Even if we don't know anything about mechanics or even if we don't like cars, surely we have heard of the famous EGR valve. It is an anti-pollution element that all cars equip and that always comes up in conversations that deal with problems and breakdowns, especially when it comes to diesel engines.
In this article we are going to deal in depth with the exciting world of EGR valves, discovering what they are for, understanding their operation and faults that they can cause, that are more frequent than we can imagine.
What is the EGR valve?
EGR valve
The first point is to give meaning to the acronym EGR, an acronym for Exhaust Gas Recirculation or Exhaust Gas Recirculation in Spanish. Although it may seem like a current issue, the truth is that it has been used in some cars since the 70s, especially in the United States, where anti-pollution regulations were more severe. In Europe it is mandatory to equip it since the entry into force of Euro 2 in 1996.
The function of the EGR valve is simple and we can guess it from its name. Your work is recirculate part of the gases coming out of the exhaust to the intake, that is, to reintroduce the smoke from the combustion of the engine in the cylinders so as to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions (NOx). The EGR valve connects the exhaust manifolds with intake and its opening depends on various parameters that we will now know. The key to the reduction of nitrogen oxides is the decrease in temperature in the combustion chamber by recirculating exhaust gases into it.
How does the EGR valve work?
In more modern engines, the operation of the EGR is governed by the signal from the sensors for engine temperature, engine speed and throttle load. Depending on these, the car's ECU will command the EGR, opening or closing it. As a general rule, the EGRs are open (putting burned gases into the engine) when we drive with the engine hot, at low load and at low engine speeds.
If the parameters for opening the EGR are met, we will see that it is activated in two ways, depending on its nature. It may be for a vacuum actuator or by electric actuator. The latter are the most effective and are now fitted to almost all vehicles, since they allow better control of the degree of valve opening. Some vehicles are equipped with EGR valves cooled by a heat exchanger that uses engine coolant. In this way, the temperature of the gases is reduced when they are introduced into the cylinders and the production of NOx emissions is even lower.
When the EGR valve is open in the combustion chamber, the recirculated gases are mixed with the fresh gases from the intake. In this case, the seconds are shorter than if the valve were closed and therefore less heat is generated in the explosions, hence the reduction in NOx emissions. As it is not difficult to intuit, the operation of the EGR valve subtracts power from the engine. The colder the air that enters the engine and the more oxygen it has, the more powerful the explosions will be and therefore, the better the performance of the vehicle. For this reason, when we demand a lot of acceleration, the EGR remains closed, to have all the performance of the engine.
EGR valve problems
When dirt accumulates, problems begin
The faults in the EGR are relatively common, especially in diesel engines that circulate a lot in the city and that they get used to doing it at low speeds. And why do diesels give more problems than gasoline? Well, because they generate more carbon, and that carbon adheres to the walls of the EGR and even to the intake manifolds, causing its diameter to decrease and therefore our car does not breathe well and its performance decreases.
When the carbon build-up in the EGR is excessive, it may be the case that it gets stuck or that it does not respond well to commands from the ECU, since dirt can prevent it from opening or closing completely. In addition to the relevant fault light coming on in the panel, it can lead, especially if it remains open, to a loss of engine power, jerking, or hard starting when cold, in addition to greater smoke emission.
Surely this is not the first time you have had problems with an EGR
If the EGR is closed, the main problem will be that it will not fulfill its function of reducing pollution, but it is possible that the car will notify us of the fault and it will not work properly. When anti-pollution systems do not work properly, the car goes into “protection” mode or malfunction, limiting engine speed or speed.
It may also be the case that the vacuum actuated EGRs fail if there are no problems creating the necessary depression to actuate it (air intakes, for example) or that the electric EGR valves may have internal failures, although this is usually less common.
How to avoid failures in the EGR?
Some gear change indicators advise changing too soon, which in the long run is detrimental to our engine
Avoiding breakdowns of any mechanical element of the car is difficult, but it can be prevented. Although it seems to swim against the current, the best advice to avoid potential EGR failures is to forget about efficient driving. Circulating at very low revolutions and in high gears we force the mechanics and make the EGR work, so if we always drive like this, we will be continuously recirculating exhaust gases. Escape. Dirty gases that will clog the engine ducts just like cholesterol our veins.
