TOPIC: EGR, PCV, IAC delete for '98 Ford 5.4L

This came from a Gadgetman Groove customer in Texas. Remember, where he lives there is NO Smog Check.
He wants to be anonymous. Ron would have LOVED this dude!

Disclaimer:
NOTE: We are NOT telling Anyone to delete Federally mandated Emissions control Equipment!!
This is posted as information, only. This is what ONE guy did to his truck,. He's pretty pleased with the results. But, seriously altering or removing Government mandated Emissions equipment can bring penalties. So, observe what you see here, and ponder that before doing anythng.

For those who must deal with Smog Checks, think hard of what he describes here, then consider what YOU could do.

Here's what he sent me:

Re: Change descriptions 1998 Ford F-150 5.4L engine
Tracy,
Here is what I decided to do, how I did it and how it works.
I figured out a way to trick the EGR vaccum sensing valve and the DPFE sensor into thinking all is working as designed (both are connected to the vehicle's computer). I removed the EGR valve permanently from the intake manifold, installing a blocking plate on the intake manifold where the EGR valve was mounted previously, preventing useless problem causing exhaust gas from entering the intake manifold. I cut both the mounting flange and the threaded boss off of the EGR valve leaving only the diaphragm and piston (see before and after photos attached below). I hung the diaphragm using a zip tie close near where it was originally mounted where the blocking plate is now. The vacuum line from the EGR vacuum switching valve is still hooked up to EGR diaphragm. But the difference is no exhaust manifold gas is being fed to the intake manifold. That leaves the existing DPFE sensor and the EGR Vacuum switching valve in place still hooked up as they were originally from the factory. These two devices operate just as they did previously, sensing the EGR valve is supplying exhaust gas to the intake manifold which it actually isn't. By doing so no codes are thrown in the system. Again, this completely eliminates exhaust gas being fed into the intake manifold. Thus, ridding a noncombustible inert gas from the fuel / air mixture in the engine cylinder, permanently closing off a major vacuum leak, the EGR valve itself! I plugged the hole in the driver's side exhaust manifold, doing away with the tube that previously fed exhaust gas to the EGR valve. Note: Nothing wasted, I built the ERG block off plate and the exhaust manifold plug out of the pieces I cut off of the original EGR valve (photos below).

I eliminated the crankcase tube (has the same function as a PCV valve basically) that ran from the driver's side valve cover to the fresh air inlet just upstream of the throttle body. Since I installed the grooved throttle body and eliminated the PCV and EGR valves the increase in vacuum is causing this crankcase tube on the driver's side valve cover to suck up oil unnecessarily from the engine below. The port that this valve cover tube connected to upstream of the throttle body has now been capped off. I put a 5/8 inch i.d. Uni Filter brand oil breather available from Summit Racing, stock number UFI-UP-104, on this valve cover tube down on the valve cover after shortening the tube. So by earlier eliminating the PCV valve and putting in it's place a oil breather from CJ Pony Parts on the passenger side valve cover and now eliminating this tube running up from the driver's side valve cover to the throttle body by installing a second small breather, neither valve cover now feeds oily vapor to the intake manifold. Previously crankcase oil vapor and exhaust gas were fed into the intake manifold heavily gunking up the intake manifold but not more! In the end now only filtered air will enter the manifold! My goal was to clean up the commonly found oily gummed up mess in throttle body and the intake manifold. This could only be accomplished by eliminating unnecessary supply sources of oily vapor and exhaust gas.

With extensive testing the air flow through the IAC cannot be restricted even the slightest amount without causing erratic uneven idle. I tried but as to the IAC, its all or nothing it proves. So with this being said I cut a 1/8 inch solid neoprene gasket out and blocked the IAC off completely. I painted the factory idle screw on the throttle body with red enamel to indicate the factory setting. I took a Dremel thin cutting wheel and cut a slot in the backside of this 10-32 screw. Taking a thin flat stubby screwdriver normal idle (875 rpm) can be achieved with slightly less than one full turn of the screw. I got lucky, this slight adjustment does not interfere with or intrude into groove function. Half of the idle air supply come over the top of the throttle body butterfly as below.


In review, I have eliminated the manufacturer's intentionally designed vacuum leaks thus creating tremendous vacuum to the intake. Now we drive eight or so tanks of gas and see how our Groover performs. Only time will tell.

I hope this information helps. Bypassing and eliminating factory reverse engineering can be done. No codes are currently showing. I did have one "check engine light" when I was adjusting the idle. I reset it and drove it but it has come on since. It looks like my mods are agreeable with the F-150's computer.

Thanks,
Brooks


Brooks sent along many useful photos. I will try to include them, if I Can!

Brooks, you ROCK!! THANKS!
Tracy G.

