Cleaning an ERG valve

Can anyone recommend and proper way to clean out an ERG valve. I spoke with a mechanic here in Calgary and he stated that it was too complicated for the weekend mechanic and would not take the time to try and explain it.

Anyway, if it is too complex let me know, otherwise any help would be very appreciated.

Stu

Stu, I think that you should be able to get the crud out of it with carburetor cleaner. Just unbolt the thing from the manifold and clean its internals. It's not that big a deal, and I don't think the mechanic you spoke to wanted to be helpful at all. I would be sure to avoid getting carburetor cleaner on the diaphragm. However, since you'll have the thing off your motor, you may be better off just replacing it. I suppose that if the valve is stuck open, it may be causing the idle problem you described...but in the experience I described to you with my own pickup, the diaphragm spring was weak, causing the valve to open too easily, and the valve had to be replaced. It cost me around $50 as I recall. That was $50 well-spent and brought me great satisfaction...I just wish that I had checked out the EGR before I bought every other sensor on the engine and rebuilt the TBI!

Could it be an ERG Valve causing my car problems too? I have a 97 Dodge Avenger ES and since a 4 day freeze this past winter in New England, my car idles like a tank in battle...it cuts out at stop signs, or if I stop giving it gas. I just replaced the Cat converter today ($361.99) after smelling sulfur and also after others saying it was the problem. It was tuned up a short while back, but still the same. Any ideas? A BIG Thanks. I am frustrated now.

Tim

Could it be an ERG Valve causing my car problems too? I have a 97 Dodge Avenger ES and since a 4 day freeze this past winter in New England, my car idles like a tank in battle...it cuts out at stop signs, or if I stop giving it gas. I just replaced the Cat converter today ($361.99) after smelling sulfur and also after others saying it was the problem. It was tuned up a short while back, but still the same. Any ideas? A BIG Thanks. I am frustrated now.

Tim
Ouch, come here first before throwing money at your car.
I suspect that replacing your converter was a waste of money.
Your old converter was likely working just fine. It is the presence of unburned fuel in the exhaust that makes the sulpher smell ( so long as the converter works well) because the converter works extra hard burning all the unburned fuel.

That unburned fuel is there because your car is mis firing

I would suggest have a mechanic scan for trouble codes in the ECM first. It could be a bad oxygen sensor, bad ignition module, bad spark plugs or wires that is causing the the problem.

Ouch, come here first before throwing money at your car.
I suspect that replacing your converter was a waste of money.
Your old converter was likely working just fine. It is the presence of unburned fuel in the exhaust that makes the sulpher smell ( so long as the converter works well) because the converter works extra hard burning all the unburned fuel.

That unburned fuel is there because your car is mis firing

I would suggest have a mechanic scan for trouble codes in the ECM first. It could be a bad oxygen sensor, bad ignition module, bad spark plugs or wires that is causing the the problem.


Regarding cleaning ERG's:
I have 2000 Camry XLE 6 cyl. Dealer told me ERG stuck, thus the dash warning light. $275 to fix/replace. Is this something I can clean/free up myself. How accessible is it? Thanks, R. A. Marin