I've had somebody offer to 'remap' the EGR which I believe bypasses the purpose of it. Been quoted £300 for this but not sure if this is a)legal or b) advisable. Does this impact the MOT etc? Anybody got any inside info on whether this is a valid way of resolving ongoing EGR issues?
I think it's a visual check for the presence of these items, so if you removed the EGR system and DPF but they were either hidden by engine covers, or the hardware was still in place, then it shouldn't fail the MOT.
Not that l condone removing the emissions gear.
l did once remove the "CAT" and EGR unit from my Defender because it was supposed to make it "better" but there was no noticeable difference to the performance or fuel consumption.
Not that l condone removing the emissions gear.
l did once remove the "CAT" and EGR unit from my Defender because it was supposed to make it "better" but there was no noticeable difference to the performance or fuel consumption.
I’m curious as to why.
Im no expert, but the MOT tests for smoke doesn’t it, not nox specifically. Nox would increase with egr removal, so if it was blanked/mapped out, how would they know?
DPF removal or tampering is illegal, but why does the dpf need an egr to function? Egr reduces combustion temps, but regen needs higher temps, so egr must be closed for a regen or the systems are fighting each other.
I was informed by a MOT tester that they were unable to perform the emissions ‘smoke test’ due to a characteristic of the engine.
Possibly the fact that RPM are limited when not in gear, if that‘s the case it would need testing on a rolling road. Anyway it wasn’t done in the MOT.
Possibly the fact that RPM are limited when not in gear, if that‘s the case it would need testing on a rolling road. Anyway it wasn’t done in the MOT.
Well, I take issue with some of the shite dark side write on their site, so personally wouldnt believe a word they say.
The egr must be closed for a regen, so I very much doubt it is a prerequisite for dpf regen. Egr is needed to reduce nox.
I have read this ‘no egr can cause dpf to block’ a few times. It may be coming from the same source, but when quizzed, no one can explain why. So I’m inclined to not believe it
Getting the ecu to work around all the sensors to to with the egr operation is a whole other issue though, possibly.
When/if I have egr issues the first thing I will do is block it and see what happens by monitoring fault codes and soot levels.
Hi - quick update on the EGR issue. With 12k on an 18 plate T28, the EGR/NOX warning (P0401) was showing. I took the van to VW Wakefield for a full service in the hope they'd show some compassion and fix the EGR issue. Delighted to say that after they spoke to VW, they did a flush and it's now working fine and says it will continue to do so as long as it's 'driven properly'. If you have a similar issue, it's worth getting the local dealer to to speak to VW and see if they can fix as a courtesy even if out of warranty. Low milage and just out of warranty definitely helped but it sets a precedent.
Did they describe how to drive it "properly"?
Surely as vans they should be capable of stop start driving styles, a builder isn't going to spend all day just thrashing up and down motorways. I would expect that a very large proportion of all vans are used only in towns with an occasional long run.
I was told that 12k was acceptable for the EGR to fail if it hadn't been driven more than 50mph for short period (less than 15 mins) and the tank was less than 25% full. Apparently the EGR only works (or is effective) on longer journeys at speed. Seems to be the party line from the dealerships, but VW obviously accept that there is a design fault with the device. Most of my journeys will be longer trips so I'm hoping that the EGR will keep itself clean, but the dealership was making a massive assumption about how the previous owner had driven the van over its first 3 years. Thankfully, VW have on this occasion, done the right thing.
Are you sure those driving criteria weren't about the DPF, rather than the EGR?
..that's what the dealership told me. DPF wasn't even mentioned.
Handyman
Member
My van having the same issue. Bought new and first flush out at 7k and now going back to Preston Van Centre next week for the same fault - P0401 at 12k milesVan spec: MY18 204tdi DSG, covered 43k.
During the warranty period the EGR has been flushed 7 times, approximately every 6k miles. The last flush was done in January 2020. Each time the fault code was P0401 EGR insufficient flow.
The warranty expired in February and the van is now showing the same fault. I’ve booked it into the van centre later this month and told them about my dissatisfaction with the product and reminded them that they had 7 chances to fix this. I’ve got a case ongoing with VWVC customer care but I haven’t got any faith in them.
The van is on finance with VWFS, does anyone know whether they would put some pressure on VW to get this sorted? I’m fed up with this now and it’s taking the shine off my ownership.
I’d also like to know whether the EGR and cooler is now and updated part.
Answers on a postcard
I have also logged a case with VW who promised to ring me on Monday 20 September. The van doesnt go in until the 23 September.
I've read on here that there is a revised EGR, does anyone know this to be factual. If so, can someone tell me if this is the most recent EGR serial number? I think it is the original fitted at the time of build as my van was first registered January 2017.
I have also spoken to a fuel expert who stated that carbon build up should not be happening at this early stage and commented that the only way carbon can build up is with the presence of oil.
Van is 102 BHP
Handyman
Member
Egr valve only tends to operate whilst cruising
Not sure that I agree with that, carbon will be deposited from unburnt fuel or/and oil if there is insufficient gas flow to carry it through the system.
Technically Diesel is an oil.
Handyman
Member
Carbon deposits should normally be removed from the cooler by means of the exhaust gas flow. The fact that carbon is building up and not being able to be removed by the exhaust gas flow is suggesting that something else is preventing this. The only other substance that can get into this area is oil that has come into contact with the combustion process.
Similar threads
