Do it, the EGR Valve is THE Device which ends your engine life early. Also, those who think that Babying your Rav4, (not driving it hard or fast) is helping it, the truth is that the EGR Valve combined with "drive it slow and it will last" attitude will destroy your car earlier than pounding the piss out of it.
If you Block off the EGR Valve, remember that the Pipe that comes up from the Head to the EGR is going to get completely clogged with crap.
If you have to re install the EGR Valve for an emission test later the engine AND the EGR Valve will suffer.
Lets say after a year of EGR Plate block-off you are required to put it back on to complete an emission test, so you do it the day before the test, the Carbon, oil and sludge that is clogged in the EGR passes now flows freely, into your EGR Valve, FAILING the test, Or worse, bypasses the EGR, goes into the throttle finally drowns the engine in gunk.
If you DO NOT warm up your vehicle to it's normal operating temperature before taking off (jumping in it in the morning, with engine cold, starting and driving it away), you are destroying your engine. Do this on a car with an EGR Valve and you are destroying it faster.
The ONLY Thing you want going in that intake is COLD Fresh air, and COLD Clean Fuel. THAT IS IT. Ask anyone with a Race car, that's why they always VTA (Vent to atmosphere) because oil/gunk makes the air induction system Smaller, and less efficient.
Here is a typical (WITH EGR VALVE) Toyota Engine intake manifold
http://kansascitytdi.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/image0011.jpg
Intake Manifold Cleaning $190 Labor + Parts | Kansas City TDI
more than 60 per cent of Rav4 Owners, especially the "gentle drivers" are guaranteed to have their intake resemble these above.
You have to shut the EGR Pathway off at the SOURCE.
Here is the 3S-FE EGR Pathway "Cleanout" on the block.
This pipe in my hands is the pipe that send Exhaust gas (and sludge) back into your EGR Valve, then back into the intake. For those wanting to be certain they pass an e-test, remove this pipe, clean it out like the barrel of a pistol (with pistol/rifle cleaning rods), and replace/clean your EGR Valve, use a vacuum and clean out the EGR Pathway in the head (as pictured) and I will sit here and GUARANTEE you, that if you do all those things, and the EGR Valve is FUNCTIONING, after cleaning, and driving FULL THROTTLE on the highway for at least ONE hour, that you WILL PASS YOUR TEST. (fail to do the Wide open throttle part on the highway and everything else is a waste, you need to knock that gunk off the valves, and putting the engine through ALL of it's power bands at HIGH RPM is the only way, besides taking the head apart and cleaning it by hand)
So many people FAIL, even AFTER changing the EGR Valve, then SCRAP THEIR CAR WITH A BRAND NEW EGR VALVE ON IT AND BUY A BRAND NEW POS CAR JUST BECAUSE THEY DIDNT CLEAN OUT THE PIPE THAT LEADS UP TO IT!!!
I'm actually certain that Toyota, other car manufacturers and the EPA Conspired to "standardize" EGR Valves with "The environment" as the excuse, and the Planned Obsolesence as the benefit.
These EGR Systems take Exhaust Gas off ONE CYLINDER. THAT IS NOT EFFECTIVE. It only "Makes the grade" Having an emission system that works off ONE CYLINDER, is proof that there was no intention of the system being very effective anyways.
EGR=MONEY GRAB
