Cleaning EGR Valve

[blueST]

My 2.0D BMW X1 is only just over 2 years old and recently had a little episode related to the EGR system. Car lost power, ground to a halt and stopped. It then restarted and drove normally but I took it in for the dealer to look at. Turns out there was an EGR fault recorded in the ECU. They were a touch vague on what work they did, but I think they just cleaned out the EGR valve and sent me on my way.

My concern now is that it's really only a matter of time before this happens again. Am I right to think that?

If that's right, can I prevent this by doing a routine clean (or anything else)? Having never owned a diesel before I don't even know what the EGR valve looks like, where it is or how to clean it so any help would be appreciated.

I can't disconnect the EGR as the car is still under warranty and I need to keep up the service history and good will should the cam chain decide to give up the ghost.

[Heaveho]

The best way to keep it clean is to thrash it regularly for extended periods of time if possible.......I run a Ford Connect, which potentially could present me with the same problem you've experienced, but fortunately it gets regular heavy right foot treatment from Newcastle to Southampton and back.

The benefits of this were recently shown when it was given a free terra clean by a mate who has the machine, very little soot from the back during the process. You could have this done to yours maybe once a year if caning it regularly isn't an option?

I can't be sure what benefits to the egr there might be, but I tend to run the van on high quality fuel such as BP ultimate or Shell nitro diesel, it's obviously more expensive to fill up, but it goes significantly further on a full tank compared to supermarket stuff.

[stevemiller]

Have a look here not a BMW but still a M47 engine -http://tuning-diesels.com/75Zt/R75serv.htm

I carried it out and it was worth doing!

[blueST]

Heaveho said:

The best way to keep it clean is to thrash it regularly for extended periods of time if possible.......I run a Ford Connect, which potentially could present me with the same problem you've experienced, but fortunately it gets regular heavy right foot treatment from Newcastle to Southampton and back.

The benefits of this were recently shown when it was given a free terra clean by a mate who has the machine, very little soot from the back during the process. You could have this done to yours maybe once a year if caning it regularly isn't an option?

I can't be sure what benefits to the egr there might be, but I tend to run the van on high quality fuel such as BP ultimate or Shell nitro diesel, it's obviously more expensive to fill up, but it goes significantly further on a full tank compared to supermarket stuff.

Whilst it doesn't do really short journeys, they are mostly urban so that won't help. However it will usually have a decent motorway run once a week. The EGR fault occurred the week after a 1200 mile return trip to Le Mans, which I thought would have been enough...

Fuel might not help, more often than not it's supermarket, I'll change to a brand station. I've just bought some Millers Eco Max additive to try too.

[blueST]

stevemiller said:

Have a look here not a BMW but still a M47 engine -http://tuning-diesels.com/75Zt/R75serv.htm

I carried it out and it was worth doing!

Cheers , that's helpful. Looking at the pics from that website, I'd be concerned about at equal amount of crap everywhere down stream of the EGR valve. Is the inlet manifold likely to collect just as much soot?

[dmitsi]

blueST said:

Is the inlet manifold likely to collect just as much soot?

Yes it does, it's horrible and well worth cleaning out if you get the opportunity. The poster above who recommended thrashing it everywhere is right in that above a certain speed and load there will no EGR active so less crap going into the intake system and the increased exhaust temps will work their way to the closed valve and help burn off the soot in the cooler. It won't help clean your intake though as obviously the valve is closed.

If you can ever get away with it it's worth doing an EGR delete, but some EMS will notice this and limp home. However quite a few won't so worth researching for your car.

[ssray]

I cleaned my octavia the other day and I did a internal steam clean, hot engine, remove the inlet pipe after the MAF and spray quite slowly water into the inlet, I put around 1 pint in over about 5mins, then I shut it off and left it for 30 mins, looking where the exhaust exits underneath on the ground there was a dark patch where soot had come out, after 30mins I went for an Italian tune, 2nd gear lots of smoke/dust, a couple of times, now pulls better and the `workshop emissions ` light has gone out
Ray
p.s. lots of info on google: `steam clean an engine internally` or youtube

[ch427]

i make a habit of cleaning mine every service but it is quite easy to get off (vw engine)

[blueST]

ch427 said:

i make a habit of cleaning mine every service but it is quite easy to get off (vw engine)

What do you use to clean it? I've got carb cleaner, brake cleaner and degreaser in the cupboard.

[Sensibleboy]

I take my EGR valve and throttle body off every 8k miles ish. Just spray it with carb cleaner and all the crap comes off easily.