We've just been told that we need to start thinking about replacing our EGR valve.

97 Tracker, 91k, 1.6 ltr., 2-dr, 4x4.  Just replaced timing, and drive belts, water pump, and headlight bulb, then had the check engine light read and re-set by Advanced auto (free!).  The guy said the code was for the EGR valve.

While the light went away, he said that it might come back on.  If it does, we need to replace it. 

What does it do? 
Where is it located? 
How Can "I" replace it? 
Is it hard to do? 
Do I need special tools? 

ALL the help would be greatly appreciated!

I think you will find that its at the rear of the inlet manifold and it looks like this:



Its a stepper motor driving a piston in and out. No special tools just 2 bolts as I recall. I have one in bits right here. Theres not a lot to go wrong with it, so it may be a bad electrical connection or it could be coked up. If you have a meter then you could do a resistance check, there are two centre tapped windings, from memory each half is around 22 ohms.

Great, I'll take it apart and try cleaning it first.  If tha doesn't work then I suppose a new one is in order.

Thanks!

I replaced my EGR valve, and it didn't help.  The light came back on.

The steet tube that connects the EGR valve to the head sometimes plugs up with carbon at the head end of the tube.  Take the tube off (two bolts at each end) and run a wire through it.  Also clear the carbon plug out of the port in the head.

My "96" Tracker plugged up at about 75k miles.  Once I cleared the tube, the "check engine" light went out after about a day of driving.

Okay, I'll check that out as well.  Do you think that just cleaning the egr and the tube will work, as apose to buying a new one?

I usually do what is cheapest first.  If the tube is plugged, and cleaning it clears the fault, then, I wouldn't replace the EGR valve.  You don't have to remove the EGR valve to get the tube off.  If it doesn't clear the fault and you still need to replace the EGR valve, it's only the two bolts at the valve end that you have to remove a second time.

I did it the other way around, because i didn't know about the tube's tendency to plug up until after I changed the valve and it didn't clear the fault.

You now have the advantage...

Great thread!  I have the same issue at 111,000 miles.  Autozone did the free check, but I had to push the reset button.  Project #1 next week...
Now if I just had $500 for the lift kit. 
Jerry