Fabia vRS 2005 - Am trying to bottom what appears as an EGR code on OBD before shelling out on a new EGR/MAF sensor or other cure that's moderately heavy on the pocket .

Anyone around in the Bournemouth/Poole or East Dorset/West Hants area who could help out with a more detailed VAG COM reading??

See also http://briskoda.net/ask-tech/egr-valve-removal-cleaning/159317/

I'm not going to be over that way for a while I'm afraid as I've not been back in the UK for long.

What symptoms are you getting?

Just the CEL coming on now.

I've had the valve off and cleaned it (see my other thread http://briskoda.net/ask-tech/egr-valve-removal-cleaning/159317/) and there are no real symptoms such as power loss, stutter, heavy smoke, starting issues or anything.

The valve came up pretty clean and the spindle part of the button valve especially, but you can't dismantle the diaphragm part or see if there's any sticktion going on further up inside the boss at the top of the EGR bore which supports the spindle.

Appreciate any thoughts you have on it.

Take it you gave it a good go with carb cleaner and didn't use physical force on the thing to remove the dirt. Too much force and you can damage it.

If you didn't use carb cleaner etc, then take the thing off again, and soak it in some carb cleaner and give it a good shake around.. Let it dry off properly for a good while, then refit it and see if things improve.

Actually used a dose of 3in1 oil to soften up the crud and dilute the goo a bit, then some gunk and a good working in with an old plastic toothbrush washed off with liberal dose of petrol making sure the petrol didn't get into the vaccuum connections and vent.

Cleaned around the alloy housing with some solvol and a final good rinse off with fresh petrol then left to evaporate dry in the sun this weekend.

You can see how it came up in the photo's, didn't use any heavy mechanical cleaning on it.

The carb cleaner is a bit more volatile solvent than petrol I guess but essentially they are similar volatile hydrocarbons.

Do you think that was good enough?

I'd be a little concerned about the toothbrush myself as there are some easily damaged parts in the EGRs for some cars.

Rather than replacing it have you considered a blank off and bypass pipe if you have a remap?

If not try getting the EGR turned right down using VAG-COM and see if it improves.

Check all the wiring and connections are clean, the vacuum hoses all ok and not split at the ends and the actuator is functioning correctly.

If it all seems good you might have to look for another EGR either new or second hand.

Without scanning it to find the fault code it's hard to narrow down where the issue is and what else to check before spending money.

Update:-

Checked all the vacuum feeds again last week and no leaks or dodgy lines. Vacuum tested out fine so all the upstream stuff was functioning OK on that side.

As the anti-shudder valve wasn't working even thought the vacuum was strong at the right point on shutdown I decided to capitulate and buy a new EGR valve. £161 poorer and 20 minutes fitting at the weekend had all running again nicely (sounded better must admit, and could well have been a whistle or so vanished - possibly the diaphragm on the ASV).

Done a bit of mixed driving last few days and no sign of CEL for 100+ miles so fingers crossed it was the EGR sticking open or reacting sluggishly when it should have been closing down.

Interesting exercise to diagnose albeit unwelcome, but then that's how we learn about stuff - when it goes wrong! Got some new diagnostic kit out of it as well which'll be useful in the future no doubt.

At least I know a lot more about how the EGR system works now. Not too bothered about deleting it at present, other priorities at the moment.