Tips to Remove Big Ol Nut Connecting EGR Pipe (J tube) to EGR Cooler

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scottcb

scottcb

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Phoenix Metro, Arizona, USA
I bought all the parts from SOR to replace my EGR Pipe (or J-Tube as it has been called on mud - going with the stainless steel version from SOR), gasket, etc. Everything except for that huge nut (#27 in the image below) that connects the pipe to the cooler comes off pretty easy. I can't get it to budge - sprayed it, hit it, pulled it, wrenched it to the point of hernia. Does anyone have experience or ideas on how to loosen that bad boy?


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are you trying to remove it with the cooler on? if so you may want to pull the whole thing out to get better leverage. i tried removing them independently when i was doing my de-smog to no avail. finally pulled the entire assembly and i was able to break it.
 
I had to make an "SST" 36mm cheap Harbor Fgt wrench cut down. Spray the nut with PB blaster or kroil for a day or so then put the sst on it and WHACK with a BFH ... Crude, but effective.

I've seen some others where the "maker" just cut some 1/4" stock to the proper and used that. But wrench was like $10 and faster.

btw, when you re-assemble, use some good high-temp anti-seize on all the egr fittings and you'll never have the problem again.
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bigDcruiser said:
are you trying to remove it with the cooler on? if so you may want to pull the whole thing out to get better leverage. i tried removing them independently when i was doing my de-smog to no avail. finally pulled the entire assembly and i was able to break it.
Click to expand...

That's what I did. Pulled it off and put the cooler in a vise. I soaked it for days with PB Blaster. I had a HUGE cheater bar on that thing and could not believe the force it took to loosen it! I thought I was going to break the cooler

Spike Strip said:
I had to make an "SST" 36mm cheap Harbor Fgt wrench cut down. Spray the nut with PB blaster or kroil for a day or so then put the sst on it and WHACK with a BFH
Click to expand...
This is what I'll try next time now that I've got it cleaned up. I don't think it would have worked the first time I needed that apart though.

Butt
 
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I had to put the shorty wrench on the nut, then using a 2x4, up through the engine compartment, and placed on the end of the wrench - then WHACK the 2x4 with the 5lb sledge. Worked. But a PITA ...
 
the cooler is not too difficult to remove. just 2 long bolts that came out pretty easily. toughest part was snaking the J pipe up and out of the vacuum spaghetti mess.
 
There's a ferrule that slides over the pipe (#26 in above diag), when torqued down crimps and seals the pipe in place. You may be missing the ferrule, and you may have an exhaust leak because of it.
 
Spike Strip said:
There's a ferrule that slides over the pipe (#26 in above diag), when torqued down crimps and seals the pipe in place. You may be missing the ferrule, and you may have an exhaust leak because of it.
Click to expand...
yeah i thought the same thing but i can assure you that i pulled out the j-tube with ease, replaced the gasket, (#1 in the above diagram) slid the j-tube right back in and have been driving on that for more than 10,000 miles with no leaks. I really cant explain why or how, but it works.
 
the almighty torch usually works like magic.
 
PB Blaster it, let it soak for a bit, then heat it up real good. That'll make it come off.
 
i'm just impatient. i'd rather spend 5 mins taking it off and 5 mins putting it back on than letting it soak for 30 mins. there's always more than one way to skin a cat.
 
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