Ive got a trouble code sixteen which is the egr valve sensor not working. Is the egr not working a susceptible cause to why my idle is not steady? Also if this is not a legitimate reason for my idle being a little weird ( going from 750 to about 900 and back) then what should be my next step? Ive been searching the forums and from what i can extrapolate the egr is pretty much next to useless except to pass emissions. Very expensive part I might add... 226.00 US

 

try searching under "idle surging". some culprits I have found are broken/loose clutch switch which is very cheap and easy to fix (with a pen spring). Depends when you experience the idle surging, clutch in, gear in or nuetral, etc. Could be something if your A/C is on or even if the dash switch is on but your A/C components are removed.

And a blockoff plate would be better than replacing the egr - may not pass visual inspection on smog? not sure how useful one is for the emissions numbers, but I think the air pump hooked up to the stock cat is more important for that. My egr sticks sometimes and throws a code but I'm not going to replace just for the stupidity of the cost, add the labor as well if you have a shop do it, it's not easy to get to.

Instead of replacing the egr, save the money for a PFC which replaces the stock ecu and then you don't have to worry about throwing the code and having the CEL coming on, which btw, will make you automagically fail smog Fortunately, my egr didnt act up and the CEL didn't come on when I went to smog, yeah for me!

good luck!

 

best way to fix this is to get a federal ecu. you can get them in the for sale section for cheap. the federal ecu will not have the electronic sensor only equipted on california cars. I am sure your egr is working its just that the sensor wire is brittle from heat causing the cell light to activate. I spent over 500.00 to fix my egr with labor and ended up getting the same cell light and code a few months later so I just got the federal ecu for $ 50.00 and have been trouble free for 2 yrs now and I pass smog without any problems.

Jeff

 

whats the federal ecu, who offers that? is it a piggyback unit? is it "only" for the egr? "only" for auto?

 

its the stock mazda ecu only for non california cars since they do not have the electronic egr valve. my car is an automatic so my ecu number is N3A4 the federal ecu number is N3A2 so its plug and play and no more egr code 16 light. its a 10 minute job to replace the ecu and everything on the car works just fine

Jeff

 

ecu number for M/T trans federal ecu is #N3A1. I think your is #N3A3 if its a M/T car from californis. get the ecu # N3A1 and install it problem solved.

the ecu's listed above are for 93 model cars. is yours a 93?

Jeff

 

it's a '93, but I will wait for a pfc, not just for the egr benefit. Good to know about the fed ecu tho, always learn sumthin new

 

thanks for all the great replies guys, i really appreciate. To specify, when i get the weird idling its always in nuetral and at a stop; whether i rev the engine or im coming out of gear and to a stop.

 

out of curiosity, what would the model be for a 1994?

 

im pretty sure all 94 models have the egr.