After some emails back and forth, here's more from Brooks:

Tracy,
You give me to much credit. I'm just an ol' boy from the farm that was forced to use what we had at hand because we were poor and didn't have the resources to buy new parts unless absolutely necessary. After 40 plus years of fighting and being frustrated with reverse engineered vehicles I stumbled onto Ron and his Groove. Like Ron told the guy that called from Ford Motor Company wanting to buy his technology, "What about the guy who is just trying to make ends meet, he needs to get everything he can for his fuel dollar". The Ford representative's reply, "we don't care about him".

Yes, you can give my name. I don't have anything against helping a guy, and I will if I run into him, I'll share Groove information and tell them where to get it. But as far as forums and blogs that's just not me anymore.



Attached are the photos you requested.
Photo 1, Driver's side crankcase filter. Went to lower capped 5/8 intake port.
Photo 2, Same filter with clamp.
Photo 3, Ford crankcase filter line that went to lower 5/8 intake port.
Photo 4, Filter with line hose barb cut off and installed in filter.
Photo 5, 3/4 inch passenger side breather cap from CJ Pony Parts.
Photo 6, capped intake crankcase inlet, capped IAC inlet front and rear.
Photo 7, side view, EGR hanging loosely.
Photo 8, EGR sensors, two hose on sensor hang loosely at valve cover.
Photo 9, Good view of EGR diaphragm after cuts.
Photo 10, Idle intake screw, notice where it was advance 1 turn.
Photo 11, EGR valve that. Piston is intact and works up and down.
Photo 12, Overhead view.
Photo 13, NAPA 5/8 and 3/4 rubber caps.



If I were a guy in California I would remove the tube that runs from the exhaust maniflod to the EGR valve and have a good quality gas valve put in the line. This would solve his problem having the option to turn the supply on and off. The same thing could be done with the IAC, full on or full off.

As far as the PCV and driver's side crankcase tube, they both can be slipped off and put aside until next year's omissions test. Fight back against the state boys, its not like they are going to look under your hood on a routine traffic stop.

Tracy, your a good man taking this information to Groove followers. I'll help you as much as I can but sorry, I'm just to tired to fight the on-line guys anymore.

I will be in touch as time passes with mpg results.

This is the fun part, taking away the Ford factory man's control without him knowing it!

Keep in touch,
Brooks







On Wednesday, May 26, 2021, 12:35:26 PM CDT, GMG Operations <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.> wrote:


thanks again, Brooks! I'll see if I can copy/paste the last email you
sent, and I'll delete your email. I think you deserve at least your
first name mentioned, with your permission. The Gadgetman forum has
always been a positive one, unlike so many other forums and blogs out
there. I know just what you're talking about re: negative people in
these places!

But, it's not that way at our forum. Ours is about encouragement and
sharing info to help others. I'll ensure your personal info is kept
un-mentioned. IF you can get a pic or two of how it looks overall, that
will be a big bonus to this topic.

I know you will send me feedback on the fuel mileage. IT surely must
now get better! I really liked how you used the EGR in pieces to defeat
and fool the ecu, that is cool! Where you live is lucky, since you don't
have to Smog it! I feel sorry for folks in California on that issue- I
call California the Peoples Republik!!

You Rock, Brooks! thanks again!

Tracy





.

Here are more photos from Brooks:

Here are more photos from Brooks, to add to this photo set views of the engine and the parts used:

More of Brooks' photos of the EGR, IAC and PCV valve mods on his F150. Nice clean work here!
Tracy

Brooks, this is just plain awesome, amazing, proper gadgetman thinking and work. Ron is surely smiling down on you with pride, and making sure there's a cold beverage in the fridge for you when you two might happen to cross paths. Thanks for showing us how to dig in...man, I thought I was comprehensive in documenting my modded car!

Wow, an old cabled TB...I hope whoever did the mod for you also did some throttle plate shaping of the edge opposite the groove - that should help you get air in at low throttle angles (without the IAC - those needed cleaning/replacement and recalibration waaayyy too much on Fords) and possibly allow you to get the idle down a smidge lower, which will be good for the TPS on the side of your TB and fuel delivery.
The EGR delete and DPFE defeat - if you're not getting engine lights on the dash and no drop in performance, you've just re-affirmed what has been discussed here...but I'd keep an eye on mileage and your catalytic converters and see how your tailpipe smells. I think the exhaust is meant to displace intake air at low throttle angles - warm air is less dense and possibly more compressable...I'm interested to see how it works out, say on long downhill runs where you can take your foot off the gas and coast. but I'm also a bit concerned that you'll melt the honeycomb inside the catalytic converter with the heat...unless there is no converter on the exhaust.

I know from the dates on the photos it hasn't been long since you finished the mods, but please PLEASE keep us updated on the mileage and driving experience.
I'd have to go digging for them, but I have a Ford EGR/DPFE post on here from when I drove a Mazda-badged Ford Ranger, and I recall finding a Ford Manual on the subject of sensors and computers and how Ford implements and uses them...I seem to recall I posted a link to it here as well, or I can find it buried on a hard drive somewhere...