Especially driving in the city is the one that can cause the most problems to the EGR valves and particulate filters, especially in diesel. An EGR problem on a gasoline engine is rare. Drive with the happy engine It is the best solution to avoid future breakdowns, at the cost of spending a little more on fuel, probably. An occasional cleaning of the EGR valve and the intake can also be a way to prevent it.
How to clean the EGR valve
La difficulty cleaning an EGR valve It will depend on whether it is mechanical or electronic. In the event that our car incorporates one of the second type, and it has been damaged, it is most likely that you will have to change it. In any case, if you don't want to spend what your change costs, you can always go to a expert for cleaning. To do this, it will use ultrasound to eliminate the particles between it and the EGR system ducts.
If it is mechanical, steps you will have to follow to clean it are:
- Put neutral and parking brake and open the hood. Once it is open, remove the black cable (negative terminal) from the battery. Take a look at How to safely disconnect car battery. With the help of a screwdriver, we will proceed to remove the upper and lower engine breather tubes.
- Locate the EGR valve of the car (usually visible to the naked eye) with the help of the vehicle manual. Once located, with the help of pliers and a screwdriver, we will release the spring clamp and the screws that join the hose that supplies air to the system and the intake manifold to the EGR valve.
- With the help of an Allen key, we will remove the screws that fix the EGR valve to the outlet manifold. Have a basic tool box for the car, it will be very helpful.
- Once the EGR valve is removed, we must discard rubber gaskets between it and the collectors. You have to buy spare parts (their price is very cheap) so that once it is clean, you can reinstall it in the same conditions.
- When we have the EGR valve out of the engine, we will proceed to clean the inlet and outlet ports with a cleaner of carburetor. For a deeper and more effective cleaning, we will let the product act for a few minutes. In any case, if we do not have this cleaning liquid, we can always submerge the valve in hot water so that the embedded remains soften and come out better.
- When the remains are soft, with a toothbrush dipped in grease remover or carburettor cleaning liquid, we will rub the inside of the valve to remove dirt. In the parts where the dirt is more embedded, we can always help ourselves with a spatula or screwdriver with a plastic tip. In any case, care must be taken to do not scratch or damage the butterfly What is inside.
- Once the valve is clean, we will check that the intake manifold it is clear. If not, we can clean it using a drill with a circular brush tip to remove dirt.
- Finally, once we have cleaned both elements, we will proceed to its assembly. To do this, we will reverse steps 4 to 1 without forgetting the rubber gaskets to seal the valve to the inlet and outlet ports.
Override EGR valve
Overridden Pneumatically Operated EGR Valve
When the EGR starts to give problems, especially if they come back after cleaning the valve or even changing it, there are not a few who think of override the EGR valve. The pneumatic ones can be annulled by removing the vacuum inlet and covering it and the electronic ones by removing the electrical connector or inserting a plate between the EGR and the duct that goes to the intake.
They seem effective solutions a priori, whose objective is to keep the valve closed. The problem is that nowadays cars have so much technology that they probably detect the absence of air flow coming from the EGR, so the engine fault warning light and the vehicle will go into degraded mode. The solution? Go to a qualified specialist capable of override EGR via software. The main problem derived from overriding the EGR is that in the ITV the car could not pass the gas test, although many drivers do not have problems with this.
EGR valve price
The EGR valve is one of the mechanical elements of the car that you can see its varied price depending on the type of valve whatever (mechanical or electronic) and the make of the vehicle (regardless of whether the manufacturer of it is one firm or another).
According to the European Vehicle Guarantee Network Group (REGV), cleaning or changing the EGR valve can reach a average price of about 500 euros. The extremes for this cleaning or repair are between 50 euros for models with first generation mechanical valves and 1.422,84 euros for vehicles with the latest technology in the EGR system.
