huge hole in egr pipe

[VinCecil]

I've expected a vacuum leak for quite some time. So i remember some months ago, looking at the egr and noticing a hairline crack going down the pipe. Never thought much of it.

Today, while attempting to remove that egr, with the help of my inhuman strength, rippped that crack wide open. Big enough to stick my pinky finger inside.

Very loud hissss and leaking strong enough to blow my arm hairs. Wtf. How hard is this pipe to replace, and do i need to disassemble anything? Could this crack been my mystery vacuum leak all along?

 

[RonD]

No wouldn't be a vacuum leak but would make engine run slightly richer on the bank with the EGR tube attached.

It is an exhaust leak, and it will suck air in as well as let exhaust out, this extra air causes O2 sensor on that bank to show a False Lean, so computer will run that bank richer than it should.

The nuts at each end of the tube are hard to get off but not too much disassembly should be required

 

[VinCecil]

No wouldn't be a vacuum leak but would make engine run slightly richer on the bank with the EGR tube attached.

It is an exhaust leak, and it will suck air in as well as let exhaust out, this extra air causes O2 sensor on that bank to show a False Lean, so computer will run that bank richer than it should.

The nuts at each end of the tube are hard to get off but not too much disassembly should be required

P0174.(02 sensor for that bank) Only code i haven't gotten rid of yet. Maybe been a problem all along?

 

[VinCecil]

Extra gas = small backfire?

 

[RonD]

Yup, probably the leak in the EGR tube, extra gas doesn't all burn and ignites in exhaust manifold, back fire

 

[VinCecil]

I almost dropped so much money on this old engine. Given my symptoms, I'd of replaced everything and would have no luck. Maybe its a good thing im stubborn, and waited months before actually buying anything.

Jb weld or fuct tape? A temp fix cus im sure that massive hole isn't going easy on gas til i get a new pipe.

Its the super skinny pipe before it gets to the big pipe. The one directly off the bottom of egr, right at that nut i was cranking on so gently.

 

[VinCecil]

Supplies limited tonight. Electric tape it is. I'll let you know if i make it to work tomorrow.

 

[ratdude747]

I've used muffler tape on an EGR tube before (I had a fitting hairline crack off, and needed to plug the hole until I could order an NOS one from ebay, 1995-1997 3.0 tubes are expensive and rare apparently). Not a long term fix but it worked to get me by.

The nuts (or in my case, nut,) are a pain. I found that a large crescent wrench (12" or 15") worked well for the intake side (my exhaust end uses a bolt and optional gasket, they went to a 2nd nut in 1998). PB blast and some heat (especially at the exhaust end) will help.

 

[stmitch]

EGR gets hot. Electrical tape won't last long.

 

[VinCecil]

EGR gets hot. Electrical tape won't last long.

I know. I'd rather try that then have this massive Crack. It got me to work.only stumbled and backfired when i pushed the gas hard. I can feel the loss of power and probably back pressure. Same problem, yet worse sincce i enlarged the fault.

I couldn't get that nut off to begin with. Need to clean the egr, so even if i fix the crack, I'd still have an issue. I think ill just rip it all off when i get a new pipe. Can't fix a crack then go cranking on it again

 

[VinCecil]

Stopped by autozone to read my codes, since my cel is permanently off, just checking.no codes. No codes in memory. Truck seems super peppy of the line. Once i get past 40 mph, its got a serious lack of power and stumbles. New pipe on payday, for now ill jb weld the crack. Tape didnt melt at all either on a 20 mile trip of hard driving.

The guy sais i probably have a bad exhaust leak since the manifold is so rusted? Ive guessed this since i bought the truck.

 

[ratdude747]

Stopped by autozone to read my codes, since my cel is permanently off, just checking.no codes. No codes in memory. Truck seems super peppy of the line. Once i get past 40 mph, its got a serious lack of power and stumbles. New pipe on payday, for now ill jb weld the crack. Tape didnt melt at all either on a 20 mile trip of hard driving.

The guy sais i probably have a bad exhaust leak since the manifold is so rusted? Ive guessed this since i bought the truck.

Maybe, maybe not. Unless there's a crack, the manifold is probably OK. Maybe a gasket downstream? The Y pipe to manifold joints don't have a gasket though. Honestly sounds like a part guy trying to sell you $$$ manifolds.

And if you do replace them, use the old pipe bolts since the new ones will probably not fit the pipe flange; when I did mine (and found out they didn't need replaced), the new ones came with bolts and studs that didn't fit; the studs on one manifold were the wrong thread, the bolts on the other were not flange bolts and didn't agree with the pipe flange. My father in law and I drilled some random spacers he had to adapt new non-flange bolts; If I were to do it again, I'd take a die to the old bolts (they're M12's IIRC) and reuse them.