Cleaning a Subaru Electronic EGR Valve to Smooth Rough Idle and Improve Power.
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 6 июл 2024
- A dirty EGR valve can rob horsepower and cause unstable idle issues and acceleration issues. By cleaning the EGR valve, you can assure that the emissions system is working correctly and not leaking unwanted exhaust gasses into the intake at the wrong time. This is a pretty simple procedure that you can do at home. This EGR valve is on a 2013 Subaru Legacy and is an all electronic valve. Many older cars feature a vacuum operated EGR valve that can rip over time, causing a leak or failure to actuate. Cleaning your EGR valve is a simple way to restore horsepower. The exact procedure in this video is applicable to a 2012, 2013, 2014, or 2015 Subaru Legacy and Subaru Outback. The procedure will be very similar on most modern cars.
Наука
"A little bit carbon'd up."
59k miles and my wifes looked like it was coated with Kingsford charcoal. I took the whole manifold off and cleaned the throttle body too. I took off the electrical part and pushed the plunger down myself and sprayed it really well and it looked brand new by the time I was done. It fixed that pesky rough idle at the stop light. Good video.
Excellent video and I just completed the procedure. I made the cleaning part a bit easier by taking an old shot glass; filled it with throttle body cleaner; and placed the EGR valve inside. I just let it soak for a few hours and the carbon came off much faster. Without your video, I probably would not have tried this!
from other youtubers (mostly Mr Subaru) I have done the following:
1. differential fluid flush (front and rear)
2. brake pads and fluid flush.
3. spark plugs
4. PCV valve and hose replacement. at 6 yrs of ownership and 116k miles, the valve surprisingly still move freely when I shake it. I replaced it anyway.
5. Used Subaru engine cleaning kit: top engine cleaning ( used a 3/8 OD vynil tube), throttle body cleaning, last one is just dumping the bottle into the gas tank.
6. idle re-learn after that.
7. then I found out about this and cleaned it up also. Took some finesse but I didn't remove anything to get my wrench there.
idle is smooth now and even at stop and go, it held the rpm. before, sometimes at red light or stop sign idle went low that it almost shut off the engine (engine shudder).
at 100k the only thing the mechanics did was tranny fluid and serpentine belt.
thank you again for the content.
I did the same thing in my 09 Forester, though the valve is located in a different spot. Can’t believe how much this helped! No more rough idling for me! Thanks so much
Absolutely love these. Please keep uploading more maintenance and different things for the legacy! :)
did this today on my 2012 Subaru Impreza found massive carb build up followed your video walla clean shiny in and out worked great. good to do to keep car in great running order feels smoother and more kick thank you great video
I had it towed to a local shop as running gawd awful and the check engine light had finally come on after a few days of operation. I didn't know what the problem was but they said they got a reading and figured it was the EGR. They had tapped it and the car ran smooth again. They looked the car over for any other things that could be repaired and came up with about $4,000 worth of issues that could be needed soon. Mostly suspension, control arm bearings, and somethign with bushings. Also said it needed new struts. No where in the body of work that they told me needed to be done was the EGR. I asked them and they said, to do the EGR would be $600. That is when I found your video. and a part online for $110 delivered. A week later part in hand and another run through with your video, I had it switched in 20 minutes. The hardest part for arthritic fingers was taking off the snap on electrical hookup.
I also had to get a new lug bolt and so at the dealer I asked my service writer about the cost to have it done since they ought to know the easy way. The part there was $161. and complete install was $331. I subscribed........ and a big thanks for doing the awesome video.
Are you kidding? $331 to change a lug bolt? The bolt costs about $1.25 and I had an extra nut. Three taps with a 40oz hammer and it fell out (had to take the wheel and rotor off). Then pull the new bolt into place with the lug nut and a homemade spacer. Finish seating it when you torque the wheel on. A very easy DIY job on a Forester.
Very helpful video. Cleaning the EGR valve made a HUGE difference in power afterwards. I used some Steel Wool to scrub off the carbon in places where it would reach- I even wrapped a small amount around the tip of a flat blade screwdriver which was also helpful. Point of note- the Carb Cleaner WILL definitely screw up the rubber O-Ring, so don't do that. (Fortunately, it shrunk back to size overnight, but I'm still going to replace with a new one I have to order, because I think my old one is damaged.) Thanks again!
Thanks man!! I been looking EVERYWHERE FOR THe location of this EGR and the video is very descriptive and your point of view of how you clean and remove it so thank you very much bro I appreciate it
Dont know if you guys cares but if you're stoned like me atm then you can watch pretty much all of the latest movies and series on instaflixxer. Have been binge watching with my gf for the last few months =)
@Tripp Bruce Yea, have been using InstaFlixxer for years myself :D
@Tripp Bruce yup, been using InstaFlixxer for years myself =)
Many thanks. Made my wrx run a lot smoother!
