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EGR Guide Tube

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Old 06-05-2013, 02:56 AM
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EGR Guide Tube

I cant get to the screw/bolt on the left of the picture because it is under the intake manifold. What is the best way to get to it?? it is an 8 mm bolt or phillips... stripped the bolt a bit trying to get to it, what gives?!




I already did my TB, and IACV, WOW were they dirty.

Thanks in advance for anybody that can help or chime in!!
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Old 06-05-2013, 06:34 AM
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ratcheting wrench.
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Old 06-05-2013, 06:58 AM
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1/4" 8mm swivel socket
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Old 06-05-2013, 02:31 PM
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Thanks guys, my husky wrench was bulky so went and bought a slimmer duralast wrench from AZ and it fit perfectly. However, I don't know why this was removed since it hardly budges out of the way to get to even see the lower egr guide bolts. Under the round part has a metal tube attached to it so it can't really "move" per the EGR How To.

What did you guys use to remove the lower egr guide bolts? I can hardly get in there. The "EGR How To" is vague on this and makes it look so easy. Did you guys use a socket wrench or a ratchet wrench? My ratchet wrench won't even fit in there, since there is another metal pipe right in front the lower egr bolt.

Makes me wanna give up, but this is something I HAVE TO DO!!! Too much energy spent to just give up now!!

Please enlighten me folks!!!
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Old 06-05-2013, 03:20 PM
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I struggled for a long time when I had set out to remove the EGR guide tube a couple years ago.

The fact that people are able to remove the nuts in that small amount of space with simple wrenches isn't too easy.

Heres what I had to do:

-Soaked the huge nut on the end of the tube which sits in the way of lower guide tube nut with PB blaster.

-Used a pair of vice grips to tightly grip the nut and broke it loose and fully unscrewed it.

-I then was able to bend the pipe enough to fit my socket and ratchet over the nut, but the nut was so badly damaged that I had to pound the socket over the nut with a hammer until it stayed.
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Old 06-05-2013, 04:32 PM
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Thanks bud, I appreciate your feedback and sharing your experience.

You mean the nut on the lower end of the egr tube or the nut you soaked in pb blaster? Either way, sounds scary to have to pound it in like that but if it came through then kudos!!

Was there much flex in the pipe that you had to bend out of the way? I don't want it to crack as im bending since I don't know how thick it is. But our Phoenix heat, 101 now, should help the bend process quite well.

Did you work on the bottom egr bolts from the bottom or top of vehicle?
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Old 06-05-2013, 08:20 PM
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Originally Posted by PersianCzar
Thanks bud, I appreciate your feedback and sharing your experience.

You mean the nut on the lower end of the egr tube or the nut you soaked in pb blaster? Either way, sounds scary to have to pound it in like that but if it came through then kudos!!

Was there much flex in the pipe that you had to bend out of the way? I don't want it to crack as im bending since I don't know how thick it is. But our Phoenix heat, 101 now, should help the bend process quite well.

Did you work on the bottom egr bolts from the bottom or top of vehicle?
I soaked the large 20mm+ (unsure of exact size) nut on the end of the egr tube with pb blaster, it might not have been needed, but it can't hurt. I also put anti-seize on the threads to make it easier to remove in the future.

The egr tube is quite tough to move, it took some muscle just to move it a little bit. I never got close to "bending" it by hand and had to use a pry bar (of sorts) just to move it a couple cm. I had no worries of it bending too much or breaking and I was definently releasing some frustration on it, lol. You'll see how sturdy the tube feels.

The only reason I had to use the hammer on the lower guide tube nut because after so much fail with my wrench the nut was so deformed that the socket did not fit properly.

I got at it from the top, which really wrecked my back (being 6'2) but I had wasted days trying to work in the confined space of the egr tube. I've read of people having success from the bottom, but if I were to do it again today I'd still go at it from the top.

Last edited by bprice92; 06-05-2013 at 08:23 PM.
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Old 06-06-2013, 01:41 PM
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OK so after several attempts and getting nowhere, and having my car apart for 3 days, this egr cleaning is frustrating me. My back and neck are killing me. I'm 6'1" so I def know what you went through.

What I did so far is clean the top of the egr guide tube without taking it off. I cleaned it with my dental tools n hooks and throttle body cleaner, through the IACV port on the UIM. That bowl-shaped crevice in the UIM where the top guide tube connects was FILLED!!! I dislodged the chunks and then stuck a shop vac in the UIM throttle port every few minutes so I wouldn't push the chunks back in the tube. It felt like I was cleaning cavities, LOL!!! Hole was clogged on top of EGR guide tube and once I was done top of tube was a round, shiny, hole again. AHHHHHH!!!

