help with egr problem--check engine comes on

I'm having problems with my brothers 91 accord ex with 190k on it. I did a tune up to it, cleaned out the tb, changed the pcv but I get hesitation when starting the car--or when I first press on the gas. I get check engine light code 1 which means oxygen content. I pulled my spark plugs and they are white which translate to running lean. Of course I will change the o2 sensor but that is not the problem. These cars are know to have egr problems. I cleaned out my egr and I have a feeling my egr passage is blocked which is causing this problem b/c When I press up on the diaphargm or supply vaccum to the egr, the engine doesn't stumble like it is suppose to b/c I do the same thing to my 93 accord and the engine quickly stumbles. To make a long story short, I want to know is there a way to clean the egr passage without drilling out the brass stoppers. I did that job myself already but I really don't want to go through it again. What r ur suggestions to get that stuff cleaned out. I ran two bottles of fuel injector cleaner but I want to know is there stuff on the market the break up the carbon if I feed it through the pcv valve hose. Has anyone had success with that.

thanks

When you cleaned out the egr ports, what size drill did you use to clean out the carbon after you removed the plugs? I have never heard of the passage common passage between the egr valve and the cylinder ports to plug up. Maybe they do.

I did not clean out the egr ports on this car, I did that on my last accord. I want to know if the egr ports are clogged, which I am thinking they are, is there a way to clean out the carbon without drilling the brass fittings. I hear there are some stuff like seafoam that you can shoot through the pcv valve while the car is on the clean in the passage and I want to know has anyone had success with that route or what alternatives should I do.

Could try carb cleaner, but I don't know how helpful it'll be.

I would think that any cleaner used to clean the ports should be inserted into the runner that goes to each intake runner at the egr valve. (One side of the valve ports goes to the exhaust and the other side goes to the intake runners.) Does this make any sense? Putting it into the throttle body or PCV hose would not clear the egr ports. Anybody with experience agree?

I thought that it would make sense b/c I took off the egr valve and sprayed alot of card cleaner into the port, took a wire hanger and tried to force out any carbon buildup I can. I used a thin rag to clean it and repeated those steps over and over. If I have to drill the ports maybe I will later but I thought that since the runners lead to the egr and the pcv and brake booster lines lead to it as while I thought that the seafoam stuff I used plus cleaning the egr and the openings would work but it didnt.

good thing is that my check engine does not come on anymore b/c I changed the o2 sensor for my code 1 problem but the hesitation is still present which I know is egr related b/c when vaccumm is applied to the valve it does not make the engine stall or change idle at all and in my last accord it did.