Image 8 – 3ndymion
More information about this model
- Plazas 5
- Power 80 - 150 hp
- Consumption 5,3 - 5,7l/100km
- Assessment 4,5
I sold my car with 52000 km and I had to clean it once and replace it another time and it is not a cheap part, older models can be disconnected, plugged and it no longer causes problems and keeps the intake manifold cleaner, but my The model was electromechanical and if the car got clogged it went much better but the fault light came on so now if I could buy a car I would surely look for an old diesel model that could plug it because the gasoline ones say or say they consume much more than the diesels
in case you are interested, i have a 2002 nissan terrano truck and i am selling it at a good price
mazda 6 crtd. Removed the particulate filter (DPF), a butterfly valve that it has, which I do not know if it will have to do with the EGR, and the car remains the same. When cold it runs fine, but after a few km, the car suddenly loses power, emitting a lot of smoke.
along with sharing the mechanical comments which have served me in an incredible way I have a sansung SM3 year 2010 which loses strength on a climb also with weight the weight loss is greater from now thank you very much
I think the problem is the poor quality of the fuel that is why it causes so many problems
My symptom is when accelerating hard to overtake, the engine jerks and smokes (Pathfinder 2012 diesel) . Could it be an EGR valve problem or a pump point problem?
Thanks for responding
I think that the problem of your PATHINDER is in the flow control valve of the high pressure fuel pump or in the turbo management valve
I think that the problem of your PATHINDER is in the flow control valve of the high pressure fuel pump or in the turbo management valve
citroen C5. when it is idling, it makes white smoke, once it starts it doesn't make smoke, but it takes a long time to increase revolutions and when it reaches 3000 revolutions then it shoots out, could it be the fault of the EGR valve? And what to do to check it?
The same thing happens to me, I am cleaning the valve, in a couple of days notice if that was the fault
Hello, I am currently having the same problem, could you solve it? Cheers
I proceeded to clean the EGR valve, and indeed it was covered with carbon and clogged, I also cleaned the intake, it was practically covered with carbon, according to what the mechanic told me, this is a common effect in vehicles that are used in the city already low revolutions, when the vehicle drives slowly the valve remains open and allows gas to return to combustion, at greater demand the valve closes and combustion only occurs with oxygen, when it is used a lot in the city carbon accumulates and it cannot be fired (excess carbon deposits, it could be that the oil is not of good quality, that too much oil is used and the changes are not made when appropriate, that there is an excess of oil in the engine, that the injectors are not good calibrated etc). The mechanic told me to try it out for a few days and rev it up on the road to high speed to free up and clean the ducts.
After cleaning, I no longer get white smoke from the exhaust at idle when the engine is cold, if I notice that at accelerated speeds it gives off a little white smoke when it is cold and a little black smoke when the engine is hot, but i'm still in the testing stage
hello. the white smoke when cold, a mechanic told me, that it could be from a heater. If I have a hole and I look at the valve, I can eliminate the smoke a little. Thanks for the advice.
hello it can be that so well it speeds up and slows down a little
Hello. speeding up ami doesn't do it for me. What if it does he is that you accelerate it and it stays as dead and does not go up in revolutions and when it arrives it has 3000 revolutions it shoots out
I have a 5.7 Toyota Tundra 2007L and I don't know where the EGR valve is, which I want to clean and check. if you can help me. thank you.
i have a ford f350 2005 6.0 licks me to have bought it i spent 9000 dollars to change the intake gaskets the prisoner regulator and i don't know what else it worked well for 2 years i move my truck around 2 kilometers a day i never pull a trailer or anything heavy duty it has 190 thousand kilometers now it turns out that I struggle to start the engine it starts and starts to work fine for 5 minutes then it starts to shake I accelerate and the pedal does not respond they already put a scanner on it and it does not mark any of this you know if it can be the EGR?