Ooh! I can't wait to do this. I did my plugs (saved $600 off what Midas quoted), cleaned throttle body and refurbed my battery. For a newer car, a Subaru is actually pretty easy to work on!
This is what I'll be doing tomorrow 👍👍 thanks dude
Nice work and thank you!!!
This is now on my list for tomorrow!
Thanks for the vid. Made easy work of this!
Thanks. Well explained video!
Great video! Thanks
thank you so much for this. cleaned mine today and first test drive went well, I've had issues with the engine dying at stop lights/signs in the winter. Looks like that won't be an issue this winter
How is it performing now after the clean?
It performed better right away, but my engine was still surging and struggling to start, cleaned the O2 sensor but the issue persisted. Ran some Fuel Injector Cleaner through my gas tank which seems to have done the trick.
Nice video. Any objections to using a ultrasonic cleaner on this part?
Thanks for this video! Is there a torque spec for the bolts securing the EGR valve?
Any idea where it is on a 2010 legacy 2.5L?
Great video!.. i'm gonna have to try this tomorrow as i'm experiencing just a tad bit of rough idle, poor gas mileage and a tad loss of power during acceleration on my 2011 Forester 2.5X.. hope this fixes it!.. thanks again for the tip!
Check the pcv valve it's one of the most common over looked items.
Also check the Mass airflow sensor and the throttle plate
thanks. i have a 2015 and my setup is completely different
Just bought a 2003 Subaru legacy its 2.5. Its throwing a p1494 and p1496 and one other code. I believe is the o2 sensor.
Will a po420 code come up? Ima have to try this tmrw
Thanks!
You should have tested the function ie put voltage on the valve connector to verify that it moves..
Would a 2014 Forester have one of these??
Thank you, I had a P1498 code. I replaced my coolant cross union and forgot to reconnect my EGR Valve, after watching this video I checked my EGR valve and it was disconnected, reconnected it check engine light is off and I have Eyesight again. I going to clean EGR valve next
Glad I could help!
Is this applicable to 2011 imprezas?
You are a genius! Thank you so much for this video! With over 150k got a CEL with P0300 multiple random misfires a few months ago. Only symptom was a rough idle and intermittent trouble starting when warmer up. Tried changing the battery and spark plugs since they were both reported fixes and I was almost due anyway. Checked for vacuum leaks, checked for fuel delivery issues, none to be found. Trying to figure out my next move, I saw this video and figured EGR needed a good cleaning anyway. Sure enough, all problems are gone! This part is exactly the same on the Impreza with the FB20 engine. The bolts were stuck pretty good so I had a much easier time by removing the air intake duct and that gives you much more room to get a bigger wrench on them from the back of the intake manifold
Did your engine stall at stoplights?
@@Dantelchico to be honest, I don't remember if my car ever completely stalled out while driving. Generally when driving it just idled very rough when stopped. It felt awfully close to stalling out a few times. I did have issues starting the car when warm and it would immediately turn back off. So occasionally I had to start it a few times for it to finally stay running. I suppose that counts as a stall?
@@RaffiT83 I am curious to know what you did after cleaning the valve, did you erase the code
Or not ? And was the engine running good right away after cleaning it ? My Subaru
Has the same symptoms as yours ! Thanks for your inputs.
@@gaetansouliere2684 good questions! My car was absolutely running great immediately after cleaning the EGR and bolting it back on, along with the intake duct. I can't remember exactly if I cleared the code. I think it's a good idea to clear the code if you can, but the code should go away on its own after a few drive cycles. More importantly, are the fuel trims. My fuel trims were off especially at idle because of the lean condition caused by the gunked up EGR. That should also correct itself, but if you want to be sure everything is cleared, I would suggest you disconnect the battery before cleaning the EGR. Then reconnect after the job is done. It's very important that you do an idle relearn procedure any time the battery is disconnected. Otherwise, your throttle response will be off for what seems like a few days. Eventually it should correct itself.
For those who need the subaru idle relearn procedure,
1. turn off all lights and accessories (no A/C, lights, blower, radio, etc.)
2. disconnect battery for 30 min
(now is opportunity to clean terminals, check ground)
3. reconnect battery (in your case after cleaning EGR)
4. turn key to ON position for 15 seconds (throttle body has a chance to go through a check sweep
during this period; do not let engine turn over)
5. start car and let it idle without any load (no A/C, lights, blower, radio, etc.)
