EGR Cooler Question

[Laredo06]

I have a few questions about the EGR Cooler.

Is the cooler good one day then bad the next day?

Can you look at the EGR Cooler, or inspect it, and see signs that it is going bad?

Is there some where I can read how to inspect the EGR Cooler or get more info?

Thank you in advance for your help.
Bill

[michaelaiman]

It absolutely can be good one day, bad the next. Looking at it externally, you cant tell its bad. Some signs of ruptured EGR cooler are unexplained loss of coolant, white smoke, black gunky mess in the intake when the EGR valve is taken out

[sinner6.0L]

yep. If your cooler is about plugged shut except one or 2 little passages opened up that's a good sign it's got a slow leak. Any wetness inside the cooler, any clean spots or hard carbon balls are bad too. It should be an even coating of dry soft carbon.

[JustinOOO9]

the best way would be gauges for engine coolant temp, and engine oil temp. then a head-gasket pressure test. also when my "Oil cooler failed" no codes just the little wrench symbol on dash a normal scanner wouldnt pick it up. i think it would be the same for an egr cooler failure. plus if you've gone through more then one egr cooler its probably a clogged oil cooler.