EGR Questions

I know I should know this being a heavy-duty Ford mechanic, but i really dont know a lot about emissions systems. So the question is what can I all remove from my engine when I disconnect my air-pump and not have running problems? So far I have taken out the pump itself, all the tubes to the h-pipe(I welded up the hole in the h-pipe after cutting it off) and plugged off the holes in the back of the cylinder heads that the pump fed. Can I also take out the EGR valve itself or the charcoal canister on the inner passenger fender? I'm starting to get ready for spring and work on my stang again so I'm making up a list of things to check on and do before I try to start her again and this was a biggie.

Why did you take all of that stuff out?At my shop we've found that there is very little difference in performance when you remove emission equipment.We normally put on hi-flow cats,from just about anyone,keep the air pump functioning,EGR,vapor can,whatever it came with.In Ontario there is a strict emission test system where everything gets hit every two years;it's visual,then a run test then a curb idle test.Fail any one and you're done.

On the shop test car,('89 5.0 LX),we did this;a custom box intake,36 lb injectors,BBK reg(boost referenced),255 lph pump,out-of-the-box WP Windsor Jrs,a custom Comp Cams stick,and a turbo off of a Cummins TD truck.Plumbed through a Super Coupe intercooler.Well,this thing pushes 411 bhp at the rear wheels,nearly 400 lbs of torque.Runs the AOD/3.73 car to low 11s regularly.Drive it on the street constantly.

Last month it passed its E-test.Has all factory stuff on it,plus a 3" hi-flow cat,hooked to the air pump.Disconnecting ANY of it made a negligible difference,as the EEC is designed to work WITH it,not IN SPITE of it.

"Charcoal Can"- part of the vapor recovery system;stores built up vapors from gas tank and keeps them inside rather than venting to the atmosphere(pollution!).When you start the car,the solenoid in line to the motor opens and the motor sucks in and burns the vapors. 0 hp lost(1 or 2 added on startup)

"Air pump" --all it does is pump fresh air into A) the backs of the heads then through the little holes in the exhaust ports.and B) to the catalytic converter.In both places,all it does is add O2 to the mix and keeps unburned fuel burning after leaving the head-more complete burn= less pollution out the pipe.HP loss- 3.6 @ 5200 rpm(we saw this on a chassis dyno)

"EGR" -- re-introduces some exhaust gas from either inside the center two exhaust ports throught the center of the stock intake(HOs)or externally to the outside upper intake on 5.0/5.8 trucks.This exhaust gas actually serves to cool the piston's crowns;does this by having some unburned fuel in it,and also it's significantly cooler as a gas than the crowns are.On stock 5.0s,we've seen ones that pinged madly when the EGR was disconnected or faulty.HP loss- negligible

Those are the biggies.Sorry for the long post,but this IS an important subject in some states/provinces,and too many people disconnect stuff thinking they're gonna find some vast untapped power;it's inversely true,and it's bad for the environment.

I also removed my air pump, but not for a performance reason. It was more to clean up the engine bay of clutter. Did you plug the thermactor holes directly or though the tube? Did you cap off the vacuum lines correctly that ran to the smog pump? I really wouldn't remove some of the other stuff though like you have mentioned. vbrpete makes some pretty good points as why not to remove anything. Also if you run a self ECU test with the smog pump removed you'll notice that you throwing a code because the air system and secondary air systems are inoperative, and you can expect more codes to pop up if you start removing the EGR system as well.

Well,this thing pushes 411 bhp at the rear wheels,nearly 400 lbs of torque.
I don't know if you meant this or not, but bhp is hp at the flywheel not the rear wheels.

I plugged the thermactor holes at the heads with screw in plugs w/ threadlocker. I'm doing this to clean up the engine bay as well, not for power. I should also say that the computer issue may not be a problem. I purchased a Tweecer RT last fall and can most likely reprogram it for no EGR somehow, but I'm still learning it yet.

Does anyone know of a good site or a book where I can find clear and accurate vacuum line diagrams? I want to make sure all my lines have been reconnected right.

I also removed my air pump, but not for a performance reason. It was more to clean up the engine bay of clutter. Did you plug the thermactor holes directly or though the tube? Did you cap off the vacuum lines correctly that ran to the smog pump? I really wouldn't remove some of the other stuff though like you have mentioned. vbrpete makes some pretty good points as why not to remove anything. Also if you run a self ECU test with the smog pump removed you'll notice that you throwing a code because the air system and secondary air systems are inoperative, and you can expect more codes to pop up if you start removing the EGR system as well.


I don't know if you meant this or not, but bhp is hp at the flywheel not the rear wheels.
Got me on that one.I'm just a wrench bender-buddy Troy handles the dyno.He's still trying to explain bsfc to me...damn engineers and their edumacation

Got me on that one.I'm just a wrench bender-buddy Troy handles the dyno.He's still trying to explain bsfc to me...damn engineers and their edumacation
It's all good. :biggrin:

I'm taking a class on fuel and emissions and the driveability of it all atm. This fits right in. And yes, vbrpete is completely right. You beat me to the punch... LoL