When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Yeah, I would do that especially if you haven't done electrical testing like this before. Some would argue to just use a jumper wire (which is pennies) but the test probe is a safer option.
The EGR vale does have ability to provide feedback on it's position (how open vs how closed it is). if it fails to report back this information then there would be another error P1498.
Domenic, theres another test (other than resetting the PCM and decelerating from 55 mph to observe the EGR doing it's job; it's in the part below; did you give that a shot?
everything I am reading so far continues to point to the EGR passage being obstructed in some way.
btw...did you check that the upper valve cover gasket was placed in the correct orientation? not upside down?
OK so - engine off, then connect positive to egr 4. Then start vehicle. let idle.
then connect negative to egr 6.
Do i disconnect positive to egr 4 first, or will they need to both be connected at same time????
My guess is the order of connecting is to prevent issues related to interrupting the flow of electricity and arcing.
Thank you! I haven't worked on the car because I have been busy and I am getting ready to fly cross-country for my grandfather's 100th birthday.
Last night while driving, I had some fun. Headlights went out. Highbeams worked. I turned lights off and on, but they would not come back on. Restarted car, light backs on. But driver side lowbeam went off again while driving, until I turned light back off and on. Going to check grounds today. Will look into further when I get back into town.
Have you ever replaced the ballasts and ignitors? Was the car recently driven in the rain?
Also curious if you ever cleaned out your PCV valve? It really isn't directly in the EGR system but the EGR feeds into the intake manifold and I was thinking there might be a issue. Not sure how much of an affect it would have but cheap and easy to check.
Good luck when you get back to it.
No rain here in the desert! Ha.
I thought a ballast and ignitor were the same thing. Uh oh! Actually, I remember looking up ballasts online and didn't find many options. So hoping that isn't the culprit.
While I was cross country, my son drove the car, he said the lights didnt act up at all.
I drove car home from airport and had no issues with the lights.
Thinking car has a mind of its own.
Not saying it is your ballast or igniter. They do seem to go at about 20 years or so. They are available all over. I replaced mine with ones from Amazon. If you replace them do so in pairs (i.e. Igniter and ballast at the same time). Each headlight gets one igniter and one ballast. Pictures are below. Since there have been no problems since it might be a loose connector. If you do end up replacing them there are videos on YouTube showing how. You will need to remove the front bumper, a few bolts and a few clips (careful on the clips). BTW do you call your car Christine?
Not saying it is your ballast or igniter. They do seem to go at about 20 years or so. They are available all over. I replaced mine with ones from Amazon. If you replace them do so in pairs (i.e. Igniter and ballast at the same time). Each headlight gets one igniter and one ballast. Pictures are below. Since there have been no problems since it might be a loose connector. If you do end up replacing them there are videos on YouTube showing how. You will need to remove the front bumper, a few bolts and a few clips (careful on the clips). BTW do you call your car Christine?
Thanks, Jon!! I'll keep an eye on the lights.
Also, I replaced a starter in my son's 2005 Acura RSX yesterday. You gotta be proud!!
With the holidays, and some other travel, I have not been back on the case. Engine light still present, insufficient flow, with no performance issues noted.
What keeps bothering me: usually this car is pretty spot on with its engine light codes. If code says it's insufficient flow, it's probably insufficient flow, as opposed to the egr valve itself, which I believe presents a different code.
Ok. So. Despite ZERO visible restrictions and cleaning the port 4 times, with half a dozen cans of cleaner, pb blaster spray, cleaning tools, and compressed air......it's still insufficient?? I mean, OK, so if there is a restriction, didn't my efforts make it somewhat better? It had to do some good, right? It should have been enough to improve the situation, right? Nope....code still on. So now the assumption is that despite the multiple cleanings, it didn't do jack sh*t.
is there any chance something is stuck in the port? What could be there, I have no idea.
I just don't see how a mechanic could do something different than I have already done to clean the port. Maybe use an air gun or different cleaner/chemical?
