code 32- EGR

[CROOZ1N]

I hope that I've solved this one too. I sometimes will get a check engine Light which freaks me out every time as nothing good happens when that light comes on.
So anyway the code has been 32 EGR.
Sure enogh last weekend i got the check engine ligh tfor about 20 minutes it went off and didnt come back.
So Tuesday I pull the EGR valve off looking for carbon build up. The valve came off suprisingly well for a car w/117K on it. The gasket wasnt stuck and came right off and the bolts were not even super tight as youd think they would be.
Ok so the pintle looked fine no build up.
BUT I put the vacuum line back on and tried to make the valve actuate. The elbow that goes to the valve would not seal. I replaced the elbow with a straight piece of hose I had laying around. Its pretty cobbled up right now but I hope it takes care of the code 32.
I'll replace the elbow as soon as I can find one but meanwhile I will run it to see if the code doesn't come back.

Is there a way to clear the codes without unhooking the battery to see if the same one comes back?

 

[Schrade]

Is there a way to clear the codes without unhooking the battery to see if the same one comes back?

 

[CROOZ1N]

Holy Smokes I didn't realize the diagnostic capabilities of these cars. I was simply pulling the codes by shorting A and B on the adl connector and watching the check engine lights for the flashes.

 

[surfer93]

If you have a vacuum leak at the EGR, it will set the code. I had the same experience and it only happened on long highway trips.

Wish someone would invent a better hose for these newer engines.

 

[John Robinson]

Back to the EGR

When you had the egr off did you test the pintle for leakage? The test is easy just put some fluid into the top of the pintle chamber and it should not leak through if the pintle is sealing correctly. It the fluid does leak through then you have to clean the pintle sealing surface. The best way I have found to do that is to get some Easy Off oven cleaner and spray it all around the pintle and be sure to push the pintle down so the cleaner gets onto the sealing surface of the pintle. Let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes and continue to put cleaner on it to keep it wet. Now take and wash the oven cleaner off with warm water (this is best done when the wife is not home to see the mess before you clean it up)and retest the pintle for leakage. If no leakage then you are good to go back on but if it leaks repeat the cleaning and if you can get some old dentist tools so you can scrape the pintle base. You can push the pintle down and us a pencil or bolt to hold it open by putting it through the bottom of the egr to hold the diaphram open.

I saw the elbow you need at Advance Auto

 

[CROOZ1N]

Thanks John My advance didn't have them but the "zone" did. I didnt check for leaks but if the code comes back i will. Thanks for the info!!

 

[nelson84]

I just got a code 32 in my 85 vette today? Is it serious? Will it leave me stranded? Or is it just emissions crap and could you just put some black tape over the check engine light and forget about it.

 

[John Robinson]

I just got a code 32 in my 85 vette today? Is it serious? Will it leave me stranded? Or is it just emissions crap and could you just put some black tape over the check engine light and forget about it.

When mine was acting up the thing I noticed the most was that my milage dropped off by 2 or 3 miles per gallon. Also the engine was sluggish in response to the throttle. On a previous car I had to finish a 3000 mile trip with a bad EGR. That is not to say I would drive the car that way for ever if you look at the information here you will see it really is not all that hard to clean up the egr so put away the black tape and get out the 3/8 wrench and go to work.

 

[tdr1919]

I had a similar problem, one test is to use a hand vacuum pump, pull a vacuum on the EGR valve and see that it holds if it leak then the EGR needs replacement.
Another problem are is the electrical connection at the EGR solenoid valve, that will also throw a code.
Tom

 

[Schrade]

Just a short follow up... The car runs better now than ever. It always had a little miss when sitting at a red light but that's gone now. I also noted that the fuel milage average has gone up from 17.9 to 22.7.Tommorow we are taking a road trip to Charlottesville to see the son and family. Cross your fingers!!

By the way I didnt WANT to change the OPTI , Its just that there's been so much OPTI madness I've read, that I was preparing for the worst. I'm Tickled that it wasnt the opti.

Thanks again Junkie!!

How long did it run better before this problem came up?

Do you have FSM? Multimeter?

Do you lope idle closed loop (warmed up)?

 

[CROOZ1N]

Its been an intermittent problem since I got the car. Didn't seem to affect the running so much. Its just when the service engine soon light comes on it makes certain parts pucker because usually that light coming on is a bad thing. I finally had time to investigate further and found that the elbow was leaking vacuum around where it attaches to the EGR valve. I suspect that sometimes it could get enough vacuum to work and sometimes not.
I haven't had it back out on the highway enough to know if its actually "cured "yet.
The car running better in the above quote was from replacing the ignition coil.

Oh and yes I have a meter and yes i have a FSM. And no It didn't lope when warmed up.