OK- here's one of the first threads I mentioned:
Gadgetguys with gas analyzers - EGR / DPFE test - Page 2 - Groovy Forums
checking it, one of the links I inserted/referenced is broken...
BUT - here's an EGR-DPFE mitigation strategy diagram I found, to which I would comment to Brooks: if you pipe the blowby that you've vented through those breather/PCV filters into the "upstream" pipe on the EGR orifice tube that the DPFE sensor connects to, that blowby will or should or might go out the exhaust rather than under the hood.



this is simply a re-plumbing job - if the vacuum solenoid is connected to the "downstream" side of the orifice, the DPFE still sees manifold vacuum when the computer commands it, and if the breather/PCV filter outlets are t-connected to the other line going to that sensor, it will still see exhaust pulses (from both exhaust as well as blowby under the valve covers)...THEN the EGR valve itself could be removed from the manifold (and it's port plugged to maintain vacuum), and the orifice tube plugged up where that valve USED to connect to it to keep the exhaust system "intact."

According to RockAuto.com, the EGR/orifice tube 1998 FORD F-150 5.4L V8 EGR Line | Shop Now at RockAuto probably makes plugging it at the intake manifold side easy - I'd wager you could easily find a plug in a plumbing shop with the right threads. For the downstream side of the orifice, you could just use the JBQuik or Weld (unless you've some sort of exhaust temp-rated epoxy). Heck, I wouldn't even be surprised if Brooks could weld that hole shut somehow

This scheme should keep the computer happy and be emissions-compliant (because the PCV/blowby vapours would go to the exhaust pre-cat, and any hydrocarbons in there would get burned up by the catalysts in the converter along with what's left over in exhaust)

I went looking through that old thread, and I found the Ford Manual.

Brooks, if you're watching - I can let you have access to it on my Dropbox Cloud storage if you'd like. It May be specific to a range of model years (1988-93) just slightly earlier than the truck Tracy's been posting about here, but I'll wager rather heavily that what Ford did on your truck isn't too different than what's in the book...or you can make the leap between that series and what's in front of you.

Not criticizing your efforts to mod your truck - just pointing some things out about cars with computers/sensors you might not be taking into full account.
I'm going to stand by my diagram of what I think you should do to "immobilize" your truck's EGR (rather than deleting it).
My way, when the computer signals the solenoid to send vacuum to the EGR valve to open, the DPFE sees the pressure drop and thinks everything is still peachy - so no engine light, and the exhaust keeps going out the tailpipe.

I DO think you've done the right thing with the IAC delete/throttle plate shaping (unless it messes with your idle when the AC is on)...but the PCV, well, the engine needs that stuff because it has a lot of water vapor along with unused fuel in blowby and heavier hydrocarbons from oil mist- gasoline floats on the water so it will light off better when the spark happens because of the larger surface area. The diagram also discusses an alternate method to re-routing them as Ron originally intended to stay on the good side of the EPA/DoT etc - all the blowby stuff would probably find its way to the Catalytic converter, where it would get burned up. (Personally, I'd rather try to get HP/mileage from it, otherwise you're just throwing that money away)

If you do choose to try things this way, the next step is to get cheater circuits on the upstream oxygen sensor(s). They're called EFIE, and they can help convince your computer to trim back fuel delivery. even if they only get you 5-10% better mileage on top of the Groove, that's something that adds up faster than savings account interest at a bank.

Thank you, I was wondering about this when I had my '02 lincoln apart for intake gasket replacement.

hmm... maybe when the wife is out of town i can tear this thing down again.

Ken

Ken -
you're saying your Lincoln has this same DPFE-EGR orifice tube setup? Would you mind trying it like this and reporting back with results, please?

remove the PCV vac source from the manifold and cap that, and connect the PCV hose to the EGR orifice tube - my thinking is that exhaust flow will pull the PCV vapours past the o2 sensor with the EGR valve disabled, but the computer will still think the valve is opening and closing based on the presence/absence of vacuum on that side of the DPFE sensor...and with crankcase vapours going past the o2 Sensor, the computer might trim back fuel delivery.

Hey, Ken, good to see you here again.
so if the EGR on your Lincoln has the DPFE sensor like in Greg's diagram- it's not much work to try this hose re-routing mod. honestly, so far, I don't know how this will work. But it's just adapting a few hoses, not a big deal to try.
and maybe, just maybe.....!! .
We would love to see and hear about what you do on the Lincoln, Ken!
Tracy G.

I will look at this again, I believe my 2002 4.6 is very similar to this. The lincolns shared engines from 99 to 02 and a lot of this is very similar.

It might take me a few weeks to get to this, my daily driver needs some help first and working on the lincoln means that it has to stay in the garage long enough for something to happen to it. Kids getting into sports means that thing has to be scheduled for oil changes and maintenance. Come to think of it, need to order some more snake fluid for the annual fall maintenance coming up.

I will take some photos and look at the possible options here, too many things hooked up to the intake.

Ken