EGR Valve.
Hello, normally I would not offer an unsolicited review of a product, however in this case I feel I should. We purchased our '94 Blazer with enthusiasm, only to find dismay with the EGR valve. The more research I do on this, the more I am disappointed. After driving our new purchase for 6 months we experienced much as the same problems that I have read about on this site: braking distance increased, stalling, lack of power etc. As recommended we replaced the EGR valve. Great drive for about three weeks. Tired of spending money without adequate results we went to a Gm dealer. We bathed the EGR valve for the recommended 4 hours... great drive for 2 days, returned the truck to bath it overnight... great drive for one week... now it is recommended we have a $1600 valve job done. After spending $600 dollars now another 1600. Well from the research, it is clear this is a design fault. By some miracle when the truck was running well, we had the emissions test done (by law), it passed and we have two years before it is done again. Now we are looking at a backing plate to cut off the emissions return capabilities. I'm told this won't hurt the vehicle, the only drawback is that it will leave the "must service engine soon" on... better than the $1600. For those who think that you can just clean it every so often, I spoke with a reliable friend/mechanic who has seen a vehicle 7 times for the carbon build up. Tomco has also designed a replacement EGR gasket that contains a fine mesh, heat resistant screen that prevents the carbon from reaching the EGR valve pintle and its seat. Check out www.tomco-inc.com. I am not a sales or rep for this company, but I have contacted them for this gasket (only this morning without response yet). For those frustrated with the EGR valve...don't think it will solve itself after one trip to the shop. Good luck. I love the truck when it runs well and I don't mind spending money for maintenance - as long as the money fixes the problem. Be careful if your wife takes the truck or if you drive with your kids in the truck when it is showing the above mentioned signs. I am a big guy and I have difficulties stopping quickly if this arises. Hope this helps...
The Blazer is made by Chevy not GMC. GMC makes the Jimmy which was discontinued last year. It's replacement, the Envoy, is in my driveway.
I have a 1993 Chevy Blazer. I just installed the Tomco LEGR gasket and as a result I no longer have carbon particles plugging the pintel seat. This means a great idle and good braking plus peace of mind when I drive my vehicle. I no longer wait for the next carbon particle to foul my EGR valve.
I thank Tomco for the product.
fhawkins@telus.net.
I also have a 1994 "Jimmy",4.3 litre with surging problems. Precision Tune cleaned the egr valve and it worked for a couple of days. They said a new valve is needed at a cost of nearly $400.00. If I knew where the valve was I would replace it myself. Any insight?
Greg Koberstein (koberstein@avaya.com)
The Valve is up against the manifold, but under the throttle control system (?). It is also tightly squeezed in next to the AC compressor, so all of that makes it very difficult to get to yourself without removing a lot of your engine! At least 2 hours of labor if you bring it in for service.
Daren.
What is a backing plate? How does it function? Where can I get one? My daughters 94 Blazer is driving me up the wall! Thanks, JP.
I have a 1994 GMC Jimmy with the Vortex Engine. I bought this truck in Jan of 2003. I had noticed someone had put a new EGR valve on the truck and had heard of the problem GM has had with the EGR valve. I did not know why it was a problem until I started having the same above problem. So after checking on the internet I decided to take off the egr valve and clean it. (Since it was new and they are so expensive.) Who ever had put this one on had stripped the bolt out. So after cleaning and soaking the egr valve I rethreaded the bolt hole and mounted the egr valve back on. By the way you don't have to take apart the whole engine to get to the egr valve. You just need a socket and extention with a swivle to take the bolts out. Saves a lot of time. Fifteen minutes max to take off egr valve and put back on. Anyway this worked for me for 2 weeks. So now I'm going to try the gasket with the screen. I just hope I don't have to take it apart every 2 months to clean the screen (LOL) GM should be sued for this design.
Matt B.
I have a '95 gmc sonoma, 4.3l z type eng. I have only had it about 4 months. When I bought the truck it ran fine, but after about a month the problems started. Since then I have had it put on a scanner about a million times, luckily I can take it to my school though. The scanner showed nothing for about a month. Then I had a teacher look it over closely. He noticed that the egr valve was 25% open when it should have been closed. I have had if off and on about 20 times with in 3 months. Usually it would run fine for a week or so, then it would run like crap. Sometimes when I came out in the morning when it was cold, the valve was stuck completely open. It would hickup and stumble if you had the pedal to the floor, but would not start. Then because the egr valve was bad it was letting too much exhaust gas into the engine, so the engine would compensate by dumping more gas. All the gas didn't burn and cracked the cone in my catalytic convertor. That costed about $700 at the dealer. THIS WAS THE STUPIDEST DESIGN EVER. If any one knows from experience if the egr valve screen or the backing plate works e-mail me with some info and a place to buy one. ---nicholas_mal@yahoo.com---
I had never heard of the gasket with the screen before... i made something myself... i got some stainless steel screen and cut it to size of the 2 holes on the EGR valve... I then JB welded it to the EGR valve... This works great...does'nt leak air or vaccum... Just don't build it up real high...
