There has been some threads about it, here's one
I replaced mine last year, but it was on a 3.0L not all that much different.

 

That did help. We were actually hoping for a step-by step pics of the replacement. Every diagram is taken close-up with all the other crap that's in the way removed for "easy viewing". That doesn't help if you're trying to change it without tearing half the engine apart lol

Anyway, we might just have someone do it because neither of us has the proper tools or the patience to pry off 12-year-old parts.

 

I actually disabled the EGR valve on our van by taking the vacuum hose off of it and plugging it with a bolt. The van runs great, and the check engine light hasn't been tripped either.

 

So how's your gas mileage like that?

 

EGR doesn't effect fuel mileage much if at all. Some of the vans came without it and they all had the same mileage ratings. It is easy, take off the intake hoses and its 2 bolts by the master cylinder and 1 hose and 1 plug.

 

I just got the air supply and the battery tray out of the way on my '99 T&C 3.8 and it was pretty straight forward. From my memory, you don't have to fool with the EGR tube because the valve and the tube mount separately underneath the intake so, like andyg said, it is just two bolts, the electrical connector, and the vacuum line.

 

I replaced mine at 96K miles on my 99 3.3L Sport. Easy to do, no big challenges; bought the new EGR at Autozone and it was made by Wells who made the original one. I paid $70 in 2006 for the part.

Frank
96 Grand Voyager 3.3L retired
99 DGC Sport 3.3L retired at 137K miles (still running fine for my friend)
07 T&C SWB 3.3L with 38100 miles

 

Hey,

did you ever get it done? Its really not that hard to do at all..Mine keeps setting off the Check engine light on mine, so I need to do mine...Let me know if you still want to take the job on, because im off work tomorrow and I plan on working on my caravan..Ill do a EGR Video For you... Check out my Channel and look at the Upper intake video i did on my 1998 Grand caravan, maybe that can help you in some way.. but anyways let me know www.youtube.com/user/905speedGTA

 

No change in gas mileage that I can tell. One night I did notice some engine noise, like a valve rattle, at 3/4 throttle under load around 45mph. It was cold out, and I thought maybe the lack of EGR was causing it. I tried the same run/test drive again when it was warmer during the day, and I couldn't hear the noise. Maybe it's fine, or maybe it's the air intake pipe I put on, which eliminated the intake silencer box. I just wanted to see if it's possible to run without an EGR, so that I can put on the 4th gen exhaust manifolds that don't have a fitting for EGR tube.

So the computer can trip a code for EGR? I figured it must trip a code if the electrical vacuum switch or circuit is open, or maybe the valve itself sticks open and creates a lean condition?

 

It can also trip a code if it detects that if under certain conditions, the egr is not causing the 02 levels to drop. Emissions wants it because it helps reduce nox emissions.

 

The Check Engine light finally came on yesterday. I checked it out with the code reader, and got the code "insufficient EGR flow". I erased the code and hooked the vacuum line up to the EGR valve again. So much for that experiment.

 

What if you were to supply EGR flo to the EGR control unit and not mount the EGR valve the valve should provide signal to PCM requires replumbing so control unit is supplied exhaust flow there are 2 piece on my van all will be hooked up but valve is not mounted where EGR goes into manifold block off manifold hole but on the control line SENCE input hose that is supplied exhaust I think it is just a vacuum amplifier device sort of like a vacuum transistor exhaust is like the base of a transistor the emitter to collector junction is so a tiny signal allows strong vacuum to pull diaphragm open to dump in exhaust long as the control unit has its 3 lines hooked up pcm gets correct signal you might need to make a part that provides a exhaust signal to egr amplifier hook up all lines but with valve not mounted it looks possible trying to think this out sorry to ramble on but i might have it figured out there will be not pathway for exhaust to get back to intake but we mock the tiny signal to control unit with exhaust signal

 

EGR "SHOULD" have a pretty big effect on mileage. its 20%+ the mileage in my metro. so they must not be "USING" much egr at all. in fact I bet that is why they removed it eventually.

is there a way to INCREASE EGR? EGR is exhaust gas recirculation basically takes some of the exhaust pre cat and feeds it back into the engine (while cruising never at idle or at WOT)

this has the effect of insuring any left over combustables are "burned" (cleaner emissions less work for the cat) but IT ALSO has the effect of effectively "SHRINKING" your engine.

effectively lowering the "displacement" of your engine. I would LOVE to add enough EGR to get me down to around 2L

this van (2000 3.3L GV SE) has way way more power than it really needs and way lower (22mpg) fuel economy than it should.

increasing EGR while at cruise will both increase fuel economy and decrease throttle plate losses as it causes you to use more pedal to maintain speed further helping with fuel economy.

SO is there anyway for me to enhance the EGR to increase its output?

 

if you know of a way to re-program the computer, it can be done, it's all in the software.

 

Adding that much exhaust would result in less economy. The fuel would not mix properly with the acutal oxygen being taken in and very incomplete combustion would take place. Reducing displacement is very little of what egr does. It is all about reducing combustion temperatures and emissions. Think about it, it was mainly on large v8's in the late 70's, those things were not going to be any form of fuel efficient.

 

It's usually the solenoid/transducer part that fails. That's easy enough to replace, no need to unbolt the actual EGR valve. 2nd and 3rd Generations use a similar EGR assembly.

You can cut the hose to the EGR valve itself and plug the open ends. That way the EGR valve remains shut and no exhaust gases pass over. That works on the 2nd Generation to get the engine to run smooth (not stall out).

Here's a picture of the assembly: http://autorepair.about.com/od/fixi...xityourself/a/Replacing-And-Cleaning-Your-Egr-Valve-And-Backpressure-Sensor.htm