Once more just checking…the upper gasket is not upside down and the holes match the EGR ports on the intake manifold?
Correct. Not upside down. Sitting correctly. Even had another pair of eyes look, too. And, the 2000 acura tl only has 1 egr port. At least I'm 99% sure.....I hope I haven't been missing any. Lol.
Once more just checking…the upper gasket is not upside down and the holes match the EGR ports on the intake manifold?
just tried something different. Car was hot and off. Took off the egr valve. Sprayed a can of cleaner into the egr port. (Rectangular opening where egr valve sits down on) Turned car on. Sounded like death. Sprayed more cleaner into the port while car was running (and struggling and sounding bad). Turned car off. Did same procedure again. Reinstalled egr port. Let car idle 5 minutes.
Will drive later. Will see if code comes back on. Apparently the above is supposed to blow out the restriction.
Engine light (same code) came back on last night.
I think I am going to try same procedure again. Going to find some cleaner and let it soak for hours. Maybe find some other pipe cleaners. I think I was supposed to start car in neutral and do a better job at plugging the exhaust hole (circle opening where egr valve sits down on)
Thoughts on this cleaner? Yes, I know it's not a diesel. Product came up when I searched egr port cleaner.
FWIW
i've been doing some reading on bad vsv/vcv vacuum switching/change valve......could cause insufficient flow detected code.......
will keep reading....
Letting seafoam soak as we speak. Poured seafoam down egr port on intake. I thought the fluid would just run out the other end (rectangular opening where egr valve sits) also, when started car and removed egr valve, the exhaust opening blew air out (good pressure amount), but the egr port didn't suck air. If it did, it was minimal and not noticeable. These things lead to think "restriction"
Also, the pigtail to engine coolant temp sensor is shot. The negative wire came out. Just ordered a new pigtail. On my way to pick it up. (With sons car) grrrrrrr
Cleaned egr port again. Seafoam deep creep and regular seafoam. Multiple times. Filled port. Sat for an hour. Pipe cleaner. Did this over and over. Lots of white smoke in the neighborhood. Ha.
new standard motor egr valve (though from amazon).
engine back on.
Will call acura on Tuesday.
We are paying attention to your posts, your not screaming into the void. Right now we are waiting to hear the results of all your efforts. Hope that you have a great happy and healthy New Year.
We are paying attention to your posts, your not screaming into the void. Right now we are waiting to hear the results of all your efforts. Hope that you have a great happy and healthy New Year.
We are paying attention to your posts, your not screaming into the void. Right now we are waiting to hear the results of all your efforts. Hope that you have a great happy and healthy New Year.
Happy New Year, Jon!
You're the best!
Do you have some acid I can pour down the port???????
Thank you! I haven't worked on the car because I have been busy and I am getting ready to fly cross-country for my grandfather's 100th birthday.
Last night while driving, I had some fun. Headlights went out. Highbeams worked. I turned lights off and on, but they would not come back on. Restarted car, light backs on. But driver side lowbeam went off again while driving, until I turned light back off and on. Going to check grounds today. Will look into further when I get back into town.
Not all aftermarket parts are "created equal". My old Jeep Cherokee is rather fussy over the brand of some of the sensors.
When I cleaned out mine ('01), the port in the upper plenum was almost completely blocked. It took quite a bit of effort to "chisel" out the big chucks, then flush the rest clean. The passage to the EGR was a bit dirty but relatively unobstructed, so I was fairly easy to clean out.
Whitetiger5 has a good observation, Does the replacement part opening match the original part opening in size and shape?
The opening on the Standard Motor part looks a little slimmer / different, yes.
As weird as it may sound, I really cannot remove the possibility of thw wrong EGR valve until I bite the bullet and buy the Honda OEM EGR valve. Best price I can find - $220 plus shipping.
Not all aftermarket parts are "created equal". My old Jeep Cherokee is rather fussy over the brand of some of the sensors.