Hello, someone could tell me it's a 2008 corsa in the mornings it struggles to turn it on and during the day sometimes it starts jerking and unstable engine and white smoke opens... I already checked the gasoline pump and they told me it's not because they checked well... can someone tell me if it could be the egr valve, thanks...
hello, just a query, I have a problem with a 14000 gallon diesel truck of the freightliner brand, this valve has given me a lot of trouble, I constantly have to do maintenance on it and restart the computer software and this brings me too many costs , I already have two of these trucks thrown away, which this valve helped to burn the computer, and now I have to buy a new one and do a complete maintenance. They have recommended that I place a temperature sensor on the EGR Valve and that this cancels contact with the computer when the valve overheats, others have advised me to remove the valve, something that I do not agree with. that this helps to regulate the gases, I don't know if anyone can help me in this situation and advise me on any of the options or any other that I can use, I would appreciate it
I have a mazda bt 50 year 2008 and I have a problem with the EGR in which range it should work because in low it marks 4,71% and in high it reaches 70% and more approximate, so I would like to know in what range it should work
hello I have a problem I can't find the radiator of the hyundai tucson 2005 tanker. of my jeep broke and the water went into the gas system and the egr valve filled with water. At this time I bypassed the inlet and outlet water line and the radiator enters full temperature. How does it affect me that I don't cool it with water?
I have a samsung sm3 and pa
for a dodge caravan mod.1995 3.3 engine what benefits and behavior does it generate with the egr?
Yes I am Fernando I have an opel astra 1.9 CDTI cosmos 170 thousand km in August I went from Bilbao to Madrid arriving in Torrejón de Ardos the car lost power and on the slopes I had to go up in first and second this is due to the egr pump or is it he disturbed thanks to whoever can help me
hello jose fernando, the problem is in the egr, it needs cleaning because the same thing happened to me, the car couldn't even climb the hills in second gear,
Seat leon diesel 4 years, it starts badly on some occasions and on others it accelerates and the revolutions fluctuate and consumption increases. Could it be EGR or bad input from the injectors? Thank you
hello, I have a 306 hdi of 90cv, when I accelerate completely the car does not come out as before and it seems that it is drowning, but when I release the accelerator a little the car picks up power. Disconnect the egr and it does the same thing. When I accelerated well, it did make black smoke for a few seconds, but now there is no smoke. Change the air filter, the diesel filter, clean the flowmeter and nothing. I opened the egr with a manual depressor and the car did not change the revolutions. What can it be, I appreciate the answers, thank you..
Hi, I'm Tito, I don't know where the engine of my vw fusca is, I open the hood and there's only one wheel...haaaaa
Will the regulation of the clutch have something to do with the operation of the egr valve
Hello. My name is Maribel. I'm about to buy a car and it has a problem with the EGR valve. I am concerned that it is something complicated and therefore it will cause great damage to the suto and have worse consequences. Please someone give me some urgent advice.
Hello, my name is Armando, I have a 2007 Ford Escape, and I have noticed that there is a noise in the engine, check it and notice that the EGR Sensor is burnt or melted, when I cover the gas inlet and outlet I notice that the engine partner and stops ringing, that is, it remains silent, I wanted to know if the plugs would be causing greater damage to the engine in a short time, if someone can give me an answer I would appreciate it and thanks in advance.
Excellent article Iñigo, thank you very much for sharing this information
You will have to see the EGR valve, which you just checked after the check engine came on, since the scanner indicates that it has to be changed?
My vehicle is a 2004 Chrysler Pacifica with a 3.5 engine. New engine with 95,000 miles now. 6 months ago he started calendaring out of the blue. Several mechanics do not find the problem. Every time I start the engine, it warms up at 25 minutes and continues, having to turn it off. They changed the radiator, the thermostat, with a hose and camera they saw that the water pump is good, they removed the air and it always heats up after 25 minutes. Yesterday I poured a sealant into the coolan (coolant) container, the devil in Spanish
Today I was parked for more than an hour and I DON'T HEAT ANYTHING, I put on the air conditioning for 10 more minutes and it didn't heat up either. Would the sealer work, since 6 months ago it was still heating? What I did see on the floor, quite a lot, water or coolant that was removed, I think it may be because the sealant that I poured on it exceeded the level of the container and hence my question... do I have to see the EGR valve? A hug
I have a 90 Acura Integra rs automatic transmission, it turns on the check engine with code 12 which is the egr valve, the mechanic cleaned the egr valve, and reset the computer and it still continues to mark the problem, I tried it with a used valve and it still continues with it issue. I will buy the egr valve?
