# 1996 subaru outback egr valve and system replacement

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/1996-subaru-outback-egr-valve-and-system-replacement/31906>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [June 15, 2009, 12:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1996-subaru-outback-egr-valve-and-system-replacement/31906 "2009-06-15T12:48:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jbladd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jbladd](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jbladd)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 12:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1996-subaru-outback-egr-valve-and-system-replacement/31906/1 "2009-06-15T12:48:02Z")

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Help, I am being charged 600 for an egr valve replacement, which is about 400 in labor or 5 hours. What the heck is going on? Isn’t it pretty easy to replace the valve and hose? is there a solonoid elsewhere to replace? Is it easy to do the change myself? Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

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**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 1:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1996-subaru-outback-egr-valve-and-system-replacement/31906/2 "2009-06-15T13:35:10Z")

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“What the heck is going on?”

You took it to the Subaru dealer? That’s your problem.

Plan A is to scare you into buying a new car. Plan B is to make a bundle off you.

If you’re handy with a wrench is takes roughly an hour to change. Get a repair manual. Make sure the tubing to the valve is not clogged. That’s the problem as often as the valve itself.

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**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1996-subaru-outback-egr-valve-and-system-replacement/31906/3 "2009-06-15T15:36:57Z")

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This “failure” can be ignored as long as an emissions test is not part of the picture…

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1996-subaru-outback-egr-valve-and-system-replacement/31906/4 "2009-06-15T16:19:53Z")

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However, it is also possible that the bad EGR is causing the engine to “ping”, and that should not be ignored. And, if the car has a knock sensor to keep it from pinging, the resulting retardation of the timing would lead to a noticeable drop in both power and fuel economy.

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**Author:** ![jbladd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jbladd](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jbladd)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1996-subaru-outback-egr-valve-and-system-replacement/31906/5 "2009-06-15T17:05:25Z")

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Thanks, for the help!