EGR valve & cooler cleaning question

[RDThompson]

I have about 2500 miles before I reach the 67,500 mark .

I understand the procedure fairly well. I'd like to know what if any special tools were required? Any odd-ball sockets or specially bent wrenches or the like ?

I have abnormally large hands, so I'm wondering if I need someone with little monkey hands to augment the process or can I do this with extensions and whatnot.

 

[Bob4x4]

No special tools needed... .....

 

[bombero]

There is a good article in the lastest TDR mag that explaines the hole procedure. Good luck

 

[bombero]

There is a good article in the lastest TDR mag that explaines the whole procedure. Good luck

 

[Bater]

I bought two special tools for this procedure, although I am sure it can be done without both.



- Locking compression style hose clamp pliers. Makes it easier to remove and reinstall the hose clamps. (Sears. )



- The Miller anti-airlock funnel that the service manual recommends you use when refiling the radiator. (Found it on eBay. )



Andy

 

[RDThompson]

I have read the article in TDR, but he didn't mention tools . I don't make presumptions in the absence of information so I thought I should inquire . I appreciate the confirmation that no special tools are required and also the recommendation of the items that will make it easier.

Many thanks to all.

 

[PaulGray]

I have recently done this and thought i might share some insight... .



first off if you have big hands you might want to find someone with smaller hands to get the back nuts off the egr cooler and manifold...



second if you have a 15mm crows foot wrench then plan on using it. . i did not have one so i used 1/2 adapter to a 3/8 adapter back to a 1/2 adapter with a breaker bar on the back right nut, also removed the valve cover so i had some room to move the breaker bar... you will need someone with small hands to put the nut back on for reassembly. .



third in the instructions that came with the geno's garage "kit" (egr cleaning) it says to take the cast iron butterfly plate off first, i found it easier to take the egr cooler off first then it was easier to get to the butterfly plate bolts.



over all really good directions, im no mechanic but well within my abilities.

good luck

 

[RDThompson]

I have recently done this and thought i might share some insight... .



first off if you have big hands you might want to find someone with smaller hands to get the back nuts off the egr cooler and manifold...



second if you have a 15mm crows foot wrench then plan on using it. . i did not have one so i used 1/2 adapter to a 3/8 adapter back to a 1/2 adapter with a breaker bar on the back right nut, also removed the valve cover so i had some room to move the breaker bar... you will need someone with small hands to put the nut back on for reassembly. .



third in the instructions that came with the geno's garage "kit" (egr cleaning) it says to take the cast iron butterfly plate off first, i found it easier to take the egr cooler off first then it was easier to get to the butterfly plate bolts.



over all really good directions, im no mechanic but well within my abilities.

good luck

Thanks for the input. I'll have try and recruit a youngster to help. ( I hope that doesn't sound too Michael Jacksony ).

I noticed in the article that he appeared to have removed the cooler with the butterfly intact as well.

I have a set of magnetic fingerlets that make placing ferrous hardware in blind areas a bit easier. I bought them on the Snap-on truck but they weren't a Snap-on product. I like them a lot, I hate the sound of small bolts tinkling their way to a inaccessable niche in the lower reaches of whatever I happen to be working on.

 

[dsalonen]

I'm fooling with the EGR valve and find I can't disassemble the valve spring retainer as the Geno's article and photo shows. I guess I don't understand what the "keepers" the article refers to actually are. That sound like a snap ring of sorts but there's nothing like that here. Any help?

 

[Bob4x4]

It is just like the keepers on a valve in a cylinder head. Don't loose any parts or you will be buying a new valve-600$^ price tag

 

[Alan Reagan]

I had to have the crow's foot wrenches to get the rear nuts off as well as the front inside one. It's tedious getting those off so just take your time. Also, when you reinstall the crossover pipe, be careful that you don't get it cocked over or you will have a leak and smell burned diesel when the EGR engages.

 

[JTeekell]

Egr valve spring retainers

I'm fooling with the EGR valve and find I can't disassemble the valve spring retainer as the Geno's article and photo shows. I guess I don't understand what the "keepers" the article refers to actually are. That sound like a snap ring of sorts but there's nothing like that here. Any help?

After doing many, the easiest way I have found is to use a 5/8" socket, I prefer a deep well, push in valve spring then tip valve almost to the 4 o'clock position then return the valve upright and release the tension slowly. Both keepers are off and together not across the garage or yard. When reassembling I use a pair of bent pliers to push the valve spring to replace the retainers. Be careful as the tension from the spring will send the retainers far far away if not seated around valve post when you're releasing tension, if you lose one then your SOL. Hope this helps someone removing the soot covered retainers. Also when putting EGR valve back on the torque on egr nuts is 18-20 lbs.

 

[JTeekell]

On the rear EGR Cooler nuts use a 15mm deep well socket with a 1" extension this will place the socket wrench level with top of ccv cover. I use an old torgue wrench because it's longer and easier to loosen nuts. After doing many cleanings for people this is the easiest I have found.

 

[Paid Bastard]

You tube erg cleaning

I have about 2500 miles before I reach the 67,500 mark .

I understand the procedure fairly well. I'd like to know what if any special tools were required? Any odd-ball sockets or specially bent wrenches or the like ?

I have abnormally large hands, so I'm wondering if I need someone with little monkey hands to augment the process or can I do this with extensions and whatnot.

Check you tube - don't know the guy's name off the top my head but he's a legit mechanic, also really good video quality. Try to remove the exhaust too and blow it out with a compressor and use the same cleaner you use on the EGR on it

 

[RVTRKN]

Geno's has good directions and a good kit. Removal of the airhorn is a step you should not skip. When you remove it you'll understand why it's nessesary, I also vacuumed as much as I could, the inlet to the intake manifold. The soot was heavy throughout the EGR system.

 

[dsalonen]

Reply to Paid ******* regarding the EGR cooler 67,000 mile maintenance

Get a set of flex head ratcheting metric combination wrenches at a minimum. Don't think I could have accomplished this maintenance without them. I see Harbor Freight has wobblehead socket extensions on sale. Probably good to have also. Because of your big hands, the very rear inside bolt that attaches the cooler to the manifold is one you probably won't be able to get started when you reassemble. It's a real ***** to get the threads started. Find a little monkey to start that one. Geno's kit for my '08 6.7 has two cone shaped silver colored fiber gaskets for the crossover tube connections. Mine needs one of those on the drivers side but a flat metal flanged one on the passenger side. Geno's replacement leaked immediately and I dug the old, flat one out of the trash and reused it successfully. Geno's instructions are invaluable for the entire job. I do long haul RV transport and one of the Chrysler dealers I use opined that my EGR system probably didn't need cleaning as often as 67,000 miles due to the extensive highway driving and I think the guy was right. It just wasn't that bad. I may extend the service a bit this time. It's a day long process and is obviously why this service is so expensive. But it's not that hard as long as you're patient.

 

[RDThompson]

I employed my grandson to start the more annoying hardware when I went back together. I managed to dodge some aggravation and he was well chuffed to have been essential to the operation.
One very annoying aspect was when I finally got the cooler removed it really wasn't dirty enough to justify all the effort. 150K is coming up in about 25K so I will see if here is any more muck in the cooler by letting it go a few extra thousand miles.
I'm starting to suspect that this whole thing, is just us lot jumping through hoops for the EPA.

 

[RVTRKN]

Remove EGR Valve to see how bad the soot is before cooler removal. But mine was sooted up real bad with only 60K miles.

 

[Bob4x4]

If I owned a 6.7 I would reduce the interval on the valve and just keep an eye on the cooler