I only did it because my rig has been running like crap for about 4 months, despite new cap/rotor/plugs/o2/tb cleaning/injector cleaner/fuel filter/everything. Couldn't seem to find what was draining power, strained hard on acceleration but just wouldn't move as fast as it used to, problem came and went daily. I think my EGR would get stuck open or something.

So... I pulled it off the manifold, hacksawed the extension tube, made a plate out of 1/16 aluminum, cut out a gasket for it, and slapped it all back toghether. PROBLEM SOLVED!!!! Runs much smoother now.

If it seems the EGR is the problem, why not go ahead and replace it?

EGR Theory. EGR serves one purpose and one purpose only. That purpose is to reduce Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx). Undernormal combustion, Nitrogen(N2)Oxygen (O2) in the air and Hydrocarbons (HC) in the fuel combind into water(H2O) Carbon dioxide (CO2) and the Nitrogen remains unchanged. Under very hot combustion temperatures, the Nitrogen reacts with the other two byproducts and forms Nitrogen oxide (NO). After being released into the atmosphere, it picks up another Oxygen and becomes Nitrogen dioxide (NO2). In the presence of sunlight,
it combines with other compounds like Hydrocarbons and forms Smog. Since exhaust gas is inert (very stable) it doesn?t burn again. So by being introduced into
the combustion chamber, it will lower combustion chamber temps enough so that
the Nitrogen doesn?t react with the other compounds and is passed unchanged out
the tailpipe thus not contributing to smog. Now, since exhaust gas doesn?t burn, it
doesn?t exactly help with combustion. At higher RPM?s, this really isn?t noticable,
but at idle, the reintroduction of exhaust gas will cause a very rough idle and can
cause stalling if to much is introduced into the combustion chamber

I blocked mine off a couple weeks ago. The engine is SO much smoother now.

a new egr would be $$ and an old used one may not even work much better for very long. The egr problem robbed power and made me have to floor it constantly to get in those high rpm's, wasting more gas and polluting more.....so now that I don't have to do that, I think its a wash.

Can you post a pics of how you blocked it off I have been thinking about doing it also..

Cut out a blank from a Pepsi can ,drill holes for bolts and just place in front of gasket,bolt it up .Old trick from an 86 Ford Pickup with a 300,couldnt't keep a clean EGR.

$125.00 from Autozone... I can see your point, it will be a wash.

just make a piece of sheet steel or aluminum, whatever thickness you can find but it should be thin, less than 1/8" at max. Remove the egr piece that goes into the plenum, its 2 12mm bolts for that, loosen the big bolt attaching the egr to the piece that goes into the plenum, the lower 12mm bolt of the bracket that holds the plenum to the block, the two 12mm bolts holding the egr itself. Everything is really accessible.
Use the egr piece to trace out & fab a block plate, then insert the plate in between when you re-install everything. The plate should look something like this (a rough autocad sketch)

yeah, air is really cheap. Asthma, and other lung diseases, no problem.

Do you know if it will still pass smog that way or is this something you will have to fix before your next smog?

Heard a guy mention passing smog inspection with his blocked off, on this site, the last go round of the "EGR go bye-bye" bandwagon.

not sure, but I just passed a few months ago and don't have to worry for a while. It takes a whoppin 5min or so to return it back to stock, and I have to put the airbox back in as well and re-time it so its about a 30min process once every two years, can't complain.

no smog test required here

hmm.... ill have to look into this

Does the engine temp increase after this? Toyzilla said without it combustion chamber temps increase...

is this a problem?

Put it this way...

For every 3vze owner who blocks his EGR, another replaces their headers and fixes the hot combustion in the first place taking care of what the EGR did in the first place

Pffffff

Maybe we should all start driving hydrogen and electric cars and get rid of fossil fuel vehicles all together.

We could also ride bicycles, eat wheat germ and tofu, wear hemp sandals, use canvas shopping bags and live in communes.

Its only been a day but i've been keeping an eye on it, haven't noticed any change at all yet. I'm actually driving back to san jose tomorrow, so i'll watch it and see if theres a change.

I can sympathize, and only did it to make it run better and more efficient. Besides, i'm not convinced that the "everyone do their part" is gonna help the global warming problem this time, we need major widespread changes much larger than joe blow leaving his emissions stuff on his old truck.