6. leave engine running for 10 minutes, never loading, never touching accelerator
7. turn off engine and leave key in off position at least 20 seconds
8. turn key back to the ON position for 15 seconds without starting engine
9. start engine and leave idling for 5 minutes without loading or touching accelerator
10. turn off engine and wait 20 seconds before restarting
DONE! Test drive!
@@RaffiT83 Thank you for your quick reply, I will give it a try
Unfortunately for me, my cheep obde2 reader only gives me
A generic. p0000 , I think it means that it does not
Compute the message. I also have a dynamic control message along with the emission message, probably not related
But odd that it came at the same time. One question , does daylight driving light affect idle relearning or not.Again thank you so much.
same place for a '11 Legacy 2.5?
can this cause a misfire? my car is running super rough and doesnt like to start 100% of the time
If you’re getting an error for this will it turn it off or will we have to get it reset?
Location of EGR valve in 2006 Legacy, please? Is it on the same spot?
Is the process for cleaning the EGR valve on a 2010 Forester XT the same? I've been having slightly bouncy idling. Super low mileage car that was in storage often.
Hi I have a 2011 orester and im having trouble getting the EGR bolts loose how did you do it..there super tight . TY Kev.
Thank for your great video Excellent you saved me a lot of money your brilliant take care Sam Sammut
Thank you!!! Glad it was helpful.
Is this dirty EGR valve makes stall ? My one keep stall in the morning at stop. Can't find reason no code.
Will this fix a P0401 code? It saya Exhaust Gas Recirculation Flow Insufficient when a mechanic checked it. My Subaru is Outback 2013 model. Thanks
2010 outback. Idles super rough after a cold start, requires WAY more gas than should be normal to move in revers after a cold start, rattles on idle and stalls coming to stops or running in reverse after a hot start. Exhaust also stinks like an old carbureted car with no catalytic conv. Possible EGR problem?
I’m no expert but based on my experience with my 2012 Subaru...I would clean the egr, and MAF sensor and throttle body. There are videos on those last two and I just bought the cleaning spray from Walmart. Be careful, you have to use MAF sensor cleaner. That helped my idle. It’s easy to do though!!! I had a rattle coming from the air conditioner compressor clutch. Maybe you do too. Don’t have any thoughts on the smell.
Thanks for this. It inspired me to clean the one on my 2011 Forester with the same engine as your Legacy. I can only say you skipped over the hardest part of the job in the video. There is very little space to operate a ratchet, and I had to use my 1/4 inch. Just a warning to others to be aware of the electrical connections and to be careful not to damage wiring when you have to use your hammer on your ratchet to break the bolts loose.
I know its been 2 years for you, but use wd40 to loosen bolts when its hard. It`s a lifesaver and you don't need to use a hammer.
great video. I have a p0171 on my 2011 legacy and am curious if this could be one of those 'pretending to be a vacuum leak' instances. losing my mind trying to fix this, hoping that maybe cleaning the egr will help. only 60k, but it sat for a while.
Same year but forester non turbo... What was the issue for you? I also heard that the AF sesor is common for P1071
@@mattzaust honestly after a few months it just completely stopped throwing codes on me. I couldn't get past 100 miles or so for the longest time, but this last time broke the mold and I'm sitting at over 500 now without throwing the freaking code so far. AF sensor is something I never considered... will keep that in mind if for some reason it comes back. I haven't taken my fuel trim values since but it would probably be advantageous to do so since I was sitting at over 30 percent at idle when you really shouldn't surpass 5. my voltages on both o2 sensors appeared normal/as expected I think.
I have a 2011 subaru forester FB25 engine and i cannot find the EGR Valve. Anyone knows where it could be?
How about a EGR valve on a 2007 subaru impreza 2.5i
Should work the same way!
Is it possible to remove the solenoid (4 Phillips) from the valve and really give it a thorough cleaning?
Nice “How To” thanks!
That's what I did. Got it back together and it started, ran, had a good test drive, no codes and the total tank mpg went from 400 to 450 so I think it's safe. Lol
Excellent video. Is your engine the 2.5, or the 2.0 like on a 2013 Crosstrek?
Thank you! It is the Subaru 2.5 (FB2.5) engine.
@@CoolStuffGuysLike, Thx for replying. I'm going to clean the one on my wife's Crosstrek with the 2.0. It has 155,000 miles on it, and as far as I know, none of that maintenance (PCV, EGR, O2 sensors, etc) has ever been done. It should be similar regardless. She's been taking it every day, so I haven't done it yet. Thanks for the video.
could you use throttle body cleaner (or break cleaner) to clean the EGR Valve ?
Yes you could do that. Just need a good strong solvent to help break down the crusty carbon buildup.
