Expert: Roland Finston - 7/26/2011

Question
I have a 1992 Chrysler Lebaron Convertible, the problem is when the car engine is cooled down it starts and runs fine for awhile then after the engine gets heated up it begins to sputter and then ultimately die and then will not start up again until after it has cooled down, I am beginning to think it may be the EGR Valve but I am having trouble locating it on the engine.

I am asking your advice if my assessment is correct and if so where is the location of the EGR Valve?? It is a 3.0 liter engine.

Answer
Hi Chris,
There is a front of engine cross-over exhaust pipe between the two exhaust manifolds, and in that pipe there is a small off-branching pipe to the egr valve, near a connecting flange. Follow the small pipe to find the valve. I am not sure that it is the egr but check it out for free movement, against spring action in one direction, of the valve stem.
Because this is a temperature-dependent stall, it could be an off-value temp sensor. So check out that possibility:
Use the ignition switch to get any fault codes:"on-off-on-off-on and leave on" using the ignition key and doing that within 5 seconds of elapsed time. Then watch the check engine light, which remains 'on', to see it begin to flash, pause, flash, etc. Count the number of flashes before each pause. Then repeat to assure accurate set of counts. Then tell me the counts in order of appearance and we'll go from there,
Roland