I have a 1997 Chevrolet Lumina 3.1 engine and when accelerating it loses power and only recovers it if you keep pressing the accelerator, but when it recovers, it is quite abrupt. The vehicle's computer has never detected a fault. This symptom sometimes disappears for a couple of minutes or even sometimes for a few months, but the problem always returns. I have replaced the flowmeter, the Maps and now the EGR valve. Changing the latter did not improve the symptom, but the computer now indicates that there is a problem with the EGR position sensor. In all this time that are years the vehicle does not smoke. What will be the problem?
I have a flat frontier with a full nissan engine the engine does not respond long black smoke and raises temperature what will be the fault I wait for an answer
Thanks for the article, it has been very helpful.
Regards,
Javier
I have heating problems in a nissan turbo diesel but
I changed the head gasket and it's still the same, they tell me what the egr is, it's possible
I have a Passat and a week ago I took the car to what they solved for me through a software modification the ta of polluting gases. Today I start the car and after a kilometer it indicates a faulty engine. I take him home and he tells me butterfly with charcoal. Can both things be related?
I have a Renault Megane Dinamique Diesel 1,9 and a few days ago the check light started to come on and I can't get past 120 kilometers and it's hard for it to speed up to the point that it's hard to take 6th gear and in one or Twice the check light went out and it reacted very well and two minutes later it came back on and again it lost power, this happened to someone
Hi Iñigo, excuse my boldness, but I couldn't help but read your email in a forum, and due to your training and experience I would like to tell you about a question I have.
First of all let me introduce myself, I am Ana, from Seville, and I have a 2008 Renault megane sedan. It currently has 140.000km.
For some time now, it has been giving me a bug, which until now no one has been able to fix.
The car has an anomaly, in which its power is reduced, to go out on the road or climb a hill I have to pass the revolutions (from 3000), and then it appears on the screen "check injection" and as if by art of “decongest” magic and seems to get the turbo back.
Now if it goes up the hill and what they put on it, but at the cost of revolutionizing it, spending diesel and doing it again every time I start the car.
Someone told me once that it could be an EGR valve problem, I have also tried injector cleaning fluid. And this week it has stepped on the workshop because it did not start. (It will only rev up to 1000 and it stopped)
They have charged me €250 for a new start-up, (which apparently we had burned from hitting the start button so much) plus €330 for changing the timing and auxiliary belts.
And the car is still the same, my anger is tremendous because paying that money and the mechanic telling me that I better throw the car in the trash…. that it has a fault in the engine, and that until I disassemble it, I won't know what it is.
I think that this mechanic, with all due respect, doesn't know much about electromechanics... because he hasn't been able to tell me what's wrong with my car, and what's worse, he treats me like I'm stupid... And now I wonder if it would have been more important for me to take it to Renault, the official house, because I didn't go for fear that they would meet me, and in the end I've spent a fortune and the car remains the same.
Please give me some idea.
Thank you very much and best regards.
Hello, I have a concern, I wanted to clean the EGR valve of the Hyundai Getz, I have searched the internet for a way to remove it but I have not found it and I have looked in my car that the valve has 4 screws to remove it, I have not done it yet because I think that at get him out I can something happen. Do you know a place to know how to remove it, thank you in advance.
I still have one of those but nothing happens when I remove it, just clean it and reinstall it as it was. nothing from another world
I have a kia carnival 2.900 185cv circle the check light comes on and after a while the car turns off…..I close the ignition and start the car again and the car keeps running but with the check light on….
the check engine informs you that you have an internal engine problem, perhaps the engine does not combust well. failure in a sensor, electrical problem, or by polluting emission the EGR
Hello, I have a problem with my seat altea xl 4×4 2000 140 hp from 2011 and it is that the second and third gives me jerks at 2000 rev and that is that for 4 months it gave me a fault in the egr ia part of that second It is difficult for you to unwrap it, it will be an egr problem, thanks.
