2000 Trooper Blinking Check Engine Light

The check engine light on my 2000 Trooper (3.5L, TOD) blinks when I first start the engine in the morning. When I am coasting, that is not giving it the gas, the light goes away; as soon as I touch the accelerator the light starts blinking. Seems to go away completely later in the day. I've changed the EGR (bought one at Autozone), but doesn't help for long.

Also, I notice a lot of black carbon on the tailpipe as well as the EGR when I changed it.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

clean the egr port, replace the pcv.

see the faq link below for details on the egr port

Any performance issues? How's your gas mileage? A flashing check engine light is *supposed* to mean something is happening that will wreck an emissions control device or maybe the engine. A misfire on these trucks will foul a catalytic converter in no time. You need to get the code read to see what the computer is detecting.
G/luck
Joel

change plugs recently?

the only only only thing that will cause the light to flash is a misfire............
oh and guess what you should not have replaced the EGR valve it can be cleaned they rarely go out if you continue getting a code for it (P0401 EGR flow insufficient) then that would indicat a restriction in the EGR port it can easily be cleaned out do a search you will find info on it.

oh and if the plugs were changed or if you are considering it you need to purchase the Nippendenso plugs for it I am willng to bet that it currently has the lawnmower plugs right now if you have not already replaced them with Bosh. Bet you are wondering about the lawmower plug thing huh, what I mean by that is Champion plugs thats what many of them were originally shipped with but they dont hold up very well.

Thanks for all the feedback. I took it into the dealership and they read the codes. Turned out to be a plugged EGR tube. Now that I know the symptoms, I'm pretty confident I can affect the repair in the future at a great savings to the wallet!

By the way, it did have the Champion plugs in it when we purchased it used, I changed them and went with NGK, but immediately got the misfire codes. I went back to the dealer and got the Nippondenso plugs...pretty rich at $15 a plug.