Egr Pipe: Are They Easily Broken?

[clacey]

I changed a starter out about 3 weeks ago and I had to bend the EGR pipe a little bit to get it out of the way. Ever since then, the car has been noisy under accelleration. Is this thing easily broken? It is steel and seems very sturdy. How big / what is the process to remove it? This is a 91 LS 400 and only has one of these.

Thanks,

CL

[mejojo]

It seems to be a common thing to break. I've been told by the dealer that mine is broken and needs replacing ($800 - AllDataDIY says 9.8 hours labor!!!) but I have no symptoms that I can tell. So, I won't be paying $800, and I don't think I'll be spending 8-10 hours and $145 on it, either.

A thought I had was if I could identify *where* the break is, it might be possible to weld it or apply an exhaust patch. At this point, I don't even know where to look for a break.

Joe

[tansupplyman]

Tips on what to use to find exhaust leaks:

Buy a mechanics stethoscope and take the sound amplifier off and use that end of the hose for finding the sound[the ear pieces fit real good to eliminate extranous sound].

Get plastic hose[approx. 1/4" in dia] and a plastic tee; make your own sound stethoscope.

Get a plastic hose and use only one ear to listen to the sound, but you should stop-up the other ear.

[wwest]

When our 95 LS did that I took the exhaust end off, bent it over for full blockage and reinstalled. no exhaust leak here.

[clacey]

bent it over for full blockage

Bent it over for full blockage? Can you explain?

Thanks,

CL

[Rice]

When our 95 LS did that I took the exhaust end off, bent it over for full blockage and reinstalled. no exhaust leak here.

That's not a very good thing to do. Your EGR system helps fuel economy. If EGR doesn't work properly, your fuel economy goes to hell... :chairshot:

I have the same problem, but don't want to spend the bucks to fix it. I do like the idea of patching the leak if it's not too big. I'm thinking JB Weld??? Not sure if it can hold at high temperatures though.

[tansupplyman]

Rice--maybe you should use muffler patch[Victor is a good brand]; cut a piece of 'house window' screen wire and cover it with the patch material, also put it on the split(whatever); then wrap the screen wire around it; then use small ss wormgear clamps[or two] around the screen wire to hold it together. Then dab some more of the patch around the whole thing. This stuff contains sodium silcate and will get 'rock' hard.

[Rice]

Rice--maybe you should use muffler patch[Victor is a good brand]; cut a piece of 'house window' screen wire and cover it with the patch material, also put it on the split(whatever); then wrap the screen wire around it; then use small ss wormgear clamps[or two] around the screen wire to hold it together. Then dab some more of the patch around the whole thing. This stuff contains sodium silcate and will get 'rock' hard.

Tan,

Thanks for the advise.

I'm only worried that there is not a lot of room to manuver.

As soon as the weather allows, I'll check it out.

[seattle_usa]

Rice--maybe you should use muffler patch[Victor is a good brand]; cut a piece of 'house window' screen wire and cover it with the patch material, also put it on the split(whatever); then wrap the screen wire around it; then use small ss wormgear clamps[or two] around the screen wire to hold it together. Then dab some more of the patch around the whole thing.  This stuff contains sodium silcate and will get 'rock' hard.

Tan,

Thanks for the advise.

I'm only worried that there is not a lot of room to manuver.

As soon as the weather allows, I'll check it out.

i found my EGR pipe leak and after took it off, i see, there are 2 leaking. there is no room to do the path at all. it took me 10 hours and several trip to tools store to be finally got pipe off the car. 10 hours. Later i found there is no way to put new EGR pipe back to the car, there is no room to insert the top bent end wtih flage... so i capped the two ends and put exhaust pipe back... Since the ends were capped, the check-engie light is on. I called Lexus delar - just to put pipe back to car will cost me $950+tax. ohter car shop chars $600. I'm think to get new EGR pipe into two pieces at top of bent area (because of that bent so i can not have it inserted into the limited room) and use muffler patch material to make them become one piece to save 950$... i know i will then take me another several hours to put middle 12mm bolt to be tightened.

if anyone like to know the details for how to remove the pipe especially middle 12mm bolt, please email me at seattle_usa@hotmail.com. Iwill go step by step for how I did it...

Needless to say the formal way to remove/install egr pipe is to removed the transmission......... but with muffler patch, i'm willing to cut my new EGR pipe to ahve it installed instead of $950.... as I really don't wannt those dealer or shop to mess up the transmission.