96 grand am has hole in exhaust manifold next to EGR valve. valve was loose now wont start. Could this have caused more internal damage that wont allow motor to start. Or should motor still start with the hole in exhaust

It is on the driver's side of engine, mounted onto the intake manifold-right in the middle of the manifold, but on the side. It has a removeable metal tube on it coming from the exhaust manifold.

With the egr valve, there may be an attached "egr valve vacuum transducer"-a little device only there to increase or decrease the vacuum signal to egr valve, based on the amount of back-pressure in the exhaust. The transducer valve has a vacuum hose from the engine, a hose from transducer to the egr valve, then another hose from bottom of transducer valve to monitor exhaust backpressure. Do not worry about the transducer valve when servicing the egr valve.

Don't watch the video it is only a flash of light.
I have no egr system on my car the worst thing that has happened so far is an engine light but if your truck is a 96 or newer you can get a tuner and set the comp. to not check for the egr now be forewarned it is not legal to do this but who gives a care... And by the way the egr is always hooked up to the exhaust manifold that is why it is called exhaust gas recirc.
But this can help give your engine colder air for a more dense fuel mixture another thing is that you may find that your truck takes longer to warm up in the winter weather.
Hope it helped!

Hi there?
It sounds like the EGR valve is stuck open letting the exhaust fumes enter the engine. Since the exhaust smoke has no oxygen then the engine won't start whout oxygen (fresh air). Disconnect the pipe going to the inlet manifold and see if the engine starts. If it starts then you need a new EGR valve.

the codes for the oxygen sensors and egr valve dont neccassarily mean those parts are "bad". O2 sensor codes are usually caused by a different problem all together. There job is to monitor oxygen levels in the exhaust to make sure it is clean enough to meet emmisions standards. If you have a vaccuum leak, misfire, or a fuel problem those codes can show up. The egr valve recycles the exhaust gas in another attempt to clean the impurities. If the vavle was truley bad it would of affected the was the vehicle idled and drove on the highway. The egr activates when the throttle is depressed it opens at 1/4 of full throttle and closes at idle. Though they get pretty dirty the usually dont just fail under normal driving conditions. I would say that po171 code which if i remember right is a o2 sensor lean code, is showing now you have a tune up that needs to be done or a leaking intake manifold. A dirty or failed pcv valve can also cause that code because of it being operated by vaccuum from the engine. If any vaccuum is lost or restricted the hole combustion process will be incorrect.

1996 Ford Explorer 2WD 5.0L

Canister Purge Valve
Catalytic Converter

EGR Position Sensor

EGR Vacuum Solenoid

EGR Valve

EGR Valve Gasket

EGR Valve Pressure Sensor

Exhaust Manifold

Exhaust Manifold Gasket

Fuel Cap

Muffler - Performance

Oxygen Sensor

PCV Valve

Sensor - Ambient Air Temperature

Smog Pump

are you sure its a hole? if its the right side one there is a pipe that goes to the egr valve. usually one of the bolts falls out and it gets loud. you have to remove the heat shield to see it. if it is really a hole [dought it] it is pretty easy to do

he EGR valve, or Exhaust Gas Recirculation valve, is a vacuum controlled valve which allows a specific amount of your exhaust back into the intake manifold. This exhaust mixes with the intake air and actually cools the combustion process. Cooler is always better inside your engine. The exhaust your EGR valve recirculates also prevents the formation of Nitrogen related gases. These are referred to as NOX emissions, and are a common cause for failing emissions testing. Unfortunately, your EGR valve can get stuck, causing NOX gases to build up. You'll know if your EGR valve is stuck or malfunctioning because your car will experience symptoms like rough idle and bucking on accelertaion.

ECU is the engine computer and the EGR valve allows exhaust gas to recirculate back into the intake manifold at certain times and is usually vacuum controlled. EGR valves are replaced fairly often because of the high heat from the exhaust. Check for a loose or damaged vacuum hose (or if an electrically controlled valve, look for loose wires, or connector). ECU faults may or may not require replacement of the unit. Have you replaced the fuel filter?

Unfortunately, both of these items are equally important and repairs can't normally be avoided by taking care of your car.

Your MAP (Mass Air Pressure) Sensor measures intake manifold vacuum pressure to help control the air and fuel mixture and timing. It contains a pressure-sensitive element that connects to an electronic circuit, generating a signal that changes with pressure changes in the manifold.

Your EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) valve recirculates exhaust gases through the intake manifold to be burned again, cooling peak combustion temperature. Dilutes the air and fuel mixture to keep the nitrogen oxide emissions within breathable limits. And yes, it could very well be that the EGR solenoid that is causing the issue.

Both units effect your vehicle's fuel/air mixture. This is important because your vehicle running lean/rich can cause "snowball" problems. For example, a faulty EGR can cause the vehicle to run rich/lean. If not repaired, in time, the exhaust caused by the wrong rich/lean fuel mixture can damage the O2 sensors and/or catalytic converter.

If I had to pick, I'd start with your MAP Sensor. One guess I would have is that your MAP Sensor failed and made your vehicle start burning the wrong fuel/air mixture. Assuming I'm right, this could have damaged the EGR Valve. So, I see no reason to replace the EGR Valve alone, just so it too can be damaged by the poor fuel/air mixture caused by the still-faulty MAP Sensor. If your lucky, you may see the faulty EGR code disappear once your MAP Sensor is replaced.

Hope this helps and good luck!