Emissions delete? Yay or Nay?

[InlineDave87]

So i spent part of the day researching EGR deletes, cant find anything on someone who has done it and had a failure or amazing success. Everything i find they claim better mpg at the cost of more emissions. Reprogramming to adjust the fuel and timing is said to be done so the engine doesnt knock or ping. What are peoples experiences and or opinions on deleting emissions, if you are in an area where you can do so.

 

[TrickSix]

It's not something I've done for a long time. But back in the 70s and 80s I stripped out a lot of emisions systems from my cars. The first thing I always did was to see what the various systems and components were supposed to do. Sometimes there was actually a beneficial function, say something to help the car run when cold. But most of it was BS and usually needed service anyway, so removing it certainly simplifies your engine compartment, and often makes the car run better too. I can't speak to the specifics of your car though.

 

[sixtseventwo4d]

Have you tried simply disconnecting the vacuum from the EGR and capping it? Then see where your fuel milage and performance trends.

 

[Frank]

So i spent part of the day researching EGR deletes, cant find anything on someone who has done it and had a failure or amazing success. Everything i find they claim better mpg at the cost of more emissions. Reprogramming to adjust the fuel and timing is said to be done so the engine doesnt knock or ping. What are peoples experiences and or opinions on deleting emissions, if you are in an area where you can do so.

Dave, when I got the '90 f150 original stock EFI, it needed a cam and head to get back on the road. Not knowing the nature of the EFI 300 I installed a Crower cam with only 252* of duration and a refurbished EFI junkyard head. (Both still in service now, 10 years/ 100K miles later). I deleted everything except PCV, including cat, nearly filled a big trashcan with vacuum lines and parts. No mods to the ECM, 100% stock. It required premium gas mostly because of the short cam raising compression. It was the best running 6 I've ever owned. (That's a bunch.) I am not exaggerating these numbers: on a bi-monthly 175 mile round trip it consistently got 24+ mpg with AC and 26mpg otherwise. Flat road, sea level elevation, 60mph cruise (1600rpm), E4 automatic, 3.08 gear. In town average 15+.
Like TrickSix I've always deleted EGR. In my opinion- and while some disagree, this opinion will not change- it's even more advantageous to remove it from first-gen EFI engines because the intake is dry, there's no fuel moving thru it to clean the exhaust crud and carry it to the cylinder. The two EFI 300's I've disassembled, the intake manifold was severely carboned-up, just incredible. The moist crankcase vapors combine with the dry soot of the EGR and make a carbon glue that fouls the intake runners beyond belief.
I'll go on record and predict, if you delete EGR you will see improved economy and possibly mid-throttle power/response. I removed the valve completely and cut a thin steel plate as a block-off.
(NOTE- the reason I used past tense is because this is the engine I converted to carb a few years later. A big mistake. The factory EFI WITH emissions deleted was the economy ticket.)

 

[Albertaslow6]

Hello inlinedave87. What did you do to your truck to combat the check engine light after removing egr and such?

 

[Frank]

Hello inlinedave87. What did you do to your truck to combat the check engine light after removing egr and such?

Welcome Albertaslow6! Not sure what Dave did; I unplugged the light in the dash.

 

[TrickSix]

To turn off a warning light, see if you can figure out where and what the sensor that sent the problem message is, and if you can spoof the signal. If it's open contacts install a jumper. If it's closed contacts cut the circuit. Maybe it's a 12 volt signal. A variable resistance or voltage gets a little harder to fake.

 

[marquis83]

I'm doing the head gasket on my car today. While taking it apart I broke the smog pump bracket, so that will be deleted now. Also taking off the egr mess/ emissions manifold and putting on an ebay header. What were they thinking?

 

[InlineDave87]

Hello inlinedave87. What did you do to your truck to combat the check engine light after removing egr and such?

An easy fix is to fake it. Remove the pipe going to the egr and cap off both ends. That way its still going thru the motion but does nothing. Kinda like firing blanks .

 

[marquis83]

Good idea, I was thinking about buying a block off plate but they price of those things is astronomical now