine what I could have done to compromise the fuel system. I was up on top of the engine compartment on a blanket a lot since I'm short, but on drivers side.
I'll start the search on this tomorrow.

Maybe you leaned on a fuel fitting and cracked it. Something like the thermo-tee on the fuel filter.

whitedog said:

Maybe you leaned on a fuel fitting and cracked it. Something like the thermo-tee on the fuel filter.

Click to expand...

I'll check that, thanks!

Check the wiring to the fuel shutoff solenoid (on the IP). One wire. In general, look around for any disturbed wires. Unless you've managed to stick your ASV closed (engine would tend to spin over really easy/fast) it's probably going to be an electrical issue.

True -- a stuck closed ASV tends to get people exactly once (at which point being embarrassed by having missed it the first time makes it the first thing you look at with a no-start )

EGR Cooler Cleaning and clarification of benefits of EGR Delete

I realize I'm late to this discussion, but in the midst of my second timing belt change I realized that the EGR cooler and other intake components needed cleaning. I appreciate the ideas in this thread, and I think I will proceed with the 12" drill bit idea, as a short drill bit was the most effective method of getting the carbon and gunk out thus far. I have been just turning the bit by hand to avoid puncturing the cooler tubes.
I soaked the cooler initially in an acetone solution (nail polish remover) thinking this would dissolve the carbon, but I think this was a mistake. I found this link with a back to back test of cleaning solvents and they found Purple Power was the most effective so I may try this.
http://www.trucktrend.com/how-to/pa...ch-test-diesel-egr-cooler-cleaning-solutions/
The EGR coolers are stainless steel so the self-cleaning oven idea may also have merit. I would not worry terribly about annealing of the cooler as this is not really a structural application where high strength would be critical.
Regarding the use of EGR delete kits, the function of EGR is to reduce the NOx emissions of the engine by lowering mean peak in-cylinder temps, by mixing free oxygen rich air with relatively inert exhaust gas. I personally think emissions are something to be concerned about and so would not delete the EGR system on that basis. That is a personal choice, but I would also like to clarify that eliminating the EGR system will not in and of itself necessarily lead to improved engine performance.
The exhaust system and intake system were sized for a certain range of flows and so eliminating EGR means one is increasing exhaust flow and therefore increasing the restriction (back pressure) that the engine sees. I spent many years in the engine performance group of a major diesel engine manufacturer and I can tell you that for a given NOx level an engine with EGR can be calibrated to yield better fuel efficiency at higher power levels than one without EGR. If one does not care at all about NOx emissions (which lead to smog, acid rain, and contribute to the greenhouse effect), it is true that an engine without EGR can be optimized by design to produce more power more fuel-efficiently than one with. In the case of an existing engine/exhaust/intake system designed for use with EGR, it is unlikely that performance improvements will be realized by eliminating the EGR system without increasing the exhaust system size and advancing timing further than may be possible with the OEM calibration ranges.

whitedog said:

Maybe you leaned on a fuel fitting and cracked it. Something like the thermo-tee on the fuel filter.

Click to expand...

BTW Whitedog, that's exactly what it was!! Sorry I thought I had given you feedback on that last year, but just saw that I didn't. Your and everyone else's help was greatly appreciated!

DeafBug said:

You can always do away with the EGR cooler and get the Euro mod from Dieselgeek.

Click to expand...

BAD IDEA DO NOT DO THIS MOD.
The reason why i say this is because i seen somewhere in the forum post mentioned about High sulfur fuel in New York. (Leading me to believe this person lives in that state)

New York has emissions checks and inspections, and if they run emissions test on your vehicle to find the numbers are higher than normal you WONT PASS. Due to extra heat, soot, and carbon leaving the tail pipe.

Not that deleting the EGR is bad for the vehicle, it does give better power. Though its an emissions issue from state law.

How ever if you lived in oklahoma, this is the state where no one gives a crap about emissions and you can run straight pipe everywhere around town. (Except Tulsa)

ALSO, if you plan to remove the EGR there are a couple things need to consider when involving delete of the EGR.

Because the EGR recirculates un-burned fuel back into the intake manifold it takes a % of that and re-burns inside the engine. When deleting the EGR, your increasing the amount of exhaust passing through your exhaust pipe. Which could have an DPF Filter. (Diesel Particulate Filter). This is in a way similar to having Catalytic converters on cars, BUT it has its own personality to how it captures manages the exhaust fumes which pass through.

By deleting the EGR, its possible you can increase your chances of clogging your DPF Filter. Im not sure if your car has one Because of the year it was made. However, if it does and you care less about emissions laws and regulations in New York. I would suggest also removing the DPF Filter and replace with a downpipe just to prevent any exhaust flow restrictions later on in time.

Hayze said:

BAD IDEA DO NOT DO THIS MOD.
The reason why i say this is because i seen somewhere in the forum post mentioned about High sulfur fuel in New York. (Leading me to believe this person lives in that state)

Click to expand...

New York (and probably all the states) does have high sulfur fuel available for -off road equipment-

I'm not sure if the nozzle is larger and won't fit in vehicles requiring ultra low sulfur fuel.
I know the big rig nozzles are larger for faster fill up.