remove EGR for intake manifold removal?

I'm trying to remove my intake manifolds to access the driver side valve cover.

I watched some videos doing this job on the 5VZFE, but it's as if none of them have an EGR valve. But there's a whole mess of valves back there that need attention.

I can disconnect the EGR VSV, vacuum modulator, and some other valve, but the EGR valve is giving me trouble. The metal exhaust pipe doesn't move, whether I disconnect the pipe-to-EGR bolts or the EGR-to-manifold bolts. So I can't slide the EGR off the studs. Am I going to have to disconnect the exhaust pipe at the bottom end and try to move it? Or am I overlooking something else to disconnect? I could probably try but I'm feeling overwhelmed and need some reassurance by someone who has done this.

 

You need to fully remove the stainless pipe that connects the egr to the exhaust manifold. With some finesse you can wiggle it out through the fender well.
Once you removed that stainless pipe you can remove the egr valve

 

Ok, I'll remove the wheel and and give the pipe removal a try. So the EGR valve has to come off even that way? If I remove the pipe, disconnect hoses and wires, it looks like I might be able to leave the EGR valve and some other stuff attached to the plenum and lift it all out as one piece?

I buttoned it all back up for now. I have to do this in a one day shot. At least it wasn't a total waste of time. I got the passenger side valve cover bolt washers replaced with the right ones and replaced the PCV hose with a rubber vacuum hose because the silicone one I had on there was sweating oil. Also I wrote down step by step instructions this time and numbered disconnected hoses with tape, like in Timmy's video, which made it super easy to reinstall everything with confidence and will help it go quicker if I try again.

 

I wouldn’t try take it out as “one”, it seems like a good idea but it’s really delicate. Spray it with pb blaster liberally everyday leading up to when you plan on removing, and make sure to soak it an hour before you remove it. No such thing as too much pb blaster!

also worth mentioning. DO NOT remove any of those nuts or bolts while the engine is hot.. thermal expansion and blah blah blah

 

I had gotten the pipe's nuts loose previously, so that's ready. But I think I need to repair the studs with a die. Not feeling good even with new nuts. Everything on the truck should be 1.0 thread spacing right?

 

Well guess you found out you cant use just any hose on the pcv valve.....
it has to be fuel resistant.....

As far as the egr tube....thats a pia....

Because those three gaskets involved.......have been fried to hell......
they're a metal/fibre hybrid gasket......and they turn to crispy concrete like after few years of hot exhaust...

They are a big pia to separate when years old.....mine went to pieces...
had to scrape down to new seats......

And the felpro gaskets from auto next door where too small between those two studs.....
so had to order the oem......not in stock of course......

I would not take tube completely off.....just break top and bottom .....get tube as far out on studs without nuts coming off and then work each other end......

When cleaned pull tube off top studs on egr.....and leave egr pipe loose on the exhaust....with nuts just barely keeping it on...

On mine ....3rz....egr tube had a strap holding mid way on back of engine.....dont know it 5vz has that strap or not....

I ripped that strap out of mine.....served no purpose.....

On mine I just separated the upper plenum from lower....to break that gasket....
instead of breaking main intake gasket..........thats risky......

 

To clean upper intake I used couple cans of oven cleaner to soak......
and then use a half gallon of that awsome clear yellow cleaner from dollar store to float the carbon suds off....
after a few bottle brushing and soak cycles....

Between the pvc and egr.....it was pretty nasty......

 

Yes, there's some kind of strap holding the EGR tube in place behind the engine. Hard to get to.

Pics 1 and 2 below, which way does the protruding lip face on the EGR-valve-to-intake-plenum gasket?

Similarly, pics 3 and 4 below, which way does the double ring surface of the two EGR tube gaskets face?

 

These are the ones I have.....semi reusable....