I recently posted asking about possibly removing my EGR valve while I was doing some other work to my '85. Everyone's opinion convinced me to put it back, which I did. I now have the car back together, minus the "air pump", which was one of my main goals in the teardown anyway. I also replaced the valve stem seals, bypassed the throttle body/heater hose hookup, and did some cleaning/painting/detailing.

The car now start and runs fine........but the SES lights up right after startup, and stays lit........until you turn the car off while it's warm. After it's warm, you can start it and drive it for at least 30 miles (farthest I've been since putting it back) with no light. The only code showing is 32, or EGR system failure. Anyone have any ideas as to what is causing it? I've checked all vacuum hoses (they are all new anyway) and electrical hookups. The EGR solenoid is hooked up correctly.......in other words, I can't find any obvious problem.

By the way, here is a pic of what the engine looks like now:

Have you still got the AIR system solenoids connected?

Just cause youve got that EGR solenoid connected doesnt mean its functioning as it should

No, the Air pump system is totally gone, pump, solenoids, and all. What is the "connection", so to speak between the two systems? From what I can gather from the FSM, I don't see that one would have an effect on the other......but I may be way off in my thinking. Obviously there is something causing the light to come on, but only on a "cold" startup. Once the engine is up to temp, no problem anymore. That tells me the system is working once the car is warm.........am I wrong?

Thanks for any input, I really appreciate the help!

No, i dont think its the solenoid or the valve, cause i reckon the light would come would come on while you were at highway cruise if it was.

There is obviously another issue that exsists in the system causing you to get the SES light at start up, whether or not it is the DTC 32 youre seeing or another code youre not, i couldnt be sure without seeing it.

Thanks for the input. Looks like I'll just have to keep searching for a problem. Probably something simple!

I'd bet that if you follow the troubleshooting procedure in the FSM for that code, you'll find the problem.

Doesn't your FSM tell you what it takes to set the code? That, and the chart ought to lead you to the cause of the code.

RACE ON!!!

Do you have aftermarket exhaust? Backpressure is supposed to bleed off the egr vacuum. If it doesn't I think the egr can be still open on startup and throw a code.

There's also a egr temp switch on there, I forget its function, it's been a few years since I had to diagnose it, I think maybe it's supposed to open the egr at idle when it's warmed up, but that shouldn't throw a code on startup.

You can see what the egr diaphram doing with a small inspection mirror or feeling under there if you don't have fat hands.

FWIW I'm running with no air pump, stock headers, and a high flow cat with no egr issues.

I am running stock exhaust. The only mod there at all was to the stock manifolds/headers..........I removed the "tubes" that connected to the Air pump, and plugged and welded up the holes.

I did not have this issue before taking it down to do the work described, so that is why I felt that something was probably put back or hooked up wrong. Was hoping that someone else may have been there before. I will troubleshoot further this weekend, using the FSM as a guide for the checks that I've not already made.

Thanks for the input. One way or another, I'll find it!

Check the small vacuum line tee where it connects to the bottom of the throttle body, I always forget to hook this one up.

Is the idle kinda crappy too?

I know the "tee" that you are referring to, and it's fine. In fact, I replaced all the vacuum hoses and fittings, tees, the two way vacuum port, etc. while I had the plenum off.

And as for the idle.....it is just fine. In fact, the car runs great.....even better than before I took it down, but I attribute most of that to the fact that I had the injectors "rebuilt" while it was down, and some of the vacuum lines that I replaced were very suspect, to the point that I can't see how they could NOT have been leaking. Also cleaning the throttle body and plenum/runners couldn't have hurt.

As far as performance, the car is great. Whatever is causing the SES to light happens right at startup, but the light stays on until the car is turned off. Once the car is warm, I can start it as many times as I want with no light.

Thanks for any and all input!