Filters Inside Fender Solenoids

[5.0turbines]

I was reading here: http://www.lincolnsonline.com/tech/tech.html and found some interesting things. One thing I learned was the small solenoids on the fender for the EGR and smog pump have small filters in them and today I popped one open and the filter in it crumbled and blew away. I just wacked through the rest with a small flat screwdriver and just closed the lid on it and left it alone. May I'll stick a piece of sponge in it later, dunno. Are these filters important or what?

Link to the one about the filters: http://www.lincolnsonline.com/tech/00023.html

[gadget73]

I think its mostly to keep crap from getting down in the solenoids. They aren't critical but given enough time without any sort of filter, it may build up enough junk in the solenoid to make it stick. A piece of open cell foam should do the trick nicely.

While you have them open, shoot some wd40 down the tube that the filter covered. If the solenoid is sticky, that should un-stick it. If its not sticky, it won't hurt anything.

Just as a mention, 87 and older cars only have a filter on the EGR solenoid. The thermactor control solenoids are a different design with no filter and no way to open it.

[GM_Guy]

I cut up a round out of a crankcase filter to replace mine. Since I have mostly chevy's, I've got a few of the crankcase filters laying around.

Less than 2 bucks gets you the filter & holder, or sometimes you can find just the filter material alone. Find them on the rack everywhere (they where used on practically every GM product from the 60's, right into the 80's. 1983 fullsize chevy pickup truck v8 if you need an app).

Alex.

[gadget73]

CFI cars use something like that, probably the same thing.