EGR replacement and injector cleaning

Why are you having the dealer replace the EGR valve? Did you or the dealer test its function?

You can try cleaning the fuel injectors with the SeaFoam stuff or with Techron fuel injector cleaner.

While a stuck open EGR valve could do it, you might want to clean the idle air control valve and throttle body first. Or you can lightly tap the EGR valve and see if it shuts off (use standard precautions with running engine etc etc). EGR valves can be cleaned as well. Both are cheaper than replacing parts trying to fix a problem.

Did they run an EGR system test and told you it was a stuck EGR valve? Didn't they suggest cleaning first?

Fuel injector cleaning is often an unnecessary cash cow for the dealer. With today's detergent gas most often you just need a bottle of Chevron Techron injector cleaner every 30K miles if even that.

Thanks for the replies.

I did try cleaning the throttle body and IAC valve a couple times with no real improvement.

Truthfully I do not know what the dealer did. I know they plug the car into the computer which showed no error codes. They spent a lot of time figuring what needed to be done (well over $4000). They did not try to clean the valve. Dealer around here are strictly replace parts and only with Toyota parts. After paying $100 to look at the car, I figure I was better off just allowing them to replace the egr valve, controller and sensor. As for the rest, they really couldn't explain why I should do a complete tuneup (which I did 10K ago with non Toyota parts) other than a vague statement that the car was not running optimally. They did notice my oil leak and suggested replacing the valve cover gasket, the rear engine seals, and the front engine seals for about 2000. somehow they forget the distributer o-ring and the oil sensor.

...

Yeah, shame on them for leaving anything out. Tomes

Cleaning the throttle body is unlikely to cause a rough idle.

Try cleaning the MAF sensor on the air cleaner housing. Unplug the MAF sensor, remove it from the housing, spray some brake cleaner into the oval opening and let the brake cleaner drip out. After it dries, re-install in the air cleaner housing.

If that doesn't work, temporarily disconnect the vacuum hose from the EGR valve, plug the hose with a golf tee or screw, and see if the condition disappears. If it does, the EGR valve is sticking in the open position, probably due to carbon buildup inside. You can try removing the EGR valve and digging the carbon out with a screwdriver.

"Ray O" ...

I was in a NAPA store the other day and noticed that CRC markets a special MAF sensor cleaning spray. do we know if this is any different/better than the brake fluid approach? Tomes

Any aerosol cleaner that evaporates completely will work. The problem is that most of them will leave an oily deposit behind (carb cleaner, etc.). MAF and brake cleaner evaporates cleanly and will not adversely affect the MAF sensor.

Jack

I am not familiar with the CRC MAF sensor cleaning spray. As Retired VIP pointed out, it has to dry cleanly without any oily residue so my guess is that it is the same stuff as brake cleaner or some type of isopropyl alcohol. Since the MAF sensor probably only needs cleaning once, maybe twice, in the life of a car, I would not invest in it since I always have brake cleaner in my garage.

It's too bad many dealer techs don't seem to have a clue, especially charging much more than competent independents.

Sure, the throttle body cleaner also helps to lubricate, whereas brake cleaner is much stronger and is formulated to leave things squeaky clean. Differing from the article below (carb cleaner for throttle body), I'd select the proper solvent formulation for the job: carburetor, injected throttle body, brakes. MAF cleaner is probably not as strong as brake cleaner.

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