This can be a real PITA, since the nut holding it on is underneath the plate it's attached to, and there's almost no room to work. I saw a post where someone just connected the new part to the hoses and left the old one in place. But I got it off in about 20 minutes.

I found a 10mm crowfoot wrench at Sears for $4. It's basically just an open wrench head with a 3/8" square hole at the end. When you put an extesion in the hole, you create a wrench with a 90 degree bend. That's the key.

You'll need at least 9" of extensions to get enough room to attach a rachet wrench. Put the extensions on the wrench, and feel the wrench around a little to get it on the nut. It goes on pretty nicely. Since you're working from behind the nut, turn the wrench clockwise to take the nut off. You don't have room to turn it a lot, but you only need to loosen it, and then you can get your fingers underneath to unscrew it.

There are 3 hoses attached, which of course are welded on by now. I pried the front 2 hoses off at the other ends (only a few inches away) with a screwdriver, and then pulled the valve out enough to pull the last one off.

I'm sure this would work at least as well with a flex head ratchet wrench. But I wasn't about to spend $90 for a set of wrenches I may never use again...

 

I need to do this, I still don't know what it looks like or where I can find it in the engine bay. I know it has three hoses on it. I see hoses EVERYWHERE.

 

I'm not at home, so this is from memory. There's sort of a "valley" formed underneath the intake assembly (the tubes that feed into the intake manifolds). The knock sensor sits inside that valley, if you've ever replaced it. The EGRC solendoid is bolted to a plate right at the entrance to the valley. In fact, the solenioid is the reaosn why it's such a PITA to replace the knock sensor. The solenoid has two hoses side by side that stick up--they're about 3" long, and there's another hose out the back whihch is a little harder to see. There's also an electrical connection at the top. You don't really need to remove any hoses to get to it, but there isn't a lot of room around it.

I'll see if I can get a picture of it tonight.

 

The EGR solenoid is green, and the worst to remove. I think I used a 10mm ratcheting wrench to remove it. You can also leave the old on there, install the new one and let it dangle, or mount it somewhere else. Its not a huge deal. I moved all the emissions crap out of that spot, got rid of the vacuum gallery (confusing as fowk) and life is so much easier now.

 

Thanks for the reply. I will check it out again.

 

I'm having a little trouble figuring out how to attach pictures. If it helps, it has red and blue wires coming up from the connector. It's pretty much right in front of (and below) the throttle cables.

 

Sounds good, I might check it out tomorrow.

I'm trying to get a lot of maintainence stuff done on my car before I go to college.

 

I need a pic of this damn thing I can't find it! I have searched this whole site and no pic anywhere. Somebody please post a pic!

 

what does it do anyway, i dont kno wwhat it is, never seen it before or i prolly just never paid attention...

 

thank for all your help.

 

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....ht=egr+diagram

there is a link to the pix of component locations at the bottom of that thread.

 

That is the worst pic ever! I just ordered one and found the matching part and replaced.Done!

 

im not sure which way youre going with that, i hope you looked at the other pics in the photo album.

 

No where really, it was just very fustrating for me to find this. I had alot of trouble figuring out those diagrams .Now that I found It I am very happy

 

Is the part that needs to be replaced is the little box with the red and blue wires going into it? I should also replace the tube going into the engine, right?

 

Could the EGRC valve solenoid cause a rough idle or low idle when coming to a stop?

 

if there is a vacuum leak sure. egr is pretty much only used durring warm idle, so its possible one of your vac lines has a leak. when the egr solenoid is activated it could switch to the bad hose and cause your issue. but it could also be you evap system, since it works in a similar way.