Hello, my car did not pass the verification test. Because of the NOx lifter at cruise I have read a bit and it may be caused by the throttle valve, is that correct or it may be the catalyst. I am looking forward to your response
Thank you
I have bought a new 145 cc fiat talent and the engine warning light and the fault key have come on and it gives me a check anti-pollution message. I have taken it to the dealership they have changed the probe and it keeps turning on and I have left it again at the dealership. Is that serious?
Hello, I have a Ford Mondeo model 2002 gasoline, motor 2000, 145cv sd, you can remove the valve and clean it. When I pick up temperature the engine raises the revolutions suddenly and then lowers then in gear it seems that I have the speed control on something that my car does not have
I would like you to help me, since I cleaned the balbula of a lancer that is empty and the rubber that goes internal broke and I want to know if it is a problem or not so as not to spend more.
query I have hyundai new h1 van, year 2011, 2.5 diesel engine, I would like to know if it has the EGR valve? and where is it located, since it loses power, and turns on check engine, it slows down but the engine does not stop, then I turn off the engine and turn it on again and check turns off, can you help me urgently, it took a scan but the ECU I don't throw an error.
I have a picasso it has started to fail and to throw oil out of the exhaust pipe and white smoke... could it be from the egr valve?
Hello, I have c3 diesel, the warning light comes on and goes off every time I go down the wrong road.
the scanner threw egr
I have a xara picasso and the ecu has been damaged after replacing the egr valve.
it is possible that the valve was defective and was the cause of the ECU failure
Hello. I have a 1.5 dci kangoo, it pulls me when I go in low gear. WHAT CAN IT BE?
Hello, I'm Arturo, I have an izuzu with electronic egr problems, the voltage arrives at the plug but it does not act as it is electronic when presenting this fault, the check light turns on, it goes into protection mode, it does not exceed 2000 rpm, I tested the electric motor and it does not work response at idle, neither when accelerating should it open, in short, it must be changed Greetings from Chile
hello, I have a volkswagen transporter model t4 2.5 tdi and my problem is that the egr valve does not work. When I drive with it on a straight line it does not exceed 140 km and when going up I lose a lot of power, in the workshops they do not give me a solution please help.Gracian in advance
I have a 2003 Toyota Hilux HiRider which I have felt strained for a while, they have checked it in several workshops and they say that everything is fine, even the timing of the timing chain which was the last thing they looked at, I also have a second problem, When the car is cold it turns on perfectly, but after it is hot, it has been running for a while, if I turn it off it does not turn on, I have to let it rest for an average of 20 minutes so that it turns on again, they have already checked the pressure of the fuel cell both when cold like hot and it's perfect, they checked the state of the coils and there is very good current and spark at all times, cables and spark plugs were changed for maintenance and the injectors are working well too because they tested them from the outside and cleaned them with ultrasound We have never reviewed this valve that the article talks about, I don't know if it is part of the problem, I will verify it, but if someone has suffered the same problem or can guide me in more specific reviews cialized I would appreciate it!
I have had to replace the EFR valve on a SEAT EXEO 3 times in 3 years.
The first one, 4 months after the change in the control unit for the dieselgate (change under warranty), lasted 1 year and a half (paying for it) and the latter lasted 5 months (change under warranty).
If you can, do not update the Seat Exeo, everything is caused by that, since they updated it, the failures are constant, they have ruined my car.
I have a 260 Nissan Patrol 2000 Long High Roof Truck. TD 27 Turbo engine. IBERIAN
I was checking the EGR valve and it had a mesh (metallic filter) which was clogged. Totally.
The other thing is that in Nicaragua it is difficult to get body parts. Brakes. and rep. Of this type of trucks Nissan Patrol 260.with TD27Turbo engine. If anyone knows of a replacement seller online, let me know.
Thank you
Miguel Angel
Good morning... I have an opel astra Gtc... it was very difficult for it to start when cold and when it did it released a lot of white smoke from the exhaust pipe. According to the mechanic, it was due to unburned diesel. We changed heaters and replaced EGR because it was stuck. It improved a lot but from time to time it is difficult to start.