EGR Valve?

[sturose]

Hi guys,

My mother has a 2002 406 2.0 HDi which has been acting up a bit just lately.

Every now and again it will lose all power, won't go above about 2000 rpm and its struggles to pull away from a standstill. She has recently been told that it is most likely a blocked EGR valve. The garage being, well a garage and my mother knowing nothing about cars, they have told her £2-300 just to buy the part!!!!! I've seen them on ebay for £50-60.

Anyway, the car has already cost her a small fortune over the last few years so I am hoping that simply cleaning it out will do the trick. Doesn't look the easiest of jobs but it also looks within my capabilities.

Am I possibly on the right track or completely barking up the wrong tree here?

Also, any tips or video tutorials you could throw my way to make life easier?

[GingerMagic]

Hi, it certainly sounds like it could be a sticking EGR, as you have said it's only on occasions it happens...

The EGR is normally closed, and uses vacuum to open it, so it's a common thing to remove or blank the vacuum to prevent it from opening ( or getting stuck open )
This is simply a case of removing the vacuum supply by either removing the pipe from the top of the EGR and bunging it, or removing one of the pipes from the solenoid with the blue plug on the bulkhead, and bunging this - both methods will block the vacuum supply.

If you choose to clean the EGR, which you may need to do if it stuck open, then you need to undo the 2 bolts which are under the EGR but facing upwards into the bottom of it. Space is limited there, so a ratchet tool with the right fitting is beneficial ( I I think it's an Allen a bolt ) you will be uncomfortable and may drop the bolts leading to swearing and vigorous scrabbling on the floor to find them... The pipework unclips apart at the joins, not easy to reconnect so may be easier to remove complete. Truthfully I've not done it on a 2.0, only a 2.2hdi so I can't be 100% sure it's the same.

Best of luck..!!

[sturose]

you will be uncomfortable and may drop the bolts leading to swearing and vigorous scrabbling on the floor to find them

This is normal when I work on any car these days. Everyone around me keeps well away when car maintenance is concerned.

Apparently the garage have temporarily sorted the problem by disconnecting the vacuum pipe, my mother stated that the car is better now so does this mean if I just blank the pipe off it MAY sort it??

I suppose it's worth a try before I resort to all the swearing and cursing over unreachable and dropped bolts!

Thanks for replying.

[GingerMagic]

Basically, yes

Without vacuum the EGR won't open when instructed, so it can't stick and can't put dirty exhaust gases back into the engine ( I've blanked this EGR on all my diesel engines ) and as a bonus there shouldn't be any more black smoke once accelerating away once it's been booted a few times.