clean EGR= crazy mpg ('02 Insight)

[Stacygifford]

OK, well I have a small update. After doing some research, I decided it would be worthwhile to clean the egr plate.

I have had the car for about a month. and it has ~162K miles on it and i have averaged about 54mpg. not bad, just nowhere near what I was hoping for from a 5 speed 02 insight.

ON WITH BUSINESS!!!

Here is a step by step guide, if anyone needs it.

EGR Plate Removal/Cleaning - With Pics - Insight Central: Honda Insight Forum

dear lord. one passage was 100% blocked. the other 2 . 85-95%





This was the gasket..


and a nasty PCV Valve...




Well. I am a little embarrassed... I cant believe how bad it got.
MUCH better.


and yes... this the OLD NASTY gasket.


.


Here are the rusults.


This is on, a single loop. With a 10-12 mph wind from the south. 48-58 mph, ~91F after dark (2am, no traffic)
the bright yellow road 289.

[MetroMPG]

Usually we advise people not to look for magic bullets for better fuel economy, but looks like you found one.

If yours was that blocked, it must have been bucking like crazy when approaching lean burn! That driveability issue, more than anything, was what made me want to clean my EGR stuff when I got my Insight.

[Cobb]

The Insights have recycling the exhaust down to a science for mpg.

[user removed]

Nice job and great results. You might even be able to run lower grade fuel, if you do not already.

Lots of EGR is one key component of lean burn, since the exhaust gas is basically an inert gas that allows wider throttle opening without consuming more fuel as long as the egr is distributed equally. Once one passage reaches a point in blockage you get timing retarded to avoid preignition.

regards
Mech

[arcosine]

Mine is starting to buck, maybe its dirty too.

[spacemanspif]

I'm tempted to ask what the causes the blockage. Do Insights have a reputation for consuming oil? That's a lot of carbon and I'm just wondering what would cause it. The passage on my Saturn is pretty blocked but I have attributed it to the amount of oil it burns past the piston rings and sucks through the PCV system. Thought Hondas were better with these problems... Just wondering if there are ways to keep the passage clean so that it doesn't need constant cleanings to maintain peak performance.

[drainoil]

Great info, thanks for posting!

[Stacygifford]

Originally Posted by spacemanspif

I'm tempted to ask what the causes the blockage. Do Insights have a reputation for consuming oil? That's a lot of carbon and I'm just wondering what would cause it. The passage on my Saturn is pretty blocked but I have attributed it to the amount of oil it burns past the piston rings and sucks through the PCV system. Thought Hondas were better with these problems... Just wondering if there are ways to keep the passage clean so that it doesn't need constant cleanings to maintain peak performance.

Even in normal combustion carbon will tend to solidify in the coolest part of an egr system if it is allowed to run cool enough.
There is a fine line with egr's too hot, and you can cause detonation, too cool, nasty build up and they get clogged. Running a car harder will prevent, and possibly even break down old buildup(Higher exaust gas temps)but running hard is bad for mpg. Babying it like us ecomodders tend to never really heats it up.. good for mpgs, but it gets all gummed up.

It is important to take note that my car has 161k miles on it and is likely the first it has ever been cleaned. And if you are considering cleaning yours, I say go for it! It's super easy and it can only help!

[spacemanspif]

Good info, didn't think about the natural build up so much but I guess after 160k even a little at a time would cause some blockage. I've tried cleaning mine and unfortunately it's not as easy as your's. But at some point I need to focus more attention on finding a way to get the passage clean... it has quite a few bad turns that limit probing it clean with a wire brush or something similar

[Stacygifford]

A SMALLl flat head screwdriver works quite nicely

is yours on the hf?