I know it's not the BEST way to clean it, nowhere close, but I didn't even get a EGR code, it was for a IACV code that made me partake in this project. I worked on cleaning the bowl for 5 hours straight!!! It was caked!! I figure I will remove it properly down the line because I just don't have the time to keep playing with it. I highly recommend this method if people want to clean the EGR as a preventative maintenance, as a second option. No need to break your backs!!
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Old 06-06-2013, 01:47 PM
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If anyone has any more words of wisdom or shortcuts or feedback please let me know. I will wait to see what else everyone says before I put everything back on tomorrow!

Deep down inside I don't feel complete without taking that damn tube off!!! Breaks my heart kinda!! I never give up on anything and always follow through. I'm just scared I might create a new problem trying to get it off, or have a hard time getting it back on.
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Old 06-06-2013, 02:44 PM
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Taking it off isnt as bad as cleaning it out just cut the studs flush with the nut in the bottom connection the pain is cleaning yhe firewall side port out mine was really bad.
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Old 06-06-2013, 06:54 PM
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I did this job a few months back with the help of a thread by Ilyac?(think thats how you spell it). For the lower bolts on the egr guide tube i just used a cheap hacksaw blade (just the blade) and my thick gloves. Hacked off about half of the bolt that is hiding behind the larger egr tube. Then just a combination wrench and a lot of force. It helps to have a large piece of plywood to lay across the engine bay to lay on.

hope this helps
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Old 06-06-2013, 07:03 PM
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Hey and also if you did try wiggling the egr-bpt (pic at top) check the connection underneath to the thin metal pipe. my vacuum line making the connection had seemingly exploded. causing some egr type cel code. that and the cleaning the guide tube fixed it and its been months now. still need to take off the TB and UIM and get those.
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Old 06-06-2013, 10:29 PM
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Originally Posted by cjandura
Taking it off isnt as bad as cleaning it out just cut the studs flush with the nut in the bottom connection the pain is cleaning yhe firewall side port out mine was really bad.
Ok!!! But just because your zombie kicking ninja is BADAZZ!!! lol... But I decided im taking another stab at it. Got a 3 set hacksaw from homedepot with thin, medium, and thick grit blades for metal cutting. Starting with the thick grit saw tomorrow morning.

Wish me luck bro!!
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Old 06-06-2013, 10:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Jordan91
I did this job a few months back with the help of a thread by Ilyac?(think thats how you spell it). For the lower bolts on the egr guide tube i just used a cheap hacksaw blade (just the blade) and my thick gloves. Hacked off about half of the bolt that is hiding behind the larger egr tube. Then just a combination wrench and a lot of force. It helps to have a large piece of plywood to lay across the engine bay to lay on.

hope this helps

Originally Posted by Jordan91
Hey and also if you did try wiggling the egr-bpt (pic at top) check the connection underneath to the thin metal pipe. my vacuum line making the connection had seemingly exploded. causing some egr type cel code. that and the cleaning the guide tube fixed it and its been months now. still need to take off the TB and UIM and get those.

I seen the thread your talking about as I searched almost ALL egr related threads.

Regarding the part in the picture, should I try to take the bottom tube off to clean it? Is it a dry line or is there gas or coolant in it??? I read another thread that someone posted saying it was clogged or what not, and threw a high/low egr flow code, IIRC...

Thanks for your feedback!!
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Old 06-07-2013, 12:31 AM
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So great news!!! It's around midnight now so I can't do any sawing so I figured I give it a shot to see if my rotary hand dremel would fit in there. I played with it about 10 minutes maneuvering the cord around the hoses and pipes and I can proudly say it is exactly where I want it to be!!!

Tomorrow morning the sawing begins.... After a nice cup of freshly ground coffee from Peet's!!! Gotta love the 25th anniversary roast in the purple package. You coffee connoisseurs should try it!!

Good night for now gentlemen!!!
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Old 06-07-2013, 03:46 PM
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Finally got it off!!!!!!

Hell to the YES!! Dremel took me no more than 5 minutes!! It does indeed fit in there so to the new people wanting to do this, ditch the pry bar and hacksaw, get yourself a dremel with a reinforced cutoff wheel!!!

Getting to the bolts took a bit longer than the sawing. Thanks for the motivational bump you guys!!



Talk about arterial blockage, WoW!!!!!

Hopefully last problem... I been pb blasting the sensor, avoiding getting it on the sensor harness, attached to the guide tube but its not budging. It was hard to take it off on while tube was still on manifold, now that it's free my wrench fits on it but it won't break loose!! Any advice??? I can't use a socket or ratchet/closed wrench due to the wire coming out, so I have to use an open wrench as my only way to take this off correct?
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