2002 civic LX coupe: missing electrical connector for EGR valve - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

CappAttack · 08-22-2016, 07:38 PM

I bought a 2002 Honda Civic LX coupe (this is the first car I have ever owned) about 3 weeks ago and introduced myself to the ecomodding community about two weeks afterward as I sought to make room in my small budget.

During the course of various mods and maintenance related things I noticed a cylinder shaped component that looked like it ought to have an electrical connector plugged into it, but it doesn't. (See picture here https://imgur.com/yHDZYMc ) I googled the model number and found out that it's my EGR valve. As I understand it a properly functioning EGR valve can contribute a small amount to FE, but it also helps reduce emissions, and regulate burn temps in the engine. I am mostly concerned with burn temps as my temperature gauge usually stays quite a bit above the halfway mark on the temp gauge.

The car currently has about 201,000 miles on it, however, the previous owner told me that the motor was replaced at about 183,000 with an identical motor that already had 19,000 miles on it. So I have about 40,000 miles on my motor. I do not know if the wiring harness, ECU, or anything else was replaced along with the motor that could cause the absence of this connector.

My question to you is this: should I worry about finding the connector for my EGR valve? If so, how much should I be worrying?

Also, is it worth the time to clean or replace it once I get it hooked up?

CappAttack · 08-23-2016, 09:12 AM

Here's a couple more pictures.
https://imgur.com/z9t671B
https://imgur.com/VNE7Uup

Any ideas what I should do?

Daox · 08-23-2016, 10:07 AM

I've owned a couple Civics of that generation and worked on friend's vehicles as well. I don't remember my LX having an EGR valve... The only ones I remember having an EGR is the EX. Also, if your ECU was setup to be using EGR, it would throw an engine code if it didn't see one. So, I think your replacement engine has an EGR valve when your original did not.

darcane · 08-23-2016, 11:51 AM

First, check what engine it is. Look for an ID code here:

It should be D17A1 or possibly D17A2 or D17A6. That later two would say "VTEC" on the engine wiring harness cover, but who knows what was retained during the swap.

Apparently the early D17A1 (non-VTEC SOHC D17 used in the DX/LX/VP models) did not have an EGR valve, but it was added in 2003. If you have a D17A2, D17A6, or a 2003+ D17A1 it will have the EGR, but you don't have the wiring to make it work. I think you would also need to replace the CPU to make it function, and it likely isn't worth the trouble.

Xist · 08-23-2016, 02:11 PM

Please pop the hood and look for the Honda engine identification number.

D17A1 DX\LX
D17A2 EX
D17A6 HX

CappAttack · 08-24-2016, 11:21 AM

Engine ID is D17A1, so I probably started with an early model and they replaced it with a newer one later? But didn't replace the ecu or wiring harness?

amarpk · 12-06-2016, 10:36 AM

what you do further i have the same problem that you are facing. i have changed my engine of civic 2002 as this new engine having egr valve but my previous engin does not have. same problem of high temp at some high speed and knocking also

CappAttack · 12-06-2016, 04:28 PM

My civic was totaled on 8 Sept 2016. I don't have it anymore and never did resolve this problem.

I now drive a 2002 VW Jetta GLS TDI