I am getting a trouble code 16 on my truck which refers to the EGR Valve Position sensor. I removed the EGR valve and tried cleaning it up. but still no luck. I removed all the tubes and cleaned it up. is there anything else I can try? No one sells the EGR sensor anymore. Any help is appreciated.

 

Does your EGR valve actually operate when vacuum is pulled on it, like from a hand vacuum pump? The B2200 EGR is two parts: the eGR valve and the EGR sensor, which senses its position. It's quite common for the valve to get loaded up with carbon, and for the valve to stick. If it sticks open, you can get stalling. I've had to clean out my EGR valve twice (in 14 years) to get that valve working, first time for pinging (stock carb), second time for stalling, stuck open (Weber 32/36 DGEV). Apparently the sensor delivers a signal to the computer that something is wrong with the position of the EGR valve. Report back whether it's stuck or not: a way to test is to idle the truck, then pull vacuum on the EGR valve nipple and engine should stumble severely or stall if EGR valve is operating properly. If OK, then check all your vacuum hoses, and make sure that hose to the EGR actually pulls a vacuum. Do you have the stock carburetor, and does Hawaii have emissions testing on a 1988?

Is this "EGR sensor" actually the electrical part of the EGR valve or something else? Can you link a photo?

 

I started the engine and connected a syringe to the tube that goes into egr valve. I also tried the same with another pump but it doesnt change the rev or sound of the engine. engine runs normal with no hiccups or anything.

Is there a vacumm tool that I can use to make sure my egr valve works?

Is there any other way to test the egr valve? should I be able to press and open it freely with my fingers? I tried this today and I had to apply some pressure to push on teh diaphram of the egr.
thanks in advance.

 

A large syringe with a tight plunger should work if it pulls enough vacuum. You can unbolt the EGR valve (3 10mm-head bolts) and try that and visually check whether pulling such vacuum actually makes the valve move; you should actually be able to see it move when vacuum is pulled (you could actually remove it and hook up to known vacuum nipple on a different vehicle and observe whether it moves). These EGR valves do carbon-up and become clogged or stuck over time, common. I've had to clean out and WD-40 mine twice to repair it (they're expensive new).

What I have is a hand vacuum pump, sold at auto parts stores under names like Mighty Vac, for about $30; I can also use that to bleed brakes and clutch hydraulics.

 

Thanks for all your help. Heres What I did. I took out the egr for the 3rd time and let it sit in gasoline all night. I cleaned it up in the morning. I also removed the sensor.
After cleaning it up I tried to push on the diaphram and press on with my finger on the vacumm line and press on my thumb on the hole where the sensor sits on. And I could see that it actually holds vacumm and the valve stays open until I let my finger go.
This told me that the egr was working fine.

but when I screw back the sensor on top of it, and press on teh diaphram with blocking the vacumm line with my finger, the valve doesnt stay open. I find out that there was a tiny gap between the egr and the sensor. so I went to kragen and bought a gasket for $2.50 and screwed it in between the egr and the sensor. and that solved the error code.

I already got my smog done.

thanks again guys.

 

hope that helps some one else.