Finding cleaning brush for EGR down tube

[sifan]

The CEL on my '95 Tercel just came on with DTC P0401. The EGR down tube was cleaned by a repair shop a year ago (or about 18K miles ago). They told me that the EGR valve was still good. I have searched the Internet looking for solution. Many suggest to also clean the port on the intake manifold where the EGR down tube connects. I have two questions:

1) The EGR down tube are bent at both ends. Can someone suggest where to find a long and flexible metal brush to clean the carbon inside the tube?

2) I do not want to remove the intake manifold since it is a lot of work. Is it possible just to clean the carbon around the port without removing the intake manifold? Will carbon being scrapped off cause any damage to the engine when it falls into the intake manifold?

 

[Donald]

People suggest a gun cleaning brush, but I have not tried it.

 

[sifan]

The tube is long with many bends. It is not a straight tube. Will a gun cleaning brush be long and flexible enough?

 

[eljefino]

Start the car with the EGR valve off (briefly.) It should be loud with exhaust if that side is open, and run terribly or stall if the intake side has good flow.

A GM diagnostic tree for that code suggests one should have perfectly working MAP and o2 sensors, and that the PCV vacuum system needs to be up to par. Idle the car with the oil filler off and put a dollar bill over the fill hole, it should not be sucked in or blown off strongly. (IDK how well this translates to toyota but it gives you something to think about).

It is usually suggested to use a bicycle brake cable, frayed at the end, chucked in a cordless drill to roto-rooter these passages out.

 

[c3po]

What about spraying something like Amsoil Power Foam into the passage ways, would this dissolve the crud that is in the passages.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Start the car with the EGR valve off (briefly.) It should be loud with exhaust if that side is open...


That's what I've done. You can stuff a small pc of rag or whatnot in the exhaust side port and spray (liberally) an intake cleaner of your choice down the vacuum side of the EGR base/plumbing. I've never seen carbon build up in the exhaust side plumbing. Only on the vac side where the exhaust gasses cool and condense.

Joel

 

[sifan]

I am surprise that the EGR tube will need cleaning so soon after only 18K miles. Is this normal? Either the repair shop did not do a thorough cleaning job or something else is broken like VSV that needs replacement. Or as engine gets older, this type of cleaning is required more often?

 

[Vilan]

Might not've cleaned it out well enough. My car was throwing an EGR code and I took it to the dealer to be fixed. Five minutes off the lot, it came back. Brought it back, second time they got it right and it hasn't been back since.

 

[Rooy]

I've heard that an old speedo cable with the end frayed and run in reverse in a drill works well.

 

[JackFish]

Try a snake. Go to your local band instrument shop.
They come in different sizes for brass instruments, tubas, trombones, trumpets.

 

[eljefino]

^ That's funny because I've heard an 'E' electric guitar string is perfect for poking out carb jets.

 

[GMBoy]

Pipe cleaners work and so does soaking it with carb cleaner until it runs clean than air dry.

 

[pidster]

I have a 95 Tercel myself and had the same problem, on my car the EGR tube itself was pretty plugged up but the small port on the intake manifold that the EGR tube connects to was sealed shut with carbon. I opted to remove the whole manifold and clean it in a parts washer. Problem solved, been about 2 years and still no problems. You could probably get away with leaving the manifold on the engine and poking the sludge out with a small screwdriver, but personally I'd be worried about knocking some loose and having it end up getting sucked into the motor.

Good luck

 

[benjamming]

components in gasoline can contribute to this problem as well per Honda