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Rant: I finally saw what a difference cleaning the EGR cooler can make on a 6.7 Powerstroke | Diesel Mechanics - Vivisector

tessap73•5mo ago

Rant: I finally saw what a difference cleaning the EGR cooler can make on a 6.7 Powerstroke

Had this 2015 F-250 in the shop for a week with a rough idle and low power. The owner said it had been getting worse for about six months. We pulled the EGR cooler and it was just caked solid with soot, maybe a quarter inch thick. After a full clean and a new valve, it ran like a new truck. Anyone else find that's the first place to look on these when they start acting up?

4 comments

4 Comments

troyknight3mo ago

seanc73 mentioned that cleaning the EGR is just a temporary fix, and Ive gotta ask - did you replace the coolant filter while you were in there? Ive heard that can help slow down how fast the soot builds back up. Seems like without that step youre just kicking the can down the road.

wright.leo5mo ago

Check the turbo vanes first, like @kelly_patel's buddy should have.

kelly_patel5mo ago

Oh man, that's so true! My buddy went through the exact same thing with his 2017 last winter. He was complaining about it feeling gutless for months, and his mechanic finally talked him into letting them check the EGR system. They showed him a picture of the cooler and it looked completely plugged up, just like yours. He said the difference after they cleaned it out was night and day, it totally fixed his power problem. It's crazy how such a simple part can cause so many issues when it gets dirty.

seanc735mo ago

Glad it worked for you, but I have to disagree on calling it a simple fix. That job is a huge pain and pretty expensive for most guys. I've seen too many trucks where cleaning the EGR cooler is just a temporary band-aid. The real problem is the system design itself, and the soot just comes right back. You're often better off looking at the turbo or the DPF first, because a clogged cooler is usually a symptom of another issue.