302 CFI EGR cooler, later design

[Stocker]

When I did a search I found scant mention of this unit and it's apparently uncommon. So in case the information helps anyone, here's what I can piece together for posterity.

302 CFI cars from '83-'85 were fitted with an EGR cooler that was teed in to the heater hose. I found that my '85 has the cooler, but not with ports for coolant lines. This is it:


Looks to be about the same shape and size as the original design, but without the ports. The part number on this one is E7PE-1H464-AA, which I can't find a single reference to anywhere. There's one on eBay with the part number E7PZ-9F464-AA that looks the same, and is what the Master Parts List shows. There was a TSB for this, 87-1-15, but after looking around all I could find was the cars it applied to (everything with a 302 CFI) and not the details of the problem/solution.

My car has a Ford "Authorized Modifications" decal on the fan shroud which I've always wondered about; quite probable that it was for this.

The revised cooler has a baffle inside with a screen on each side of it. I'd surmise that the screens are there to collect debris before it gets to the EGR valve. Mine didn't appear to be plugged, although I did clean enough carbon out of it. (The port in my throttle body spacer was completely blocked, however.) Some companies made an EGR gasket with a screen for likely the same reason.

I know some people omit these, but I didn't see any harm in leaving it in and it was certainly less risky than trying to get the studs out of the TB spacer.

For your amusement, here's what the Ford shop manual said about the original design: "The 9F464 is quite rugged, 100 percent tested, and virtually trouble-free."

[gadget73]

I vaguely recall reading something about this years ago. The problem was basically that cookies got stuck in the stock cooler and would jam up the valve. The TSB (pretty sure it was a TSB) basically said the fix was to remove it, or maybe it was to remove the cooler hoses to it. Either way you did something to the cooler and it was supposed to quit making carbon cookies that jammed up the EGR valve.

[JeffBoudah]

Is that what that is? That went right into the dumpster doing a carb conversion on my 84, along with 150lbs of other junk they hung on these motors.

[knucklehead0202]

Mmmm, cookies. Interesting bit though that is. I'd likely do the same thing as Jeff though if i had CFI, or just put a coyote in it.

[Stocker]

A carb swap has crossed my mind, but keeping the CFI functioning well enough to run the car is less work. (That, and if I'm going to go to the trouble of a carb swap I'd do a 4-barrel, which is more work...)

I vaguely recall reading something about this years ago. The problem was basically that cookies got stuck in the stock cooler and would jam up the valve. The TSB (pretty sure it was a TSB) basically said the fix was to remove it, or maybe it was to remove the cooler hoses to it. Either way you did something to the cooler and it was supposed to quit making carbon cookies that jammed up the EGR valve.

The EGR valve on my car had only a film of carbon on it and seems to work properly, so if that's what the redesigned cooler was supposed to do it seems to have worked.

[atlantic3000]

I removed and plugged EGR vaccum line and ommitted the cooler lines, pipe plugged the manifold and unpluged solonoids. Runs great.

[CountrySedan]

The dealer performed the TSB on my 84 Colony Park; which was to remove the cooler, pipe plug in the intake for one hose line, rubber cap on the "T" in the heater hose for the other. Then bolted the EGR back on without the cooler. The kit came with shorter mounting studs for the EGR valve to screw into the intake.

[kishy]

I removed and plugged EGR vaccum line and ommitted the cooler lines, pipe plugged the manifold and unpluged solonoids. Runs great.

I'm gonna be "that guy": my sample size of cars, and the problems I have had with them, while not authoritative is enough to tell me that EGR is not a troublesome system on these engines. Obviously I am not everyone and particularly since Ford made changes, the system was imperfect.

EGR is a system that does not cost you power, is relatively trouble-free, and effectively reduces one of the most significantly tangible (that is, we can see and feel the effects; it is undeniable for even climate change deniers) emissions, that being NOx.

Everyone's first step in troubleshooting a problem related to EGR should not be to delete it. It is entirely a helpful system, and unless you have some substantial alterations from stock, you will derive no benefit from its removal.

The dealer performed the TSB on my 84 Colony Park; which was to remove the cooler, pipe plug in the intake for one hose line, rubber cap on the "T" in the heater hose for the other. Then bolted the EGR back on without the cooler. The kit came with shorter mounting studs for the EGR valve to screw into the intake.

I'd like to ask for some clarification here: when was this work done? Did you find a dealer (and the parts kit in the parts network) that agreed to perform the TSB as recent as, say, this year? My local dealers are basically unwilling to even look up parts for the old stuff, nevermind service it.

[gadget73]

I've also had fairly minimal issue with the EGR. One car had a leaky valve, replacing it with a good used one fixed it. Another one had issues with the vac reg, it was going full open when it should not which made it hesitate off-idle. Replace the reg, problem gone. These were parts that were decades old, i can't exactly fault old age / wear failures as inherent bad design.

but basically I leave it alone because it doesn't hurt anything. better emissions, slightly improved fuel economy, no power loss. All a win.

[DerekTheGreat]

EGR.. "cookies."

Why yes, if its EFI, I leave EGR. Benefits.

You won't gain enough swapping your CFI over to 1950's technology, not enough to justify the labor and expense, that is.

[CountrySedan]

I'm gonna be "that guy": my sample size of cars, and the problems I have had with them, while not authoritative is enough to tell me that EGR is not a troublesome system on these engines. Obviously I am not everyone and particularly since Ford made changes, the system was imperfect.

EGR is a system that does not cost you power, is relatively trouble-free, and effectively reduces one of the most significantly tangible (that is, we can see and feel the effects; it is undeniable for even climate change deniers) emissions, that being NOx.

Everyone's first step in troubleshooting a problem related to EGR should not be to delete it. It is entirely a helpful system, and unless you have some substantial alterations from stock, you will derive no benefit from its removal.



I'd like to ask for some clarification here: when was this work done? Did you find a dealer (and the parts kit in the parts network) that agreed to perform the TSB as recent as, say, this year? My local dealers are basically unwilling to even look up parts for the old stuff, nevermind service it.

A Ford dealer did it with a Ford part numbered- kit. But this was done in the late 80's, sorry for the confusion.