Foreign Service

Previous installments of this column have explained the operation of

Toyota EGR systems. Here, Dan explains how to quickly and easily verify
that a repair made to one of the systems has been successful.

Screen captures: Dan Marinucci

fter youve labored long and hard

to fix a car, its nice to know that the
repair really was successful. Confirming this often requires running
the relevant OBD II monitor. AlDan
though some monitors are difficult
to complete, running Toyotas EGR monitor is fairly
Marinucci
easyonce you know what to do. Here, Ill compledmarinucci@motor.com
ment our recent Toyota EGR series with tips on
completing EGR monitors.
Recent conversations with MOTOR readers
prompted this follow-up. For instance, one technician told me about a 2000 Camry that arrived with
the MIL on and DTC P0401 (insufficient EGR
flow) stored. He thought he had nailed the problem,
but the car soon returned with the MIL on and the
same DTC stored a second time.
This tech did the same thing many of us do; that
is, he hoped for the best by allowing the customer to
run the EGR monitor for him. We gamble that once
the relevant monitor finally runs, the ECM will be
satisfied and the
Check Engine
light will remain
off. Naturally,
were heroes if
the light stays
off, bums if it
turns on again.
However, when
you see how little effort it usually takes to run a
Toyota EGR
monitor, you
may decide that
its worthwhile to
do this after
every EGR repair. Ultimately,
its much easier
The data on this Toyota shows that the engine is
to run the monicold, the car isnt moving yet, the EGR valve is closed
(position sensor signal is only 1.00 volt) and the tem- tor and cope
perature inside the EGR passage is only 66.2F. The with bad results
EGR monitor has not been completed yet, either.
now than to ig-

nore the step and deal with an unhappy customer

later. Heres what you need to know:
First, remember that the last four Foreign Service columns covered two types of popular, vacuumcontrolled Toyota EGR systems. One is the vacuum
modulator type that appears on a variety of Toyotasmost commonly on 2.2L (5S-FE) 4-cylinder
engines. The other is the constant vacuum type used
on 3.0L (1MZ-FE) V6 engines.
Second, nothing beats practical experience on
something as potentially pesky as running monitors.
When it comes to Toyota monitors, Richard Escalambre is the most experienced source I know.
Hes a professor of automotive technology at Skyline
College in San Bruno, CA. Escalambre has done
more than teach Toyota classes over the years; hes
also logged hundreds of hours running monitors on
the schools chassis dynos.
Thankfully, EGR is one of the easiest Toyota
monitors to complete; ordinarily its the first one to
run, he explained. You dont even have to start with a
cold engine. Usually, Escalambre emphasized, you
can proceed with your EGR drive cycle provided
coolant temperature is above about 125F or the engine is warmed up to normal operating temperature.
Next, carefully accelerate up to a cruising speed
of 50 to 55 mph. Carefully means dont accelerate
too aggressively or the EGR system wont operate.
Techs who rush this task may mash the go pedal
hard enough that the ECM never turns on the EGR
system. Escalambre suggested practical guidelines to
prevent this mistake. For example, accelerate at onequarter to one-half throttle. Or, refer to a scan tool
that shows throttle position or throttle angle in percentages. Then accelerate without exceeding about
35% throttle opening. If youre monitoring the TPS
voltage signal, then dont exceed about 2.50 volts
when you accelerate.
Escalambre said the ECM looks for either a substantial increase in EGR gas temperature or else an
appropriate drop in manifold vacuum when the
EGR system is operating correctly. Now suppose its
an EGR system on which Toyotas ECM watches for
a substantial increase in EGR gas temperature. For
example, I looked up the DTC-setting conditions for
continued on page 12

10

December 2009

Foreign Service

In the screen capture on the left, the car is traveling within the preferred cruising
range (55 mph), the engine is warmer (147.2F) and the ECM has turned on the EGR
system. The EGR valve has opener (its position sensor signal has increased to 2.86
volts). Predictably, the temperature inside the EGR passage has more than doubled (167F). However, the monitor is still incomplete at this point. In the screen
capture on the right, the EGR monitor has been completed. Vehicle speed and the
EGR valve opening (valve position) are nearly the same as in the left screen capture. But by now, the recirculated exhaust gas temperature (228.2F) has more
than tripled from our starting point of only 66.2F. On a healthy EGR system, this
temperature should increase quickly and substantially during this road test.

Circle #10

12

December 2009

a 2001 Camry I was testing. According to

the spec, the computer would trigger a
P0401 code if the exhaust gas temperature
didnt increase at least 95F above ambient
air temperature. A good aftermarket scan
tool should show you the EGR gas temperature so you can watch the reading
during your road test.
Suppose the ECM on the Toyota
youre testing is monitoring EGR gas temperature. Escalambre noted that a healthy
EGR system usually does two things:
First, it shows a huge increase in EGR
temperature during your road test; second, it usually completes and passes the
monitor by the time the car reaches our
specified cruising speed of 50 to 55 mph.
Lets get back to the Toyota EGR monitor that measures the MAP sensor response to EGR operationto a shot of exhaust gas. Toyotas format is very different
from that used on, for example, General
Motors and Honda vehicles. Those vehicles have ECMs that open the EGR valve
momentarily during deceleration and
monitor the resulting change in manifold
vacuum. The driver doesnt notice anything unusual when the test occurs during
decel. However, Toyotas ECM operates
the EGR system several times during
steady cruise conditions and averages its
measurements. In other words, it quickly
opens the EGR valve just enough to see a
reaction from the MAP sensor.

Escalambre emphasized that the ECM

opens and closes the EGR so quickly during light-throttle cruise conditions that the
driver is unaware of the test. Furthermore,
this type of Toyota EGR monitor usually
runs to completion within a minute or two
after the vehicle levels off at cruising
speed.
Generally speaking, he added, Toyotas
EGR monitor either runs fairly quickly or
it doesnt run at all. If it doesnt run, closely
recheck your driving procedures. No one
likes road-testing unless its really necessary. But with just a little bit of practice,
you should be able to complete either style
of EGR monitor very quickly. If your scanner shows a completed monitor and the
MIL is off, youll return that car to the customer with extra confidence that the repair job will go out and stay out.
But if the monitor runs to completion
and a DTC reappears, recheck your work.
Nine times out of 10 the cause is a fairly
basic thing you overlooked.
Finally, another reader asked about
the possible relationship between a
failed EGR code such as P0401 and the
results of a tailpipe emissions test. The
EGR monitor reports only on fundamental, nuts & bolts operation of the
systemits ability to reroute exhaust into the engine. It cannot and does not
measure whats actually coming out of
the catalytic converter(s).