Take the EGR off yourself and clean it.
They're usually held on by 2 bolts and the gasket to put it back on costs about $7.
Here's a how-to but don't get that gasket because it's for a 1.3L mazda b3 engine.
Time: 35 minutes
Tools required:
1 EGR Valve gasket $6.99 at AutoZone (FEL PRO 70431)
12 MM socket
3/8 Racket
3" 3/8 drive extension
1 small flathead screwdriver
Pliers
2 plastic garbage bags
Paper towels
Optional (for the completely and hopelessly folks):
Pipe cleaners
Toothbrush
Okay, the EGR valve is the little flying sauser thing located on the left side of your engine below the intake manifold. You can tell if it's failed completely by feeling around it until you can get past the metal and touch the diaphram. It should move up and down freely.
These things get dirty. They recirculate exhaust into your intake manifold. Lots of carbon buildup. This results in lower vacuum, less gas mileage, a strange ticking noise sometimes, and lots of other things that are usually blamed on other things. My EGR passages were horrible. The top one was literally smaller than half the size it should have been!
1.) Remove wiring harness
2.) Remove vacuum line. If it's stuck on (which it should be) use the pliers to twist the line. This will break it free and it will pull off easily.
3.) Remove two 12 mm bolts. They're on there tight.
4.) Say, "Ewwww"
5.) Remove old gasket.
6.) Lay a garbage bag over your alternator so the stuff doesn't get into it.
7.) Take a screwdriver and start scraping out carbon from the EGR tubes on the manifold.
8.) Spray out the EGR passageways with carb cleaner. Keep spraying. There's a lot of crap in there. Leak it soak in for a while, spray some more, scrap some more, spray, etc. Be sure to get as far back as you can go. The blockage might be near the head. Take some paper towels and twist them up and ram them in there and turn them. Spray some more. Let it sit and soak.
9.) Lay down the 2nd garbage bag on the floor
10.) Start spraying the EGR valve. Scrap it. Spray it. Paper towel it. It took a while and a whole can of carb cleaner, but I finally got it to the point that I could spray cleaner in there and it wouldn't run out black.
11.) Pump the diaphram on the EGR valve. Hold it down and spray a little cleaner into it (watch out, it will try to pinch your finger)
12.) After the EGR valve is cleaned to your satisfaction go back and clean the passage ways again. Once that is done give it a few minutes to dry out. You wouldn't want a backfire when you start the car.
13.) Install the new gasket (dry) and install the EGR valve. The cut off part goes on the bottom and the triangle goes on top. I'm not sure which way it faces. I put the stamped parts toward the engine.
14.) Reconnect the wiring harness and vacuum line.
Before (left) and after picture:
Crap:
I'm hoping my mileage will go back up now. I just got done doing this 20 minutes ago and figured I'd write up a " how to " real quickly.
Vacuum did go up. I was getting 20 inches of mercury and now I'm getting 21 to 22 inches of Hg at idle.
I doubt Neutra could be the problem unless it cleaned soemthing and that went into the EGR valve clogging it.
Edit: took out a swear word or two...opps, stupid copy and paste.
