A while ago, the check engine light came on in my 93 Loyale and I looked up the code and determined it was the EGR solenoid. The part was over $120 at the dealer. As it was an emissions part, I haven't replaced it. The engine runs fine. Should I spend the money to replace this part? I pulled 3 of them from juners at a pull an save junk lot but they all appeared to be bad as well. I know this because after I installed each of them I reset the computer by disconnecting the battery and reconnecting it. After a while the code came back.

 

It doesn't appear to be a critical part and it is very expensive. Are there any bad consequences to the engine if I just drive it with bad EGR solenoid?

EGR system Purpose

An Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system is used in order to lower Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) emission levels.

 

The EGR system accomplishes this by feeding small amounts of exhaust gas back into the combustion chamber.

 

High combustion temperatures cause NOx.

Combustion temperatures are reduced when the air/fuel mixture is diluted with the exhaust gases.

 

So you can use lower octane fuels with out pinging,

You could fail an emission test.

You can find a useable one in a bone yard

(take a multi meter with you) or

You could choose to live with it.

 

BTW disconnecting the battery does not erase error codes.

It does reset the "learn mode" though.

 

Hope this helps

EGR system Purpose

An Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system is used in order to lower Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) emission levels.

 

The EGR system accomplishes this by feeding small amounts of exhaust gas back into the combustion chamber.

 

High combustion temperatures cause NOx.

Combustion temperatures are reduced when the air/fuel mixture is diluted with the exhaust gases.

 

So you can use lower octane fuels with out pinging,

You could fail an emission test.

You can find a useable one in a bone yard

(take a multi meter with you) or

You could choose to live with it.

 

BTW disconnecting the battery does not erase error codes.

It does reset the "learn mode" though.

 

Hope this helps

 

Thanks. I guess my Haynes manual is wrong. Where can one get the correct information for erasing the stored errors?

http://www.troublecodes.net/Subaru/

 

bout half way down the page

 

or right out of the FSM

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=4258&sort=1&cat=500

Very hard to find a good EGR at the wrecking yard. Have to disconnect the battery for sometime if you want to delete codes. If you end up giving up, I can get you a new one for about $65 bucks, just PM me.

 

A while ago, the check engine light came on in my 93 Loyale and I looked up the code and determined it was the EGR solenoid. The part was over $120 at the dealer. As it was an emissions part, I haven't replaced it. The engine runs fine. Should I spend the money to replace this part? I pulled 3 of them from juners at a pull an save junk lot but they all appeared to be bad as well. I know this because after I installed each of them I reset the computer by disconnecting the battery and reconnecting it. After a while the code came back.

 

It doesn't appear to be a critical part and it is very expensive. Are there any bad consequences to the engine if I just drive it with bad EGR solenoid?

I may have an extra EGR lying around, or can find one at the JY, let me know if you have the need for one.

 

-Dave

You might want to try cleaning out the EGR valve. My wife's '96 Saturn had been throwing the EGR solenoid code for the last couple months. Last week, I pulled off the valve itself, soaked it pretty good with some carb cleaner, and did my best to clean it.

 

Pop it back in, and voila, no more EGR code.

 

I guess since the ECU could tell that the EGR valve wasn't closing/opening properly, it assumed the solenoid was at fault. *shrug*

 

$120 part versus $3 can of carb cleaner... it's gotta be worth it to try

You might want to try cleaning out the EGR valve. My wife's '96 Saturn had been throwing the EGR solenoid code for the last couple months. Last week, I pulled off the valve itself, soaked it pretty good with some carb cleaner, and did my best to clean it.

 

Pop it back in, and voila, no more EGR code.

 

I guess since the ECU could tell that the EGR valve wasn't closing/opening properly, it assumed the solenoid was at fault. *shrug*

 

$120 part versus $3 can of carb cleaner... it's gotta be worth it to try

Can you actually clean the electronic vacuum control valve? I did not realize that was possible I guess it will save me in the future ...