Okay, so for quite some time now my car (97 2.2L manual Sunfire) has been acting all sluggish and hesitant and crap and throwing an OBD-2 code. I took it to a dealership in Milford, Ct for them to try and figure it out since I've been moving around a lot so it's been hard to find a good mechanic. They told me that the EGR vavle was clogged up with carbon buildup and crap, and charged me $450 for parts and labor to take it and clean it out. I picked up the car, and on the drive down to Pittsburgh, Pa (where I'll be for the next year at least) it started doing the same crap again and throwing a code again after running fine for a day. The guy at the dealership said if the problem persisted, that he'd replace the part and charge me only labor... fat lot of good that will do me since I'm 450 miles away now. With that said, does anyone know roughly how much a new EGR valve will cost with installation, and (this is more imporant) does anyone know where I can find a good mechanic in the Dormont/Brookline area of Pittsburgh?
The term 'stock' is COMPLETELY relative...
As I remember, the EGR valve on my '96 2.2 was somewhere in the area of $60-$80. It's a super-easy, will be for any moderate Saturday wrencher, to replace. don't forget to pickup some make-a-gasket stuff in a tube, and blue threadloc for the screws.
I would totally do it myself, unfortunately i had to leave all my tools in CT, since not too much besides my clothing and school stuff fits inside the back of a Sunfire, even with the back seat folded, hence my looking for a trusted mech around Brookline/Dormont. Thanks though for subsiding my worries about the part cost.
The term 'stock' is COMPLETELY relative...
Its really only two screws to do. So its easy ... BUT
the part is electronically controlled, not vaccuum anymore (as it was in 95, but not 96 and up) so the price isnt so pretty anymore. The price is about 200 at an aftermarket place like autozone etc. The dealer will charge more. There is no way that they should have charged you 450 for the parts and labour to clean it. They replaced it and it wasnt the valve that was bad it was the wiring harness has a break in it. I have seen it many times on this particular vehicle. Let me guess, the day they cleaned it, it was cool out and now its hot and you are using AC. When you are putting more load on the car, the EGR works more, hence sends and recieves more signal for the EGR. Now the wire wont be broken totally, it will just be broken under the plastic shielding prolly. So it can be tough to find.
I have a 97 2.2 Cav and autozone said it was about 80 bucks. Got a code but forgot which one. I took it off 2 screws or bults like he said and there was a lot of carbon build up. I cleaned it of with carb cleaners and fines since then and better gas mileage too.
autozone made a mistake .. its 200 for the electronically controlled one. .. look it up online
Actually it was hot as balls out when I picked up the car... I don't use the A/C since it doesn't work too well and I enjoy driving with the windows down anyways. When I first picked it up after the 'cleaning' the car ran fine for a couple days, but then it started doing the same thing before... bogging down, misfiring and 'caughing' at me when it did said things.
I just hope that sooner or later somebody will find out what the $#%@ is wrong with my car because this problem has been going on now for the better part of two months... and I really don't feel like paying a fortune to fix it...
The term 'stock' is COMPLETELY relative...
