What does the EGI valve do in a 1998 Dodge Neon?

Answer

I'm going waaay out on a limb here and assuming you mean 'EGR' valve.('EGR' stands for something like 'Emissions Governing/ Recycling')They're on just about every model car sold in the US, from 1990 on. The EGR valve is a fiendish little device dreamed up by some engineers, in response to the State of California coming up with stricter air pollution laws. The theory is that re-burning dirty exhaust results in cleaner exhaust, so the engineers came up with a way to do that. The EGR valve is actually a little cast metal pipe, with fittings on each end, a little door that opens and closes in the middle and a sensor to tell the little door when to open and close. The valve is mounted between the car's intake manifold and exhaust manifold. The sensor takes samples of what's coming out of the exhaust manifold. If levels of certain pollutants (carbon, especially) are too high, the sensor opens the little door in the middle of the assembly and the dirty gases get mixed with the clean air going into the intake manifold, where they get re-burned inside the engine. That's the idea anyway. What actually happens is that your engine can't run at its best, because it's trying to burn dirty air. If the EGR valve is working the way it's supposed to, count on your engine only producing about two thirds of the horsepower it could produce, if the EGR wasn't there. If your Neon is having trouble passing emissions tests on state inspection, and the catalytic converter is in good shape, chances are your EGR valve needs replacing. Some people try to clean them, but that's pointless. The part that really needs cleaning- the sensor- is just about impossible to clean. A new EGR runs about $55 for parts, plus labor, if a mechanic does the job. If you're handy with basic tools- wrenches, etc, you could probably do it yourself. The typical EGR is held in place by four or more bolts and a wire leading to the sensor. It's usually shaped so that it will only go on one way, so you can't get it on backwards or anything. The usual cautions apply: - Don't try to work on the engine if it's still hot - Pay attention to what you do to get the old EGR valve off and then just reverse the order to put the new one on. - Make sure the new one is seated properly (no dirt or loose spots, new gasket in place), that the bolts are all tight and the sensor wire gets reconnected. Go for it!

Answer

Here is my rendition: An EGR valve stands for Exhaust Gas Recirculation. This valve controls the flow of inert exhaust gases from the exhaust to the intake. It controls the oxides of nitrogen (NOX) emmisions. It will usually give you worse gas miliage if it is bad. About 30% of the time you can clean them sucessfully if you know what your doing and have the right chemicals. They can get quite expensive in some cases to replace.

First answer by ID0000000000. Last edit by Bclear. Contributor trust: 1473 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 66 [recommend question]