@@CoolStuffGuysLike the egr on my 2008 was little different in a design and touch more difficult to clean but after using a whole can of throttle body cleaner and a box of cotton tips i eventualy won, it was pretty gunked up etc *if i had to do it again i would have just let it soak overnight then cleaned. it, i would have no doubt used a lot less product getting the job done yeah ;)
Note about brake cleaner vs throttle body cleaner. Brake cleaner evaporates fast.
Thank you
Trhottle body is also cleaning needed?
You can clean the throttle body but it does not get nearly as dirty. Not a bad idea to do it about every 40 or 50k miles.
thank you
@andinamm2246 I cleaned the TB on my wife's car when I did this. It was dirty but nothing like the EGR valve.
12mm bolts use, for hex head bolts, a 19mm tool.
12mm hex heads I believe I meant to say... Not to be confused with M12 screw threads.
Would this make my car hard to start im haveing a problem my car runs great till its warm i belive I left work the other day parked it and went to leave like 30 min later qnd it would crank no start so I pulled the key out same thing then I tryed it one more time and it started please help
Hmmm. Could be a dirty mass airflow sensor or the temp sensor under the intake manifold. Seems like the car doesn't know it is hot, so isn't adjusting the air/fuel accordingly. If you have a OBDII reader you could check to make sure the engine temp readout seems accurate when the car is hot.
Thank you I will replace both and hook a rear up to it
This may help with that issue too. I had a CEL, rough idle and sometimes my car would take a lot more cranking to start when it was warmed up. This definitely solved my rough idle and CEL. I have a feeling this solved my starting issue too but only time will tell for sure. If you have a lot of miles, it should be done anyway and see where that gets you
My screws won't come out. Any ideas on how I may take them out easier?
They can really stick on those aluminum blocks. You could spraying with some pb blaster and letting soak for a few days. Unfortunately the threaded zone is pretty well sealed up, so if your penetrating oil gets there it will take a while.
How often you have to do this or at what millage approximately??? Anyone?
My wife's car hit 59k. She was out of town so I drove it and the idling at the light was awful. So I did this and cleaned the throttle body and it smoothed out. I'd do it every 10k as it isn't hard and made such a big difference, but that's just me. At least do it when it starts to idle rough while in drive.
If the egr is this dirty, world that cause your check engine light to come on? My wife’s 2010 outback stalls some times at red lights
It could. The easiest way to start your diagnosis is to read the code which any advance auto or auto zone will do for free. You can also get an OBD2 scanner pretty cheap these days. Could be a vacuum leak, throttle position sensor, a dirty/bad mass airflow sensor, cam position sensor, super dirty air filter.... You never know. Could even be a transmission lockup issue. It is difficult to know without driving the car, or getting a look at the computer readouts. Hopefully the code will be actually useful. Sometime they are so generic that they don't really point you in the right direction at all. If there is no code, I usually start with the free/cheap stuff.
The dirty EGR caused a CEL on my 2013 Impreza
Torque converter... 2010-12s are known for this issue👍
I have a cylinder 1 missfire code, engine stalling at stoplights, rough idle. This EGR cleaning is next on my list...
@@Dantelchico hey bud have you found the issue and what was it ? thanks
there's no gasket under egr valve?
Nope.
Just that o-ring.
Can i use brake cleaner?
carb cleaner for carbon deposits
Hey, I'm a cool guy that likes stuff, I should subscribe to this channel.
Just Curious does the a bad EGR valve make a clicking noise
I suppose it could if it sticks and then breaks free.
Love to see what it look like after just one tank of gas. My guess. Exactly like it did before cleaning.
My wife insists on 100% gas and it obviously doesn't burn very clean. We also use lucas fuel treatment every other tank because it boosts the MPG about fifty miles.
I might pull this out in 2 weeks after a tank and see how bad it is. I definitely will whenever it starts idling rough again.
What about checking the vacum parts? You did 1/2 the job.
Most modern EGR valves, including this one are not vacuum controlled anymore. It is an electronic actuator, so there are no vacuum ports to clean. I suppose if it were visibly clogged or restricted, you would clean the EGR tube but in most cases it should be pretty open.
Is he really tall or is that car just super low
Definitely not "a standard wire brush" 👍🏾👍🏾
Good video. Did not work for me
Why not just replace it? I don’t think these are serviceable.
Probably because they're over 100 bucks and I saw them up to $250 online. I took mine out and cleaned it and it solved the problem.
All these years dummies blocking off there EGR valve holes with EGR blocking plates overheating their engines.. thinking it was just unburned gases..really??
rambles for two minutes doesnt show where its located
Shut up
did you not watch the video at all or?