EGR Gasket Stutter fix, me being a spanner?

[Laughingman]

Okay finally got the replacement 9mm egr gasket from AC VW, only took five attempts. Went to fit it today and hit a bit of any issue. Got the engine cover off, got a 6mm hex bit and ratchet spanner and dug deep in to the engine bay to undo the two bolts on the inlet pipe.

The issue however is once both the bolts are out and free the two sections of pipe seem to stay stuck together. I've tried moving both the lower and upper part of the pipes, by move I mean grab them and give them a good jiggle too see if their is any movement, but they seem to be solidly fixed in place. Now I could use man logic here and just use brute force and blind ignorance to try and resolve this issue but engine bay, newish car and 400tons of man stupidity applied to metal tools and engine bay parts usually doesn't work out well.

So given that this is meant to be a fairly straight forward fix, what am I missing here. Do I just wedge the two sections apart at the joint enough to remove the old gasket and then slip the new one in or is their some secret method to getting these two bits apart?

[MoggyTech]

http://www.fabia-vrs.com/technical-info/blt-engine-hesitation-fix/

[Laughingman]

http://www.fabia-vrs.com/technical-info/blt-engine-hesitation-fix/

Thanks for the link but I all ready read that and it doesn't describe anything other than undo the two bolts and slip new gasket in. I have undone the two bolts but the two sections of pipe are held in place and won't move so I can't get at the old gasket. The link doesn't say if you have to force the pipes apart or what. A wee bit more info from someone who has done the mod may help.

[MoggyTech]

Remove the EGR valve if your EGR feed pipe doesn't have a flexi centre.

[R1chard]

You could try using a fine end flat screwdriver and a hammer to gently tap the 2 pipes apart.

Before you put the gasket in though I would advise drilling it out to 12mm as I have had the EML on a couple if times with it being the standard 9mm.

[vRS newbie]

I pushed the old gasket out with the new one. Took a bit of wiggling about but it came out no problems.

I'd also be tempted to follow r1chard's advice as my EML has been on constantly since fitting the 9mm gasket.

[Laughingman]

Nice one guys, just the sorta info I was looking for, thanks.

[Clunkclick]

Does this fix work with the 16v petrol engines ?

Had intermittment momental stutter, like backfire, rev counter would go so rapidly backwards it would almost bounce off the stop. Dealer cleaned EGR valve. Stutter went away. Now coming back again.

Nick

Edited 14 August, 2010 by Clunkclick

[Lewwy]

Thanks for the link but I all ready read that and it doesn't describe anything other than undo the two bolts and slip new gasket in. I have undone the two bolts but the two sections of pipe are held in place and won't move so I can't get at the old gasket. The link doesn't say if you have to force the pipes apart or what. A wee bit more info from someone who has done the mod may help.

Most of what I have read people have the opposite problem, as in once the two pipes are apart then getting it lined well enough for the two bolts to go in sweet is a pain in the backside. Mine came apart very easily, also lined up again easily too.I havent drilled mine out at all an left it at 9mm, I havent had my EML on yet. But it hasnt 100% cured mine either.

Lewwy