EGR elimination on 2.6 , affect on mpg?

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Holy batman carbon crap galore coming out the tailpipe today after the new PCV valve went on. And that was just sitting at idle with a very slowly pressing to maybe 2.5k-3k rpm pressure on the gas pedal for just a few seconds. What a gigantic difference the easiest part of all made... huge like wow, running so much smoother!!!

So I read up on the EGR and found it's pretty simple to deal with :) YAY! Another thing added to the list. Need to clean out all that garbage ASAP

Wondering if anyone noticed any mpg improvement after eliminating the EGR? Besides, love the idea, because that crap has no business being pushed back into the system.

[pennyman1]

eliminate it to solve the maintenance of it - you can buy the plate on ebay or make one from plate aluminum or steel - the gasket is the one part you need to prevent a leak from leaning out your motor.

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Ok ebay or self-made hm... any idea how thick it should be if self-made? Oh will look on ebay and see how thick they are. I think I have some aluminum plate somewhere. Will check dimensions and plan ahead. THANK YOU for the help!!!

Wondering if the plate can be put in, and then the EGR re-attached, maybe longer bolt lengths required - will find out as this is something I'd really like to try doing but would rather have it be reversible just in case it causes more problems than it solves. Will update when i get to this stage, too!

The truck is parked in the driveway right next to the house, about oh... 3 feet between the exhaust tip and the white house. Nice black spot of soot on the house before I washed it away. Major soot. Even some down on the cement where the condensation was falling. Disgusting really feel bad for that little engine. Not sure how much would keep coming out if I let it idle for long, but anyway want to definitely try eliminating it soon. Will look into cleaning the #4 port I think it was VERY soon, must be a crap load in there stored up.

Got the CARFAX back for the truck and yes, only 91k on the dial. No bad news. The only thing I can figure is it must have never ever been anyone's "only" vehicle. Always a back up never a main. Never left this little area my god what a boring life -- UNTIL NOW mwhaha!!!

Between you & Brad, and then some more, I've got reading material for hours, already a lot gone through, making notes & such, going to be an awesome summer, thank you so very much for sharing so much incredible info!!!

Dying for higher mpg since the bf INSISTED on an automatic... so I'm switching from driving a 5spd to auto, will be interesting, ugh. Almost insured it today but found the leak, so... that's gotta be done first. I don't want to encourage driving it until it's 'right'. Or at least right enough to not have any problems causing further problems. Sort of getting attached to it already. Am excited to test out the EGR elimination to see what it does. Of course I should drive it around a bit first, lol, getting ahead of myself.

*offtopic: Any idea on the size of the butterfly nut that goes on the air filter cover? Missing & can't figure it out from the book/specs anywhere.

[pennyman1]

If you have the plate installed, you don't need the egr valve on, unless you are trying to look like it is in place and functional. Geronimo has his EGR valve in place - put a new one on 25 years ago because it had to be there and be functional - but if you traced out the vacuum lines, they go in a circle, and never attach to a vacuum source, so it never opens. I could now put a blockoff plate on now since the truck is over 25 years old and emissions exempt. Run a good fuel injection cleaner through the truck - redline synthetic works well - and then start running stabil marine ethanol fuel treatment in the tank at all times to prevent the crap ethanol fuel from destroying the fuel system any more than it has already. Change the fuel filter after the fuel injection cleaner runns through the tank. Then you will see how the truck runs - expect more black smoke while it cleans out the carbon from years of neglect. BTW, the auto tranny is only a 3 spd, so the mileage will not be as good as a 5spd would be, but it won't be too bad - the gear ratio in the rearend is different to make up for the lack of an OD gear.

[tink]

RE: "BTW, the auto tranny is only a 3 spd, so the mileage will not be as good as a 5spd would be, but it won't be too bad - the gear ratio in the rearend is different to make up for the lack of an OD gear."

Yeah :( I really tried to push for the manual... some people just ... Point A to Point B drivers ... *sighs heavily* where's the fun? ... broke my heart a little bit inside. But it is a 4 cylinder, not sure how much driving difference it would have made frankly I really have no idea. Maybe I just like driving a little too much... maybe the next one will be a 5spd. Hate to do that though, 1 of each. Would like to plan on a donor twin just in case, too. Hmm.



RE: "in place and functional" = Yep, for now. Would like to keep it that way at least for the time being. See I had the other Mitsu for so many years waiting for DEQ timeline to pass so I could do *whatever* with it, and it seems like they keep pushing it further back. I swear the inspectors seem so invasive. I nearly cried I was so mad, I'm such a girl, lol, when they INSISTED on sitting in the driver's seat for the test, shoving random things up & in holes and the gas tank. UGH. Even though testing is only every 2 years... I'm ecstatic over not having to go through that w/the truck.

