When I changed the valve cover gaskets on my 86 I broke the wire off of the sensor that is located on the EGR pipe. Left side of the engine. I can't seem to find this part. My question is can I somehow reconnect the wire to the sensor? It seems like maybe I could solder it on there. What will be the result of not having this sensor connected? So far there have not been any codes and it runs fine. Finally, how hard/easy is it to eliminate the egr system? The car passed CT emissions last spring and since it will soon be 25 years old I won't have to go through again. I see the block off plates that are sold but what do you do at the solenoid/'TB and thye vacuum lines. Thanks

 

Delete the lot.
Tape solenoid plug up to make safe ( one wire is hot ; key on )
Rework or plug redundant vac line to EGR solenoid

So long as the EGR valve is sealing you don't need to actually remove it or the riser tube .Once solenoid is removed , the EGR valve can't operate
The plates are only needed if you remove the valve and crossover tube
So long as your EGR valve is sealing ; no problems

Some get Code 32 with sensor deleted / some don't.
Ultimately the EGR function can be taken out in a custom tune

 

The top terminal spins off and is threaded onto the switch. I removed mine and re-crimped the wire back on. Soldering will also work.

 

I'd try to fix it. EGR valves do help to prevent knock on acceleration. It would probably also be a good idea to check the EGR to see if you can open it via a vacuum pump like a Mityvac. My EGR was bad and didn't hold vacuum, but I didn't get a Code 32.

 

It soots up the intake, but helps control emissions and knock, and helps fuel economy and just about every other regime the engine sees.
Start up the car, make sure it's warmed up, and put your finger on the EGR solenoid.
You can feel it pulsing. It even works at idle.
take the vacuum line off the intake when idling and plug it. listen to the engine. It runs smoother with the EGR hooked up.
Now if you want more timing, leave it in. If you want less timing, take it off. The EGR doesn't control timing, but with today's cheap gas, you will probably have to retard the timing to compensate for removing it.
More power is achieved with more timing.
The EGR lowers the combustion temps. take off the vacuum line to the solenoid and plug it.
drive the car around and look at your coolant temp. It will be hotter than with EGR hooked up.
THen for the ride home, put the EGR solenoid vacuum line back on. Your car will run cooler.
Remember, your car is a bunch of systems thought out by a couple hundred engineers and all of those
systems work together as a complete car....If you disconnect the EGR, you will have to compensate for it in other ways.
The temp sensor you broke is a feedback sensor that tells the computer that EGR is working. You may or may not get a code.
On my 86, The code appeared when the connector on the EGR solenoid fell apart and the pins in the plug lost contact with the solenoid.
Just my 2c

 

According to the FSM, there should be no EGR when in park or neutral. So, you shouldn't notice a difference at idle with the EGR valve plugged in or unplugged.

When I've done my scans. The only times I remember the computer requesting EGR is at acceleration while driving.

 

Your correct Josh, at idle and WOT there is no egr. It only comes into play when you step on the gas.. Also all the problems you hear about if you eliminate the egr ( pinging and high cylinder temps) are because the computer is still trying to correct for the egr and your air/fuel ratio is not correct. When you eliminate the egr from your chip and have the correct tune done the computer no longer adjusts for the egr and your car runs fine will none of these problems. This is the mistake people make, they change things on the car without making adjustments in the chip and then wonder why there car runs like crap. My 383 has had the egr and air pump both eliminated, I have had a new tune done and have no detonation, Pinging, or high temps and I still get 26 mpg on the highway. My suggestion to the OP is if your going to eliminate the egr, have it removed from your chip and get a retune, or just find the parts you need and leave it hooked up...WW

 

okay, thanks for all the info guys. I will try and fix it. It seems like the sensor is threaded so I am going to take it out and try to crimp or solder the wire to it. I have noticed a dip in mpg and it's there for a reason.