When I cleaned out mine ('01), the port in the upper plenum was almost completely blocked. It took quite a bit of effort to "chisel" out the big chucks, then flush the rest clean. The passage to the EGR was a bit dirty but relatively unobstructed, so I was fairly easy to clean out.
Keep at it!!
The opening at top of plenum and the opening on the egr valve housing never looked gunked. I was never able to visibly see any restriction or gunk or grime. It always looked clean. When I used pipe cleaners or straw cleaners, no gunk or junk came out. Even mechanic looked at ports and said "no restriction" and told me to purchase Honda EGR valve.
Called Acura yesterday, left message with service department, no callback.
I want to fill port with drain cleaner and or paint thinner, then blow it out with pressurized water hose from self service car wash.
Wife is saying - NO....Take it to Acura and let them handle.
I still think - if restriction as code says, why did NONE of my efforts do enough to clear code? I mean, ok, I didn't perfectly clear restriction, but my attempts had to do SOMETHING good, right? ughhhhhh.
Acura tech returned my call. He said since my multiple cleanings didnt clear the code, next step is to replace egr valve with oem honda part. Said he has heard folks purchase aftermarket including standard motor, without luck.
Just purchased OEM part from Honda. Should arrive in few days. If code doesn't stay away after resetting pcu, will take to honda and leave there until they figure it out. Thanks!!
1. With EGR valve off, should the rectangular hole on the egr base, suck air? If so, should it be a strong sucking of air?
when I took the valve off, the round exhaust hole blew air out like a SOB. Very strong output of air.
when I took the valve off, the rectangular hole on the egr base, didnt suck air and if so, it wasnt noticable.
would that mean restriction or could it mean a vacuum leak? (No other engine light codes are present).
2. Do you agree with the approach, besides blowing air through the port after spraying cleaner, to pour cleaner into the rectangular hole on egr base and then starting car with egr valve remaining off? (Thinking the fluid/gunk should get sucked up into intake).
When I get the new honda egr valve, I will try another round of port cleaning. I mean, why not. Probably going to purchase seafoam deep creep, carb cleaner, and compressed air can, and also look around home depot for something I can jam up and down in and out the port.
should be sucking air. is the idle surging with the valve off and rectangular port uncovered?
I have to try again and report back. I THINK last time the idle surged up and stayed high......when valve was removed....
Also, I took another shot at cleaning ports yesterday. This time I focused on the "other" 6 ports versus just the main port (bigger hole). I poured liquid seafoam down those ports, used some straw cleaning brushes, and more seafoam. Drove car....WHITE SMOKE everywhere.....that was fun! Car rode beautifully but then light came back on......same code. Seems like car runs better with code off and seems to "chug" less. Idk. Could be in my mind.
New Honda EGR port arrives todsy.
stay tuned.
New Honda EGR valve and gasket, straight from Honda at a lovely cost of $250.....same old code!!!!!!!
with the car running, in park wnd in drive, i removed the power fr9m the egr valve. NOTHING happened. I thought it was idle high or low or miss or throw an engine light. Is that normal? Maybe the damn power to the egr valve or the pigtail is shot?
New Honda EGR valve and gasket, straight from Honda at a lovely cost of $250.....same old code!!!!!!!
with the car running, in park wnd in drive, i removed the power fr9m the egr valve. NOTHING happened. I thought it was idle high or low or miss or throw an engine light. Is that normal? Maybe the damn power to the egr valve or the pigtail is shot?
Sound about right.
The EGR valve is normally closed. if you remove the connector from it, it will stay closed and nothing should happen.
Did you attempt the test with the battery voltage applied to the appropriate pins at idle to force it open at idle? that should cause some weird idling:
if not obstruction in the passage.
If it does, I would look at the connection between the EGR and PCM.
Have not tired this......but thinking it's time to bring to Acura for service. Maybe I should have a used PCM ready for when they tell me that's the issue (since my ports are clean and i have a new honda egr valve)
