I've been having an EGR issue lately. Every other day or so, my truck decides to run really rough and give me a P1406 code. The P1406 refers to the pintle position for the EGR valve. Obviously, my EGR is messing up. The only thing is, it clears itself and is then fine for a couple of days before it goes back to running like garbage. It's been good for about 3 days now with no issues. Would you recommend getting a new EGR?

 

try cleaning the one you have. what you need is:
1) basic idea of where your egr lives
2) a basic socket set
3) a new gasket ($2 open or $7 screened <-- better)
3) a bottle of carb cleaner
4) some pipe cleaners/tube brush/dental pick/anything you wish to clean carbon out with

Pop the wire off, remove the bolts and pull the EGR, scrape the gasket off and clean the surface (both sides) where the old gasket was. Fill that pig with carb cleaner, you drown it in a coffe can full of carb cleaner. let it cook for a bit then give it a scrub down. spray and scrub, until she bleeds clean looking carb cleaner. re-install with new gasket, hook up plug, fire her up and go for a spin or 5 and see if you are back in business.

 

I had a similar intermittent problem. Only getting EGR codes sometimes.

Mine was caused by a loose chunk of carbon that was too big to get passed the orifice but also small enough to fall back out. Eventually it jammed itself in the EGR and it wouldn't close any longer. All I had to do was clear it out.

I've seen EGR gaskets in the auto parts store's Help section that have a metal screen to prevent this problem. I have never used one so cannot say if they are a good thing or not.

 

Just to add some helpful advice (I hope). Look at the manifold too. When I had my EGR problem the manifold was solid packed with carbon. I actually had to take a small chisel to hack a starter path through it. Bought it this way. Cleaning the valve was easy compared to that. Mine is a linear EGR valve in a 4.3 Vortec 1994 vintage. Haven't used the screened gasket yet. Found out about them 2 days after I cleaned mine. Will next time though.

 

Well, thanks for the advice. I'm not having any issues right now so I think it passed the carbon. If the issue persists, I'll be cleaning it out and getting a gasket with a screen, which I may have already put on there the last time I cleaned it...I don't remember