QuestionQUESTION: My van for the last month has been stuttering. I first noticed it when I would start to come to a stop, when the engine downshifted it seemed to load the engine almost to the point of stalling. Since then it has gotten progressively worse. First between 45-50MPH if I tried to accelerate the engine stuttered again almost to the point of stalling. Now it is also stuttering at almost any speed when I try to accelerate. I also recently noticed when I turn on the headlights or the air conditioning it again starts to stutter and almost stalls. Once I get up to speed it runs smooth, I don't hear any misfire or stuttering. My first thought was that it was the EGR valve until I found out that particular engine or year doesn't have an EGR valve. Kevin from ALLEXPERTS initially thought it might be the coil pack, but when I gave him more information he drew a blank an e-mailed me that my question would be thrown into the question pool, or I could ask another expert. I am afraid that if this goes on too long that it may cause engine damage so I opted to contact you.
ANSWER: Hi Joe,
I believe that you are mistaken about the absence of an egr valve on the engine/year. So take a look and you will find that it is the style which allows you to lubricate the valve stem where it enters the valve body with WD-40 and then move the stem back and forth with the tip of a screwdriver inserted in the slot of the stem. That action may well solve the problem.
Roland
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QUESTION: Where is that darn EGR valve hidden? I cannot find it and all internet and books don't show it
ANSWER: The '05 shop manual shows it to be at the same end of the engine as the oil filler cap, but on the other side of the engine. There should be a small diameter pipe branching off from the exhaust manifold that leads right to it.
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QUESTION: There is no pipe there, there is only a rubber hose off the exhaust manifold on the opposite side of the oil filler(left side looking from the front of car and coming off the backside of the exhaust manifold), and that hose goes directly to the air intake after the air filter. I thought I remember reading somewhere that there was a special execution of this engine that did not have an EGR valve. I am at a loss!
AnswerHi Joe,
The same figure is in the '05 and '06 manuals and I can copy that and attach it to an email I will send to you directly if you tell me your email address. If you do so, don't use the @ symbol but rather use "at" or the address will be erased automatically.
Other than checking it out at a dealer parts counter I don't have any other way to verify the situation.
Roland
