First post, I'm a n00b.

Alrighty, I've got a 1996 Civic HX, 155K miles. The first night I drove it home, I got 44 MPG. With gas prices high, I was happy to have a fuel sipper. Well, a couple weeks after I got it, It started throwing a CEL with code 80, or, EGR Valve Insufficient flow.

Now, I have tried everything short of replacing the valve, but that's what I don't want to have to do.

I followed the steps in the Haynes manual on how to jumper the valve into the open position at idle. It made the car sputter and almost stall like it's supposed to. Next I pulled the mofo off and cleaned it all out. I cleaned up the tube from the exhaust manny up to where it connects with the EGR valve.

When cruising along at anything 40 MPH +, most of the time the car will stutter like it's getting either too much air or not enough. If I unplug the valve, the car runs like a champ, but only gives me right around 30 MPG. Now, I don't drive like a grandpa, but I don't rape the hell out of the car either. I shift before 3k RPMs most of the time, so I don't think my driving style is making my gas mileage go to hell. I'm pretty sure that this EGR valve has something to do with my gas mileage. When the car does stutter a little, I have to step on the gas harder to get it to stay at speed.

Anyone got any ideas?

 

replace the thing

 

Well, I got an idea, but would like to know what you guys think of it first.

The other day I seafoamed my car, just so see if I could eat away at the carbon in the EGR area. Well, I know It definitely failed because the EGR valve doesn't open up at idle, or when you're slamming through the gears blowing out carbon smoke all over your neighborhood.

Well, I figured I could take off the EGR valve, pour in some of my leftover seafoam into the suction side of it, let her sit for a while, and then start it up.

Do you guys think that might help, or would it do more harm (hydrolock??) than good?

I deliver pizzas for Pizza Hut, and killing my car is the last thing I want to do.

 

Just get all the carbon out of it. Once it is all cleaned up, it should function normally without replacing it.

 

I say take the head off and clean everything, while your at it you can flush your coolant and replace the headgasket.

 

I sure wish I had another car so I could actually do that, because that's what I would really like to do.

EDIT: Because I don't have another car to drive