Chrysler Repair: 3.3/3.8L stalling at idle/hard start:: egr sticking?, model chrysler, butterfly valve

Question
Roland,
I have a 2000 model Chrysler Town & Country vehicles (mine is an XLi, 3.8L V6) with the same intermittent stall problem that you addressed in an earlier answer (EGR valve sticking) with a later model. Would you give the same advice? Or is there something else that might be a documented issue with the year 2000 models? If your diagnosis is the same, could you send me a picture of the place to spray the WD-40. I am not very good with cars! Thanks in advance for any additional information.

Answer
Hi Barry,
I am not aware of anything specific for the '00 engine, so checking the egr makes sense. Unfortunately I can't post diagrams on the site so will describe instead. If you remove the fat intake airhose that connects the air filter box to the throttle body you should get a view of the egr valve just below and toward the front of the engine from the place where the airhose attaches the the engine (the throat of the throttle body). It is mechanically bolted to a pipe that comes from the center of the exhaust manifold located behind the engine to the throttle body area. It has a round top with a vacuum hose connected to it, and in the area between that top and the actual body of the valve which is bolted to the pipe there is a flange with openings wherein you will see a thin rod which is the valve stem. It moves back and forth between the body and the round top section, spring-loaded in one direction. It has a circumferential slot into which the tip of a screwdriver can be inserted to allow you to test how freely it moves. If the spring action doesn't appear to positively return it to the fully down position then you spray some solvent such as WD-40 on the stem where it enters the valve body and then lever the stem back and forth gently to loosen it up.
That is all there is to it.
Give it a try. The other thing to do while you have the air hose off it to clean the butterfly valve plate in the throat of the throttle body as well as the throat itself and the small air passageway at the inside surface of the throat. Clean both surfaces of the plate. Use a Q-tip moistened with solvent for this task.
Between these two maintenance tasks you may well solve your problem.
Roland