But WHAT IF they change it? Don't want to lose everything in an un-do/reset. Really looking forward to making the truck be as good as possible ;) My god, with a real carb, lol. Work too hard to make things just right and then they go touching every thing. GAH!



RE: "Run a good fuel injection cleaner through the truck - redline synthetic works well - and then start running stabil marine ethanol fuel treatment in the tank at all times to prevent the crap ethanol fuel from destroying the fuel system any more than it has already. Change the fuel filter after the fuel injection cleaner runns through the tank. Then you will see how the truck runs - expect more black smoke while it cleans out the carbon from years of neglect"

THANK YOU SO MUCH I Will I will!!!! Will pick those up tomorrow!!! Maybe I'll buy 2 or 3 or 4 fuel filters, lol, but not kidding and just change it out every tank, for a while, or even run 1/2 tank down & change out, then another 3/4 tank & change out, & then a full tank & change out, AND THEN finally after no more black soot, put in a final good-to-go for a while fuel filter. Good grief. Probably buy an extra one just because whatever is in there now is probably nastyyy. Hm, maybe I'll pick up another PCV too, can't recall how fast those get clogged but by the way things are going, betting it's safer to get another one for 3 tanks down the line.

[ragragtimetime]

don't forget to compare prices...there is a rock auto thread http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin/showthread.php/1808-RockAuto-Discount-Code-Thread/page2 current code: good until Jan 18th 2689572424023617

[crvtec90]

Im so glad we don't do emissions in my city. If youre that worried about filters clogging up then you should just go ahead and pull the fuel tank. Call around and see if anyone like a radiator or machine shop will hot tank it or something like that. I think new tanks are available for first gens but no second gens Ive ever seen. I took my tank out and cleaned up the rust by soaking it with rust remover.

[tink]

Im so glad we don't do emissions in my city. If youre that worried about filters clogging up then you should just go ahead and pull the fuel tank. Call around and see if anyone like a radiator or machine shop will hot tank it or something like that. I think new tanks are available for first gens but no second gens Ive ever seen. I took my tank out and cleaned up the rust by soaking it with rust remover.

Yep, after a few fuel filter changes if there's still gunk accumulating in the filters than the tank will be on the list for replacement/cleaning, whatever it needs. I'm guessing from the overall condition of the truck that *all* filters need replacing at least once, probably twice. And all the places where gunk, carbon, debris, garbage in general can build up -- it probably has! That's a really good idea to take the tank in if I can't get it sorted myself, thank you!!!

[pennyman1]

1st gen tanks are available sometimes very cheap - paid $25 + shipping for one and 40 with shipping for the other.

[tink]

1st gen tanks are available sometimes very cheap - paid $25 + shipping for one and 40 with shipping for the other.

Hey good news to end the week! Thank you again Pennyman, whew, all the details are killin' me!

[noahwins]

These trucks are kind of a cult vehicle for a reason. Always seem to bounce right back from years of neglect and abuse. You can't kill them.

I have a little EGR block off I got from ragragtimetime somewhere in my parts pile. Made from the finest Raytheon aluminum, according to him. ;)

PM me your address and I'll mail one to you.

[tink]

If you have the plate installed, you don't need the egr valve on, unless you are trying to look like it is in place and functional. Geronimo has his EGR valve in place - put a new one on 25 years ago because it had to be there and be functional - but if you traced out the vacuum lines, they go in a circle, and never attach to a vacuum source, so it never opens. I could now put a blockoff plate on now since the truck is over 25 years old and emissions exempt. Run a good fuel injection cleaner through the truck - redline synthetic works well - and then start running stabil marine ethanol fuel treatment in the tank at all times to prevent the crap ethanol fuel from destroying the fuel system any more than it has already. Change the fuel filter after the fuel injection cleaner runns through the tank. Then you will see how the truck runs - expect more black smoke while it cleans out the carbon from years of neglect. BTW, the auto tranny is only a 3 spd, so the mileage will not be as good as a 5spd would be, but it won't be too bad - the gear ratio in the rearend is different to make up for the lack of an OD gear.

Just ran across this http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=OR nearly by accident & remembered Pennyman saying something about ethanol so figured I should find the thread & share the info :) . Apparently yes, we can still get 'real gas' withOUT ethanol... I did NOT know this & have been pissed off & on about getting ripped off 10% on top of the crazy high gas price fluctuations... plus yes, ethanol bad. bad. bad. I buy gas I want gas. I buy chicken I want chicken not 10% weight of water injected to make me think I'm getting more for less or not realize I'm actually getting LESS meat for the same dang "great sale price" ... *mumbles incoherently* man I'm getting old. ANYWAY real gas is still out there - link lets ya search by state for stations near you (hopefully ) :) Cheers!