Hi all, I posted before with an issue of rising revs at idle and have not yet remedied the issue. This is now accompanied by slightly hesitant running at idle. The car itself seems fine once on the move, is still good on the throttle and has not seen a drop off in MPG. 

 

I've not yet had the time to check/replace PCV or DV (as suggested after my original post by a few users on the forum) but I've had it suggested too me today by a really helpful technician at Halfords who had some experience with the VRS (he genuinely seemed to know his stuff) that it might be worth cleaning the EGR valve first.

 

So, my question is, has anyone had any experience with the spray in EGR cleaners that go straight into the air intake, or, is it better to remove and clean the part?

 

If the latter, does anyone have a guide? I don't have much time these days at weekends or evenings so more involved car maintenance is getting  a bit harder to get around too :(

 

 

Have a look at my pictures, ive done this before and its a bit of a pain in the backside to remove due to one bolt well obscured by the metal EGR pipe coming out to the side...  you will find various threads on here by searching though or check my galary pages and you will see various stages of me cleaning mine..

 

I used Wynns carb cleaner and lots of it, tooth picks, tooth brush, lots of gloves etc etc and eye protection as you dont want the stuff in your eyes... plenty of time (3 hours as its bloody impossible to remove) 

 

Patience!!

It depends the model. Octavia 1.6tdi has an egr valve behind the engine together with egr radiator, big job to remove and put it back. VRS tdi got egr on the front of engine, easy to get it off and clean it. Maybe you got just regeneration? It rise the idle when its engaged (DPF) cleaning of soud

Tanks for the replies. Mines a petrol vrs, will check the guides. l and might try some of the spray in cleaner to begin with, if it helps I'll look into a full clean if I can spare the time... 3 hours I don't have at the moment!

I recently used Bardahl 4326  EGR Valve Cleaner (400ml Aerosol) on my 2.0 CR Tdi engine as the egr and cooler is at the back of the engine after the engine management light came on. I've now done about 600miles since with no problems at all. 

 

Personally though, if the egr is easy to access I would do a mechanical clean.

Anybody used the Wynns or other equivalents?  Noticed the BMM in our 4x4 is smoking a bit on startup these days and I have an MOT coming up so chucked a bottle of Forte ADT in which helped but am thinking a few squirts with an EGR cleaner may benefit as well?

Have a look at my pictures, ive done this before and its a bit of a pain in the backside to remove due to one bolt well obscured by the metal EGR pipe coming out to the side...  you will find various threads on here by searching though or check my galary pages and you will see various stages of me cleaning mine..

 

I used Wynns carb cleaner and lots of it, tooth picks, tooth brush, lots of gloves etc etc and eye protection as you dont want the stuff in your eyes... plenty of time (3 hours as its bloody impossible to remove) 

 

Patience!!

 

Dread 1977, do you now i the procedure for removal is similar on the TFSi engine? I'm struggling to find guides for the petrol?

 

Think I'll give the aerosol a go first, see how I get on.

I have to do my 1.9 tdi soon, am dreading it, I need to clean the manifold too so lord help me. I did think about using a cleaner but was worried about the amount of stuff sent into the cylinders. Not sure if it would do any damage but I imagine it to be quite gritty stuff and worried it may get stuck between the rings and cylinder walls or something.

Spraying stuff down the intake pipe hardly ever cleans it out thoroughly. Better to remove the unit entirely, and clean it on the bench.

Spraying stuff down the intake pipe hardly ever cleans it out thoroughly. Better to remove the unit entirely, and clean it on the bench.

True... But on a bmm 2.0 TDI its a pain to get at as it's tucked away at the back with limited access.

Just figured it might be worth a whirl that's all

Holy thread revival, Batman!

 

Has anyone found that a spray cleaner actually does a reasonable job at sorting the EGR issues?

 

And not knackering the engine in the process?! (2.0 TDI CR engine, so removing the EGR to clean manually is a pain...)

It's not that bad a job taking it off a cr engine as it's right in front.

Theres one annoying long Allen key bolt at the back but accessible when dip stick bracket is removed, the rest is quite easy to access. Egr pipe can stay there just bolts need to come out obviously. 

No spray or cleaner is good enough without a good old scrape or brush.

 

7 minutes ago, Kris82 said:

It's not that bad a job taking it off a cr engine as it's right in front.

Theres one annoying long Allen key bolt at the back but accessible when dip stick bracket is removed, the rest is quite easy to access. Egr pipe can stay there just bolts need to come out obviously. 

No spray or cleaner is good enough without a good old scrape or brush.

 

That is not the EGR valve. That butterfly valve/motor is part of the EGR system and also acts as an anti shudder valve but the actual EGR is behind the engine.

Edited 1 August, 20178 yr by SuperbTWM

I thought it was at the front on a PD engine, but at the back and inaccessible on a CR engine?

8 hours ago, SuperbTWM said:

That is not the EGR valve. That butterfly valve/motor is part of the EGR system and also acts as an anti shudder valve but the actual EGR is behind the engine.

Is it attached to the cooler on these???

Whats that on top of my anti shudder valve then with egr pipe coming from it?

 

Edited 2 August, 20178 yr by Kris82

10 hours ago, sandspider said:

I thought it was at the front on a PD engine, but at the back and inaccessible on a CR engine?

Looks like mine is on front and is a cr. 

Interesting. What year is your car? Mine's a Scout not a VRS, if that makes a difference...

 

I will inspect my car later, I've not actually got it yet as only just bought it!

1 minute ago, sandspider said:

Interesting. What year is your car? Mine's a Scout not a VRS, if that makes a difference...

 

I will inspect my car later, I've not actually got it yet as only just bought it!

2010 CEGA Engine.

The egr delete kit goes there to.

i got a 1.6 CR and it's at the back as well. I got the same egr pipe going through but I suspect it goes back to the intake manifold. I pulled the pipe out and cleaned it but that's about it. Pictures attached are not mine but it's from the same engine and it looked identical when i cleaned it. Used a whole can of Carburetor cleaner. Hope it helps

Thanks Bertie. Looks pretty black!

 

So if the actual EGR valve is on the back of the engine, what are you cleaning there? Some part of the EGR system but not the valve itself?

6 hours ago, Kris82 said:

2010 CEGA Engine.

The egr delete kit goes there to.

Sorry my mistake, I have never seen one there before, perhaps on the early common rail engine it was fitted on the front with only the cooler on the back.

 

Having it right at the front is a bonus as its really easy to get off and clean

1 minute ago, SuperbTWM said:

Sorry my mistake, I have never seen one there before, perhaps on the early common rail engine it was fitted on the front with only the cooler on the back.

 

Having it right at the front is a bonus as its really easy to get off and clean

Think it's just on the vrs. 

19 hours ago, sandspider said:

Thanks Bertie. Looks pretty black!

 

So if the actual EGR valve is on the back of the engine, what are you cleaning there? Some part of the EGR system but not the valve itself?

yes it's a just a egr system pipe that goes from the engine back in to the intake. I don't know if it made a difference cleaning it but i can only presume all that black soot out of my engine was a good thing. 

also this is what the egr looks on 1.6  and 2.0 CR