Notes on EGR pipe replacement (1 Viewer)

[Ducks]

This is my quasi-write up of how I replaced the EGR pipe. This is my first automotive repair in over twenty years so I am writting this from a beginner's perspective. The following is mainly a compilation of what I have read and what fellow MUDders have shown me. This may not be organized in the best fashion since I am shooting from the hip so to speak. I hope it is helpful to other people that are in similar situations. This does not deal with diagnosing the problem only with replacing the pipe.

Chad

 

[Ducks]

Where is it?

Page 3-13 in the Emissions Control Repair Manual it is the smooth pipe that goes from the exhaust manifold into the EGR Cooler.

Looking from the driver's side into the engine compartment you can see where the pipe goes into the EGR coller.

 

[Ducks]

From the underneath between the oil pan and the frame you can see the whole pipe.

 

[Ducks]

This is what it looks like where it meets up with the exhaust manifold.

 

[Ducks]

What do you need?

For tools, I used:
PB Blaster, which I found at Kragen autoparts
12mm socket
3 inch extension
12mm wrench
14 mm socket
1 7/16 wrench cut in half. It was difficult to find a wrench to take off the 36mm nut at the EGR cooler. I couldn't find a 36mm wrench but 1 7/16 is very close. Some people use 1 1/2. A fellow MUDder cut the wrench for me. Most shops should have the tools to do this.

1 1/8 wrench that hooked on the cut off wrench to add torque. Seems like a pretty cool trick -

 

[Ducks]

What parts do you need?

I order all the parts I could think of but I guess you mainly need the gasket, pipe, and ferrule. I also ordered two 12mm nuts, 2 washers, 36mm nut, and 2 studs. I ended up not using the studs or the 36mm nut since it didn't screw in to the EGR cooler well.

 

[Ducks]

The first thing I did was remove the plate that is attached to the frame to get access to the pipe from below. There are three 12mm bolts that hold it to the frame. The left and center one are easy to get to with a socket but the right one is difficult to get to and I used a wrench. I found it by feeling around. I think you might also have access to it through the wheel well. It would have been a lot easier that way. Pay attention to how it fits together. The right bolt is longer than the other two. I spent way too much time trying to get the thing back on.

 

[beatdown83fj60]

Boy could I have used those pics a while back. You are going to be helping a lot of people with this thread. Thank you.

 

[Ducks]

Getting the 36mm nut off

I guess actually the first thing I did was try and get the 36mm nut off from the top. Before I cut the wrench, I tried with all my weight on it and the nut didn't budge. I liberally applied PB Blaster from both the top and the bottom and let it set over night. In the morning I applied some more. After I pulled the plate on the bottom off, I expect a hard struggle to get the nut. Much to my surprise, the nut came off without any force at all. PB Blaster is amazing stuff. It really stinks so when I left it over night, I opened up the garage.

 

[Ducks]

Next I used the 12mm socket and 3 inch extension to get the nuts off on the exhaust manifold side. It's a tight fit and you get your fingers scraped quite a bit. I had also applied PB Blaster to this as well. The broke free fairly easily.

 

[Ducks]

Now to actually getting the pipe out. The pipe extends into the EGR cooler about an inch or more. You have to disconnect the EGR Cooler so you can strongly wiggle it to get both get the pipe off the studs at the exhaust side and get the pipe out of the cooler. In order to get the EGR cooler off, you take out the 14mm bolts that hold it. I was somewhat considered I wouldn't be able to get it back on, but I didn't have a problem with that.

 

[Ducks]

Once the pipe is off, you can put the new one on. If you have a new 36mm nut, first test that it will screw in to the EGR cooler. I put everything on only to find out that my new nut wouldn't screw in. Once I pulled everything apart again, I tested both nuts. New one wouldn't work but the old one worked just fine. Also, don't forget the new ferrule at the cooler side and the new gasket at the exhaust side.

 

[Ducks]

Oh, I forgot to show what the old pipe and gasket looked like. The flange on the pipe was warped and the gasket obviously wasn't whole. Also, when you are putting on the new pipe be very careful to not bend the flange. If you bend it, the gasket will blow and you'll be back at this. Apparently the flange is usually bent during installation.

 

[Ducks]

After the pipe is in and all the nuts have been started, bolt the EGR cooler back on. Then tighten all the nuts. Once that is done, put the plate back on. I had real trouble with the bolt on the right (closest to the front of the land cruiser). Also, most of the nuts and bolts I had to start by hand. It was difficult to get the threads started in the right way. Lots of finger acrobatics, especially at the exhaust manifold. But try to access the right bolt on the plate through the wheel well. I didn't do it that way but if it works it would be a whole lot easier than the way I did it.

So there you go. Hope it helps.

Chad

 

[MrZero]

Having just done this myself, I can say this is very accurate! I had teh EXACT same problem with the new 36mm nut I bought from SOR.....it would not thread the cooler, but the old beat to heel nut went back on just fine. Good job Ducks! I wish more people (myself included) had the time and energy to do this kind of thorough write up (thorough = with pics!)

--JP

 

[cabron]

great write up, i'll be using this shortly

 

[forestdan7]

Nice write up, and great pictures. This is one of the first repairs I did, and I imagine a lot of newbs are in the same boat. Very helpful stuff.

I recently picked up a 10" Robogrip wrench at Sears to use on the 36 mm nut. You can grab it and turn it, then release it, move around, and grab it again, without using two hands. Pretty useful, if you've already gotten that nut loose the first time.

First time took a lot of PB Blaster and a pipe wrench.