Help! Cleaned EGR and now I have issues!
 

I just cleaned my EGR and now I've got issues. I cleaned it, replaced it and I also changed plugs and plug wires. Put it together and it pops, wheezes, bangs and whistles like a VW bug. I cleared ECU, checked all connections and even checked all the plug wires in case I didn't get one on all the way. All seem good I've had an ongoing P0106 CEL but recently got a #2 cyl misfire thus the plugs and wire change. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Why did you clean your EGR? I am having a fluctuating rpm @ idle issue and was told to change the plugs, HT wire set and PCV valve. I was also diagnosed with a misfire. Same?

I'm having issues related to error code P1512 VTCS with a 2000 Protege DX with a 1.6L engine. The symptoms are serious bogging down upon acceleration. I installed a blocker plate to my EGR valve thinking it was not functioning correctly. I also installed new plugs. The car still bogs slightly when I begin to accelerate in any gear. The advice I've read online is more focused on newer Proteges with the 2.0L engine. I'm assuming that the VICS/VTCS solenoids are the two I'm seeing on a bracket bolted to the intake manifold on the passenger side of the vehicle. Can anyone suggest a test for these solenoids that would help me determine my next course of action?? Thanks! - John

Where was it anyway? I just changed my sparks ,wires and cleaned the 02 sensors. Didn't help one bit. Can't find the EGR though.

slpwlkr,
on the 1.6l motor, the EGR Valve is on the back side of the moter just behind and slightly lower than the intake port on the manifold/throttle body. You can get to it if you lean over the top of your motor. Kind of a pain to get to but really not that bad. I cleaned it and it was filthy. I used brake cleaner and some Q-tips to get it as clean as I could. I also cleaned (as best as I could) the port on the motor where it is attached. This took me about an hour. I could do it now in less than 30 minutes now that I see the best way to attack the problem. I also installed plug wires and new plugs. It was running very bad after that so I had it towed to a local shop and they checked it out. They removed the EGR Valve and cleaned the port it attaches to much better. They took an awful lot of carbon deposits out of that part of the engine. They had the tools to do it where I didn't. They also checked everything else out and the problem was 2 bad plug wires on #2 and #4 cyl and a broken spark plug that I probably did when I put it in. Advanced Auto Parts gave me new plug wires since I had just bought them. Now the car runs great. The idle problem is gone, the car has more power and it much better to drive. My P0106 MAP/BARO code is back but that is not causing any problems as far as I can tell. I didn't touch my o2 sensors. I'm not sure if this is all the same on a Canadian car, but it is worth a look.
Oh by the way, the local shop charged me less than a $100 in labor costs so I wasn't too upset and the tow was free with AAA. So now I have the following invested:
$600 for the car
$300 for new tires
$38 for plugs and plug wires
$95 for the service at the local shop
=$1033 for my little runaround car I use to NOT drive my Ford F-350 Powerstroke 4x4.
So basically I paid less than 10 weeks of driving my truck for this little car I bought back in November. Not a bad deal.

Ok. I am going to tackle that bastard.

some quick advice: Getting to the EGR valve (esp. on the 2.0L) is a real bear. I've read where many others have removed and cleaned it, with the suggestion that cleaning is a temporary fix. Not sure (from an engineering/science perspective) why cleaning doesn't restore condition to new, such that problems return. -BUT- after I went through the hassle to remove mine (original on 2001 with 155k miles) I decided to go buy a new one cause I didn't want to do that again. I'm fairly thrifty, but the $150 for a new one (assuming I get some signifivant life out of it, and never have to try to remove it) was money well spent.

Oh - my problem - fluctuating idle - almost to a stall. I tried cleaning the IAC valve (which is much easier to access) - and that helped for a while - but then when the problem returned and IAC cleaning was of no help, it was time to have fun with the EGR.

Good luck..