EGR valve never cleaned or replaced

[Dman]

My little work car, a 2012 Mazda 2 has 180k on it. Never changed or cleaned the EGR
I’m just curious if anyone has gone this long or longer without cleaning or replacing the EGR on their gasoline vehical.
Guess I’m trying to justify not messing with it cause I really don’t want too because mazda had to go and make a pain in the biutt to get to.

 

[spasm3]

The old saying ; "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", applies here.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

most people never clean them

Mazda probably expected your car to have rusted to pieces by now

There are some cars that have EGR problems that would benefit from regular cleanings. Otherwise, you don't have to.

 

[eljefino]

Saturn s-series used to benefit from EGR cleaning.

They ran dirty.

Be glad your exhaust doesn't have goop in it... oily soot.

 

[vavavroom]

Often it's rather the EGR passage than the EGR valve that gets clogged. Dealers love replacing EGR valves every few years.

 

[doublebase]

I don’t know of anyone that cleans their EGR valve. Having said that, it might not hurt depending on the design. Older systems (Honda comes to mind), the ports would get clogged with carbon because it was a narrow passageway. I’ve seen some oil burners get clogged too. I’ve seen a few specs of carbon actually hold open a EGR valve and throw a code.

But I’ve more often than not seen most cars go a full lifetime without needing any sort of cleaning or service. I made it to 285,000 miles before my EGR valve finally did fail. Not one cleaning. My last car made it to 179,000 without an EGR issue, before I traded it in...then again I’m not sure it even had an EGR valve (Lexus ls 460). And my 2018 Silverado didn’t have an EGR valve.

But if your Mazda‘s EGR is easy to get to, go ahead and remove it and clean it. I don’t see any harm in doing that. IMO.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

I've never cleaned one in my life, and never replaced one due to failure or dirtiness.

 

[Lubener]

If it's not scheduled service as listed in the manual, leave it alone. I seen only one truly bad valve. A hole was in the pintle.

 

[97K15004WD]

If it's not scheduled service as listed in the manual, leave it alone. I seen only one truly bad valve. A hole was in the pintle.

Yep, only replace the EGR if you have too. Maybe when you replace your head gaskets - that's when I replaced mine.

 

[Jetronic]

I've changed a few and cleaned quite a few but all on diesel engines.

Cleaning should be done before you get issues on them, the chances of having a working and lasting EGR valve from cleaning after it threw faults is small.

That said, still on my original valve on my own diesel. In fact no codes set of any kind in 9 years/ 110k miles. Touch wood.

 

[Dman]

If it's not scheduled service as listed in the manual, leave it alone. I seen only one truly bad valve. A hole was in the pintle.

Good, I kept reading online it’s suggested to clean them at 50k.
I just never kept a vehicle for this many miles before.
It’s in a retarded spot against the fire wall so I don’t wanna mess with it.
I’m getting plenty of feedback here to help justify not bothering with it which makes me happy.
I did have a bad EGR on an old F150 years ago with only like 95k on it. It was vey easy to change though.