The EGR valve (exhaust gas recirculation) redirects exhaust gases back into the intake manifold. The exhaust gas is an inert gas, meaning it does not partake in combustion with the oxygen and fuel from the intake manifold. This lowers combustion temperatures and reduces oxides of nitrogen (a harmful emission). The valve is controlled by the engine computer to open and close at times when most effective, such as highway speeds. When an EGR valve becomes stuck open, exhaust gas will be constantly routed into the intake manifold, leading to reduced engine power and rough idling.
Materials Needed
Talk with your local Chrysler dealer to see if your EGR valve is covered under warranty.
The procedure is considerably harder for those with an automatic transmission. The transmission dipstick routes alongside the EGR valve, reducing the access to one of the bolts. Review the procedure options in Step 3.
When you decide to purchase your EGR valve, make sure it comes with two gaskets (one metal and one fabric). The metal gasket fits between the engine and EGR valve; its part number is 19132-05095376. The fabric gasket fits between the EGR valve and intake pipe; its part number is 19132-01144179.
It's easy to break the plastic fender fasteners, so buying extras is recommended. These are AuVeco part 20887. ClipsAndFasteners.com has these clips as part number A20887. A local auto parts store may have a similar clip in stock.
Step 1 – Remove the passenger's side front wheel
Engage your parking brake. Loosen the lug nuts with a 3/4" or 19mm socket one full turn if you don't have a impact wrench capable of removing these. Locate the passenger's side front jacking point and raise your Jeep with a floor jack. Once the wheel is high enough, place a jack stand next to the floor jack on the jacking point and lower the vehicle's weight onto the jack stand. You may prefer to remove the tire later in the procedure when the electrical connector is ready to be disconnected. This will allow you to use the tire for leverage when removing the the EGR bolts.
Figure 1. Jack up on the frame and put stands under the axle.
Step 2 – Remove the fender
This will allow access to the EGR valve. Start by removing the marker light from the front corner of the fender. Turn the light one-quarter of a turn and pull the light away from the fender. Remove any plastic clips that connect the marker light wiring to the fender with a panel clip removal tool. Locate the five 10mm bolts on the bottom side of the fender and remove them. The bolt on the left may instead be a plastic screw.
Figure 2. Front fender removal.
To remove the eight plastic clips holding the fender to the body, grab the front end of the fender to twist it up and out at an angle. This will take some moderate pressure. Do the same for the rear end of the fender, pulling the fender up towards the middle section and out away from the body. Pull outwards on the middle of the fender to release the remaining clips. Some of the clips may be attached to the body instead of the fender. Remove them from the body with a panel clip removal tool or needle nose pliers and install them back onto the fender if no damage is present. Use the Featured Video at the bottom of the article for a visual of this process.
Figure 3. Removing the fender clips from the body.
Step 3 – Remove the EGR valve
Start by removing the two 8mm bolts that hold the tube to the EGR valve routed from the intake manifold. A 1/4" ratchet with a 6" extension should be enough to reach these bolts.
The two 10mm bolts holding the EGR valve to the engine are more difficult (especially the rear bolt). These bolts are tight so you may need a breaker bar. Spraying some PB Blaster on the bolts may aid in removal, as well. Use a 10mm shallow or deep socket with a short extension to reach these.
Figure 4.The EGR valve location.
Figure 5. A diagram of the EGR valve.
For those with a automatic transmission, you will have to work around the transmission dipstick tube. You can remove the tube, although removal is difficult. Two bolts hold the tube in place. One is at the support bracket about halfway down the tube. The other is near the transmission where the tube meets the transmission housing. Another option is to slightly bend the tube with a pry bar enough to fit a wrench against the rear 10mm bolt. You can wrap a rubber strap around the tube to keep the tube from moving back to its original position while wrenching. The third option was developed by JK-Forum member johnjutsu. The combination of wrenches he suggest allow access to the hidden bolt from above with no modification to the transmission dipstick tube. You'll need a 10mm stubby ratcheting wrench that can be purchased at this link, a 3/8"-5/16" combination box wrench with angled ends, and a 3/8" ratchet extension. Place the box end of the ratchet wrench over the bolt and use the extension for leverage. You may need to switch over to the open end once the bolt begins to loosen due to space limitations.
Figure 6. The EGR and transmission dipstick tube locations.
Figure 7. The wrench setup.
Figure 8. Using multiple wrenches to remove the hidden 10mm bolt.
Once the remaining 10mm bolt is removed, slightly twist the EGR valve towards you to access the electrical connector. If you haven't removed the wheel already, you may want to do that at this time. The electrical connector has a red locking tab. Push the red locking tab to the side. Now squeeze the flexible tab on the connector and simultaneously pull the connector away from the EGR valve. There is a connector near the battery of the same style you can use for practice.
Figure 9. The electrical connector near the battery.
Step 4 – Install the new EGR valve
Re-connect the electrical connector, then slide the 10mm bolts through the EGR valve. Use the bolts as dowel pins to hold the metal gasket in place while you tighten the bolts. Tighten the bolts by hand, then switch to your wrench or socket. Re-install the intake tube to the EGR valve with the two 8mm bolts, making sure the fabric gasket is positioned correctly.
Reinstall your fender, and then the fender liner. Install your wheel and torque your lug nuts to 100 ft/lbs. If you have an OBD-II code reader, erase the codes from the computers memory. If not, your check engine light should disappear after several driving cycles.
