Is my EGR normal? and other smog stuff

[Arrow]

1980 Plymouth Arrow 2.6

Going over the truck and getting familiar with everything and I noticed the EGR is constantly pumping. I'm familiar with how an EGR "normally" operates but in my mind this one is basically functioning as a constant, giant exhaust leak and doesn't seem right, but I have no experience with this motor.

The truck is kept in a non-smog area....How do these older carb'd motors respond to simply removing it and plugging the hole? The same question applies to any other equipment that can be removed/modified when smog is not an issue.

I'm not expecting performance gains but I would like a simple engine bay and I would rather remove a system like the EGR, than pay to fix it if there isn't a performance/reliability downside.

Any ideas?

[pennyman1]

I have mine in place but the vacuum hoses run in a big circle, so it stays closed. You can pull it off and either get a blockoff plate for the starquest 2.6, or do as I did. If you are running the stock carb, it has a main EGR on the front below the carb base, and a sub egr valve built into the carb that is throttle controlled. If you leave the main egr in place, be sure to pull it off and clean it good so it seals when there is no vacuum. I only have the vacuum advance and the brake booster hooked up to vacuum, but I have a Weber 32/36 dges carb in place of the stock Mikuni.

[Arrow]

Alright, now I'm confused. I have what looks like a stainless tube coming out of the top of the exhaust manifold, terminating a cone shaped thing(what I assumed was the EGR) then a hose directly into the air cleaner. That line is pumping constantly, you can hear it over the sound of the engine at idle. The truck is not drivable due to freeze plugs leaking so it's not at my home yet, but there was no vacuum line running to that tube and I don't remember seeing a nipple on the cone portion.

No problems with pinging or other drivability issues blocking off the EGR? Any tips for tweaking the stock carb?

Thanks for the advice, I'll have to look again when I go back to the truck in a few days. I'll be interested to find the line going to the carb.

[pennyman1]

That is not the egr valve, that is the reed valve assy to inject air into the cat to help burn off unburnt fuel in the cat. It will cycle with every pulse of the motor firing. The problem with that setup is the pipe becomes brittle and breaks off, creating a massive exhaust leak. In a non smog area, people put a plug in that hole and have no more worries. It does nothing for performance and can kill your performance if it breaks.

[Arrow]

Ah, that makes sense! It seeemed like and EGR valve, but not quite haha. Had a chance to get back up to the truck and get a little more work done, its running better, all the freeze plugs are taken care of, but now it is leaking coolant from the intake manifold. I had a chance to see another 2.6 apart and realized the coolant flows through the manifold into the head. Bummer. There is also a fairly massive vacuum leak at the manifold, hit it with carb cleaner and the motor dies right away. Oh well, look like a pretty easy job. Can't complain, the truck was free!