EGR Question

I have my exhaust manifold off replacing it with a new one. Ever since I have had my jeep the vacuum lines going to the EGR have been plugged. I was wanting to plug the hole in the exhaust and intake and remove the EGR all together. I made a block off plate for the EGR out of 1/4" thick steel plate. Has anyone ever done this and how did it affect your running? Any ideas?

Since the vacuum line was plugged, its going to run the exact same way as it was before, when blocked off. Ive heard of people doing this with no ill effects. I kept my EGR system in place, and i dont notice it... i dont think it matters one way or the other as long as you dont have to pass smog.

I've got "before/after" tests on an 87 with a failed EGR - the thing ran cleaner without it! As a result, after I replaced the valve, I just pulled the line and capped it off in between smog tests.

I could go into the theory of why the EGR is supposed to help, but we're dealing with a rather low-compression engine here, and the test results I've seen tells me it doesn't apply here.

Put a block-off plate on it, and leave the tube in place - unless you want to cut the tube as stubs and weld caps on it to block it off (and if you ever figure out what size plug will block off those bungs, please let me know? I've not had a chance to figure it out yet...)

I have the tube off. I took a rough measurement and it looks like 1" pipe plugs. I will let ya know more when I actually buy the plugs. I made the block off plate earlier today and am waiting on the new manifold because my old one was cracked all over the place. Not worth welding up. I am going to go ahead and replace the Oxygen sensor too while I am at it. Thanks for the info.

Chad29860 said:

I have the tube off. I took a rough measurement and it looks like 1" pipe plugs. I will let ya know more when I actually buy the plugs. I made the block off plate earlier today and am waiting on the new manifold because my old one was cracked all over the place. Not worth welding up. I am going to go ahead and replace the Oxygen sensor too while I am at it. Thanks for the info.

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I don't know what it is, but I'm fairly sure it's not a 1" NPT thread. I can't recall a taper thread being used with a flare fitting - and the EGR tube is definitely a flared fitting! Besides, a tapered pipe plug won't seal against a straight thread. Even if the thread pitch is correct (which is unlikely,) there won't be enough interference between threads to seal effectively.

I've got an old EGR tube floating around here somewhere that I need to take measurements on, but I know it's a flared tube, so pipe thread won't do. It may "look like it will work" - but we can just about bet it won't - unless you get a plug in a soft material (like brass,) force it in, and it manages to seal anyhow (fifty-fifty shot, I think.)

Any fluid power house should be able to help you - check your phone book for a Parker-Hannifin dealer. I just haven't been to mine of late because I haven't needed any fittings for anything.

Failing that, the other option would be to cut the tube, leaving a short stub past the flare nut (say, 1/2"-3/4",) and braze or weld a cap onto the tube. Do not solder - solder melts down around 700-750*F, and you'll lose the cap the first time the engine heats up! Then, install that as a plug and call it good.