Toyota Celica egr valve problems.

Ok the check engine light came on and it said insufficent flow detected. I know where its at and roughly what it does, the question is how to check it??? Ive read in a book where you apply vacuum with a hand pump and itll stall. I dont have a vacuum and wondering is the regular vacuum on the {other hoses will be strong enough to open the valve. It has the modulater with 3 vacuum hose and possibly one on the bottom going to something else. 2 of them is going to the throttle body the othe the egr and one on the bottom going somewhere. The valve had i guess some kind sensor on it. Theres a second vacuum hose on it going to some kind of valve with an electrical connecter. I guess that how it senses an egr problem. I found the valve for $52 which everwhere else was 150 to 170. How much can i expect a shop charge to change it??? Its easily accesable. If i take it off can i clean it and put it back on??? Would i have to put some kind of sealer on the surface of it??? What is the hole on the side of it??? Thanks.

 

You can take it off and clean yourself. You can get cleaner for them at an auto parts store. If the gasket comes off without tearing, just put it back on without any sealer. For retaining bolts use high temp antiseize.

You can activate the valve just by sucking on the vacuum line with your mouth. Clean it off before you do. Also any of the other lines coming from the engine with vacuum in them would be able to activate the valve.

The electrical device you mentioned with the vacuum line coming out of it is the activation device which meters the vacuum going to the EGR. That activation is sensor driven through the engines' computer.

Hope this helps,

Bob

 

So if doesnt tear just put it back on? Knowing my luck itll tear. Or itll end up leaking. If i use a new gasket do i put the sealer on the egr valve then put the gasket on it? Or do i put it on the manifold to? What about the antiseize? I have to be sure it doesnt leak.

It has some kind of hose going from the bottom of the modulater going to the egr valve. What is that and what is it for?

 

DO NOT REUSE GASKETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gaskets are cheap, go down to your local auto parts store and buy a gasket. If they don't have it go to the dealer my guess is that they will have it in stock and it should be inexpensive. Let's for a split seond say it is expensive or for some strange reason a special order item and it's a regular fiberous material go back to the parts store and get a sheet of gasket material matching the material you have and make your own. Trace and Cut! Get your kids involved and everyone will be happy! OK, so the dealer is on back order and the parts store looks at you like your speaking Greek, ask them if they might be able to match your EGR to a new gasket.

Moving on, the anti-seize is just for the threads on the bolts that hold down the EGR to try to keep the bolts from "seizeing" or locking into their respective holes, just in case you ever want to take that back off and not want to break any bolts.

EGR vacuum in a nutshell------
Typically, vacuum goes from the source (manifold or TB) to your solenoid (electrical valve to allow vacuum to the EGR valve- computer controlled) to the EGR.

You'd have to be more specific about what vacuum hoses your referring to because there are or can be alot of vacuum hoses on a car. Are these pertinent to your issue? You could check on the underside of the hood or the strut towers or some other body panel under the hood for a decal that typically will have a diagram of the vacuum routings.

Have fun!