Hi.
I've also experienced the problems with the EGR Valve.
I'v also "solved" the problem...
By adding a bottle of injection cleaner once in a while, the problem will disappear. You have to do this maybe every fourth time you fill gas.
Of course, installing a filter by Tomco would be better and a more permanent solution, but I don't think this is sold here in Europe.
Me again spending more time working on my GMC Jimmy. Well I ended up buying a new EGR Valve $175.00 from Autozone much cheaper than the GMC dealer and I got two gaskets from Tomoco. I had made my own gaskets before with sink facet screens from the local hardware store and a regular gasket. Problem was they were too fine of a mesh. The ones from Tomaco have a wider mesh and allow more air flow through the system. After putting one of them on I started getting the check engine light after the first trip down the road. A few months later and more of the same problems. Tomaco recommends driving the truck untill the light comes on. Mine came on the first day. (lol) Well so I have it apart again this time the screen does not seem to have any particals in the screen. (Maybe wider mesh is not as good) I hate to put it together again and get the same results. Was looking online for more advice. If I ever figure this out I'll post it maybe with pictures on my website. I can take off my EGR valve in about 5-10 minutes now and is very easy to do. I'm thinking I should be able to find someone who can replace my valve seals with doing a valve job. And that should stop the carbon from building up and blowing into the EGR valve. Send any comment to machineland@frontiernet.net.
Hello fellow 4.3 owner. We have owned our 95 jimmy since 2000. I have done all the same as you to include adding a JACOB's pro-street ignition (very hot). The first question is: Have you had the PCM reprogrammed with the "EGR Fix" from GM? It really does help. 2nd: How many miles on truck?
I would recommend removing the intake manifold and having it extrude-honed in the e.g.r. passages. This will leave them slick as a whistle! If you block-off the egr completely the truck will not run very well as the egr gasses are used to "cool" the combustion chambers. Without this cooling affect the truck will "spark-knock" like crazy. This will cause the knock sensor to back-off the timing and the end result will be even less power! There is no winning against a bad design; however, it can be made drivable. Good Luck!
Hello, personally I'm new to the forum here, but its nice to know I'm not the only one with the problems so many of you have also mentioned I own a 93 s-10 blazer with the 4.3 and was about to buy a new EGR valve within a day or two, but I'm glad I stopped here first and got the inside scoop I personally am going to give the "filter gasket" a try, if that doesn't work then I don't know ill start a rehab club or something.
I also was ready to buy another EGR valve, this would have been the 3rd one. I appreciate everyones comments and suggestions, especially using the Tomco filter.
What is the best way to clean out the EGR? It was mentioned to soak it. Can anyone tell me what to use to soak it and for how long? Also, does the EGR need to be taken apart? Thanks!
Sept. 07, 1994 I own a 1994 Chevy Blazer---- And I also have been having problems with the ERG valve. Thank you everyone for the info about the filter from Tomco. But now I have another problem and can't seem to find anyone or any information to correct the problem. The temperature gage has been going to the very top, the check gauge lite comes on. After the gage reaches the top it begin to drop back down, where it stay at approx 210. I have purchased a complete cluster gage and the garage has replaced it. But the problem is there again. When the garage checks it they assure me the temperature is only going to 180'. Can anyone help me, I'm afraid to go to far for fear the blazer will let me sit. Carolyn.
I am a licensed mechanic who also drives a 4.3L Chev s10. The best trick I can share with you is that the carbon will always be there due to the design of the cylinder heads so when the rough idle/lack of power occurs just pop the hood and lightly tap the EGR valve at the base. The carbon will fall out. This takes approx: 30 seconds and it will be fine until the next time carbon gets trapped in it. This gasket that was mentioned about keeping carbon out seem like a good idea, but I don't think it is very easy to get. Some times just a hard snap of the throttle will also release the carbon. Replacing the valve or soaking it is pointless. Good luck.