EGR passages get clogged. Common problem with 99-00. You'll have to take the IM off

 

Hmm icic. is it a DIY job to resolve this problem? Or should I have the shop do it for me?

 

you can do it. take off the top of the im and clean it.
there are a few passages to clean. use throttle body cleaner.
also clean the throttle body as well.

 

It's an incredibly easy fix. Do it yourself! (this is definitely a great problem to take care of if its your first time working on a car).

Figure out how to take the upper intake manifold off. Don't scratch the gasket! Spray the **** out of every hole in the part you took off the car with some throttle body cleaner and wipe it down good. Put the intake manifold back on the way you took it off and snug the bolts back down (dont make them super tight, but snug). Reset the battery afterward. (Just unplug it for a few minutes). If you dont get the code back in the next 50 miles or something, pat yourself on the back.

 

thank you all for your responses! The shop charged me $50 for cleaning out the intake manifold and intake. They said that if the CEL comes back on, Ill have to replace the EGR valve and sensor. He quoted me $300 for parts and labor. Is that expensive? Is there a DIY to replace the EGR valve and sensor on this forum?

Side note: they said I have a little leak around the valve gasket and rear main seal area. He quoted me $100 and $350 respectively for parts and labor. Is that expensive?

 

for teh cleaning 50bucks isn;t bad, but i have no idea what they mean by the valve gasket on the rear main, that is a $200-350 job, depending on the shop, they meed to remove the tranny for the rear main.

 

For future reference, here's a how-to courtesy of RSpeed.

 

For future reference, here's a how-to courtesy of RSpeed.

THanks for the very informative video morr!

http://www.miata.net/garage/manifold/index.html

Helped me alot, make sure to keep up where the bolts go by laying them out relative to the engine. Taking the bottom of the manifold is more involved and it can be left on, spray sparingly as to not leave excess cleaner, you could stick some paper towels into the ports to sponge it. Again be very careful with the gasket. While you're at it clean the throttle body, open the valve and clean the ring of carbon you'll see. While taking the TB off you'll unclamp a coolant hose so be prepared with a drain pan and top off the radiator before driving it. When you get to putting it back together don't forget any vacuum lines.

Any other tips please chime in. GL

Yes I will definitely bookmark this link for future reference when I do the maintenance myself.

$100 for vc gasket?! That's ridiculous

That is what I thought too!

btw is there a link or page that tells you what torque specs are required for each bolt when removing and replacing the vc gasket?

EDIT: Also, if anyone does find that link for the DIY to reroute the vaccum line, please provide the link. I tried searching on CR but no luck.

 

Probably the valve cover gasket. They have been known to leak some oil.

Thanks for the vid morr. I have 2 99's at home. I may pull the higher mileage car apart one of these days to check on it.

 

No problem, I've got a CEL for the same thing. I should probably get around to fixing it haha

 

http://www.miata.net/garage/manifold/index.html

Helped me alot, make sure to keep up where the bolts go by laying them out relative to the engine. Taking the bottom of the manifold is more involved and it can be left on, spray sparingly as to not leave excess cleaner, you could stick some paper towels into the ports to sponge it. Again be very careful with the gasket. While you're at it clean the throttle body, open the valve and clean the ring of carbon you'll see. While taking the TB off you'll unclamp a coolant hose so be prepared with a drain pan and top off the radiator before driving it. When you get to putting it back together don't forget any vacuum lines.

Any other tips please chime in. GL

 

Oh the shop fixed, can't read. :fp: Bookmark the link though.
FYI the EGR valve itself isn't hard to remove or clean, don't lose its gasket!

 

cleaning it alone is not a solution. it will come back. there is something to do with the routing of the vacume lines that aids in the throwing of the cel as it can draw enough pressure or something. somewhere on m.net theres a link to rerouting two of the lines that will solve the issue for good. I had the same problem with my 99, cleaned the manifold, light came back, replaced the egr, light came back, rerouted some lines, light stayed off.

 

I'm going to do this over Christmas break. I'll look for that link SkinnyRoadster.

 

$100 for vc gasket?! That's ridiculous

 

When my CEL comes on it tells me that my car is running right.

 

Toque specs and that vacume article should all be on miata.net. Their data base for stuff like that is pretty good.

 

Shoulda just gone and picked it up then, or did you just leave it sitting wherever it landed?

 

Its been a good 4 days since the CEL came on. Within those 4 days, I have not driven on the highway, just side streets. Earlier tonight, I took the freeway to get to my destination and the CEL came back on.

Seems like I will have to do some rerouting. Anyone in the LA county area wanna give me a hand?:mrgreen:

 

Take it back to the shop and complain..