Featured Video: EGR Valve Replacement on JK Wrangler
Materials Needed
- Rubber gloves
- Safety glasses
- Floor jack
- Jack stand
- Impact wrench or 1/2 ratchet
- 3/4" or 19mm socket
- 10mm socket and deep socket
- 8mm socket
- 1/4" ratchet
- 3/8" ratchet
- 3" (3/8") and 6" (1/4") ratchet extensions
- Flat head screwdriver
- Phillips head screwdriver
- Small combination ratchet wrench (auto trans only)
- Panel clip removal tool
- Breaker bar
- 3/8" - 5/16" box wrench with angled heads (refer to Step 3)
- 1/2" torque wrench
- EGR valve and gaskets
- Plastic fender clips
- PB Blaster
Talk with your local Chrysler dealer to see if your EGR valve is covered under warranty.
The procedure is considerably harder for those with an automatic transmission. The transmission dipstick routes alongside the EGR valve, reducing the access to one of the bolts. Review the procedure options in Step 3.
When you decide to purchase your EGR valve, make sure it comes with two gaskets (one metal and one fabric). The metal gasket fits between the engine and EGR valve; its part number is 19132-05095376. The fabric gasket fits between the EGR valve and intake pipe; its part number is 19132-01144179.
It's easy to break the plastic fender fasteners, so buying extras is recommended. These are AuVeco part 20887. ClipsAndFasteners.com has these clips as part number A20887. A local auto parts store may have a similar clip in stock.
Step 1 – Remove the passenger's side front wheel
Engage your parking brake. Loosen the lug nuts with a 3/4" or 19mm socket one full turn if you don't have a impact wrench capable of removing these. Locate the passenger's side front jacking point and raise your Jeep with a floor jack. Once the wheel is high enough, place a jack stand next to the floor jack on the jacking point and lower the vehicle's weight onto the jack stand. You may prefer to remove the tire later in the procedure when the electrical connector is ready to be disconnected. This will allow you to use the tire for leverage when removing the the EGR bolts.
Figure 1. Jack up on the frame and put stands under the axle.
Step 2 – Remove the fender
This will allow access to the EGR valve. Start by removing the marker light from the front corner of the fender. Turn the light one-quarter of a turn and pull the light away from the fender. Remove any plastic clips that connect the marker light wiring to the fender with a panel clip removal tool. Locate the five 10mm bolts on the bottom side of the fender and remove them. The bolt on the left may instead be a plastic screw.
Figure 2. Front fender removal.
To remove the eight plastic clips holding the fender to the body, grab the front end of the fender to twist it up and out at an angle. This will take some moderate pressure. Do the same for the rear end of the fender, pulling the fender up towards the middle section and out away from the body. Pull outwards on the middle of the fender to release the remaining clips. Some of the clips may be attached to the body instead of the fender. Remove them from the body with a panel clip removal tool or needle nose pliers and install them back onto the fender if no damage is present. Use the Featured Video at the bottom of the article for a visual of this process.
Figure 3. Removing the fender clips from the body.
Step 3 – Remove the EGR valve
Start by removing the two 8mm bolts that hold the tube to the EGR valve routed from the intake manifold. A 1/4" ratchet with a 6" extension should be enough to reach these bolts.
The two 10mm bolts holding the EGR valve to the engine are more difficult (especially the rear bolt). These bolts are tight so you may need a breaker bar. Spraying some PB Blaster on the bolts may aid in removal, as well. Use a 10mm shallow or deep socket with a short extension to reach these.
Figure 4.The EGR valve location.
Figure 5. A diagram of the EGR valve.
For those with a automatic transmission, you will have to work around the transmission dipstick tube. You can remove the tube, although removal is difficult. Two bolts hold the tube in place. One is at the support bracket about halfway down the tube. The other is near the transmission where the tube meets the transmission housing. Another option is to slightly bend the tube with a pry bar enough to fit a wrench against the rear 10mm bolt. You can wrap a rubber strap around the tube to keep the tube from moving back to its original position while wrenching. The third option was developed by JK-Forum member johnjutsu. The combination of wrenches he suggest allow access to the hidden bolt from above with no modification to the transmission dipstick tube. You'll need a 10mm stubby ratcheting wrench that can be purchased at this link, a 3/8"-5/16" combination box wrench with angled ends, and a 3/8" ratchet extension. Place the box end of the ratchet wrench over the bolt and use the extension for leverage. You may need to switch over to the open end once the bolt begins to loosen due to space limitations.
Figure 6. The EGR and transmission dipstick tube locations.
Figure 7. The wrench setup.
Figure 8. Using multiple wrenches to remove the hidden 10mm bolt.
Once the remaining 10mm bolt is removed, slightly twist the EGR valve towards you to access the electrical connector. If you haven't removed the wheel already, you may want to do that at this time. The electrical connector has a red locking tab. Push the red locking tab to the side. Now squeeze the flexible tab on the connector and simultaneously pull the connector away from the EGR valve. There is a connector near the battery of the same style you can use for practice.
Figure 9. The electrical connector near the battery.
Step 4 – Install the new EGR valve
Re-connect the electrical connector, then slide the 10mm bolts through the EGR valve. Use the bolts as dowel pins to hold the metal gasket in place while you tighten the bolts. Tighten the bolts by hand, then switch to your wrench or socket. Re-install the intake tube to the EGR valve with the two 8mm bolts, making sure the fabric gasket is positioned correctly.
Reinstall your fender, and then the fender liner. Install your wheel and torque your lug nuts to 100 ft/lbs. If you have an OBD-II code reader, erase the codes from the computers memory. If not, your check engine light should disappear after several driving cycles.
Featured Video: EGR Valve Replacement on JK Wrangler