 

[John Robinson]

Its been an intermittent problem since I got the car. Didn't seem to affect the running so much. Its just when the service engine soon light comes on it makes certain parts pucker because usually that light coming on is a bad thing. I finally had time to investigate further and found that the elbow was leaking vacuum around where it attaches to the EGR valve. I suspect that sometimes it could get enough vacuum to work and sometimes not.
I haven't had it back out on the highway enough to know if its actually "cured "yet.
The car running better in the above quote was from replacing the ignition coil.

Oh and yes I have a meter and yes i have a FSM. And no It didn't lope when warmed up.

I hope you have got it now. About those parts that pucker when the SES comes on. Did you know that your eyebrows can be pulled down around you mouth

 

[Schrade]

Its been an intermittent problem since I got the car. Didn't seem to affect the running so much. Its just when the service engine soon light comes on it makes certain parts pucker because usually that light coming on is a bad thing. I finally had time to investigate further and found that the elbow was leaking vacuum around where it attaches to the EGR valve. I suspect that sometimes it could get enough vacuum to work and sometimes not.
I haven't had it back out on the highway enough to know if its actually "cured "yet.
The car running better in the above quote was from replacing the ignition coil.

Oh and yes I have a meter and yes i have a FSM. And no It didn't lope when warmed up.

If you have ANY leaking air (vacuum leak) ongoing, it WILL lope idle. 30 year old lawnmower, brand new car on the lot, fuel injected, carbureted motor, they will ALL lope idle, if air is gettin' to the motor through the wrong hole.

If you have a 32 EGR code, and an intermittent vacuum leak, the computer is reading that, after the EGR solenoid opens, and allows vacuum to extend beyond the solenoid valve switch, and open the EGR valve pintle for x minutes, THEN, vacuum should hold x psi for x minutes after the solenoid valve opens. If the vacuum sensor in the solenoid valve switch (?) sees that vacuum is NOT holding (because of the elbow hose leak), it tells that to the ECM, and the ECM lights up 32. Maybe sometimes the vacuum pressure makes the hose collapse, and the leak might seal intermittently???

Capping the EGR means on an L98, fuel vapors will never get purged from the EVAP cannister, and you're gonna' smell fuel always. And if you burp the tank when filling, liquid fuel will get to the EVAP cannister, and you'll smell fuel always. AND, guess what fuel vapors can do when they accumulate???

LT1 ECM (OBDII) might be able to discriminate EGR vacuum problems from EGR electrical circuit problems - I'm not sure since I'm not a pro wrench hack

Start readin' FSM EGR system functions, and make 32 code TRULY vanish uh huh!!!

And they lived code-free happily ever after yup...

 

[93Rubie]

Ok, lets get some things straight here.

The car in question is a 1993, which is OBD I, which doesnt monitor crap compared to OBDII. There is ONLY one EGR code for GM's unless you have a Digital EGR then there is some more. FOR OBDII there are lots of them.

For the most part OBDI only monitors shorts to ground, power, etc...simple things. It contains NO rationality or functional tests.

OBDI does not Monitor EGR flow, OBDII does.
It also monitors pintle position via a sensor.
There are various ways they monitor EGR flow in GM's they typically use the PCM to open the EGR some and via the MAP sensor monitor the data from it.

The EGR should never be open during IDLE, WOT, or when the engine is cold-open loop.

I hope this info is helpful in understanding your issue.

I do wonder what the heck in the above post EVAP has to do with EGR, unless they share a vacuum line or something??? OBDII is not typically going to run those same monitors at the same time. OBDI doesn't have monitors per say like OBDII does.

I cannot recall exactly but if memory serves me OBDII typically runs the EGR flow test on decel. the EVAP typically occurs during crusing conditions.

 

[Schrade]

I do wonder what the heck in the above post EVAP has to do with EGR, unless they share a vacuum line or something???

Yes, they do exactly that.

Next question???

 

[93Rubie]

Yes, they do exactly that.

Next question???

Interesting, that GM would go that, I'll have to get my vacuum diagrams out and look at my own Vette.

Its also interesting that GM decided that on older Grand Am like a 98 for instance that you have to loosen up the rear wheel hubs to replace the wheel cylinders...:duh Why would you do something like that, I should slap somebody...

 

[surfer93]

Yes, they do exactly that.

Next question???

Don't know what year vette your talking about, but my 89 and 93 EGR do not share a vacuum line w/the Evap.

Both share a line w/cruise control and EGR, the Evap on both have there own line.

 

[Schrade]

Don't know what year vette your talking about, but my 89 and 93 EGR do not share a vacuum line w/the Evap.

Both share a line w/cruise control and EGR, the Evap on both have there own line.

L98 routes EVAP purge through the EGR ('87 L98 does; if '89 L98 does not, I don't know that).

If LT1 does, I'm not sure.

edit:
LT1 did get a dedicated vacuum line for EVAP. Control circuit for EVAP and EGR vacuum solenoids REMAINED integrated.

It got its dedicated line probably because so many L98 EVAP faults were falsely indicated by DTC 32. My '87 was one of 'em... FSM even says check FIRST for 32 code. Try finding the problem WITHOUT knowing that!