Chrysler Repair: EGR Valve - 94 Chrysler LHS, chrysler lhs, 94 chrysler lhs

Question
Auto 3.5 6 cylinder engine

The "Check engine" light came on. Car accelerates erratically, idles rough and occasionally stalls. Local mechanic says code indicates EGR problem, but due to location will take 2 hours labour to diagnose

Can the valve be replaced by an amateur?

Any other suggestions?

Answer
Hi Craig,
I have looked at the EGR location in my manual for the 3.3 and 3.8L engines for '91 and if your '94 3.5 is similar I see no reason for you not to do this service yourself. I have worked on egr's and found them to be very straightforward to remove and to install. My experience suggests that when there is a problem with the egr it usually is due to a build of a exhaust crud either in the tube carrying exhaust gas to  valve or in the valve itself so the the valve fails to close all the way which is has to do when the engine is cold, and when it is idling, and when it is under full throttle. The unit you have is a little more complex in having an electrically controlled transducer that varies the egr amount to match the driving conditions. But if that part is o.k., then the egr valve itself would be the culprit and you could investigate it to see if you can clean out the passageway and free up the valve proper. You might check the price of a replacement valve and base the degree of effort on how costly a new one would be. It might be worth giving it a try. Just purchase new gaskets if you try to rejuvenate it.
On the 3.3 and 3.8 it appears to be located near the throttle body on the driver's end, at the back corner fairly high (along with the transducer and its electrical plug). So it should be accessible. To remove the egr on the 3.3 and 3.8 all you do is:
Disconnect the vacuum line from the transducer, inspect for damage. Remove the electrical connector to the transducer.
Remove the 2 bolts that hold the egr valve to the intake manifold. Open the transducer clip and remove the transducer. Remove the egr valve from the intake manifold. Clean gasket surface and discard old gasket. Check for signs of leakage or cracked surfaces. The installation is the reverse. The two bolts are tightened to 200 inch-pounds (about 17 foot pounds).
So have a look at your engine and see if you can identify the valve and the transducer. There is a tube running from the exhaust manifold back to the egr and then the transducer sits on top of the egr. Also there are a vacuum line and an electrical connection to the transducer. It is a simple system and worth having a go at it yourself instead of paying for 2 hours of labor. You can't do any damage if you try it yourself particularly if it is as accessible as it appears to be.
Roland