This is a common question that is asked by car enthusiasts. The bad symptoms of the EGR valve often make drivers wonder if it is better to delete the EGR or remove it completely.
EGR delete is the operation that leads to the cancellation of the EGR and consists of mounting a gasket inside the valve to block gas access also a software update is required to tell the engine that the EGR valve is no longer present known as EGR off.
Over time, parts of the EGR system, even in a maintained engine, are covered with deposits. Diesel engines are more prone to this problem due to the soot contained in their exhaust. Frequent short-distance travel will speeds up the process in diesel engines. And in a faulty engine, it is amplified many times over.
The EGR valve is the first to suffer from soot. These deposits will prevent the valve from closing tightly, and the valve can jam in some positions, which leads to engine malfunctions. These faults manifest themselves in different ways, depending on the position in which the valve is hanging. In addition, the consequences of a jammed valve vary depending on the engine type and the design of the EGR itself.
Most often, EGR faults lead to uneven idle (floating revs), and the engine often stalls and loses power. There may also be jerks during acceleration and difficult starting. Detonation and misfires can appear on petrol engines, and the functioning of diesel engines becomes “rough”.
On diesel engines, a jammed EGR valve will reduce turbocharger performance. In some cars, if the EGR system is bad, the ECU puts the engine into emergency mode, meaning that its performance will be limited.
The appearance of errors with codes P0401, P0403, P0404 – P0409, and the “Check Engine” in the car’s dashboard is a sign of a malfunction of the exhaust gas recirculation
Contents
Is EGR delete worth it?
The EGR valve’s service life is limited. Depending on the car’s make and model, it can last up to 150.000 kilometers (93.000 miles). But in harsh conditions, it rarely “holds out” up to 70.000 km (approx. 44.000 miles).
The main reasons why drivers want to delete or remove the EGR are:
- the high cost of its repair and maintenance;
- the EGR valve is difficult to clean;
- negative consequences for the engine in case of violation of the recirculation mode;
- the engine can work without this part.
A proper recirculation depends on fuel quality. When you add poor-quality fuel containing a large percentage of sulfur compounds and additives, soot must be removed 1-2 times a year. Therefore, drivers prefer to simply get rid of this problem by canceling the EGR.
What are the benefits of EGR delete?
It’s clear that EGR brings some disadvantages to the car’s propulsion system. When you cancel it, you should notice certain benefits.
- Canceling the EGR virtually eliminates burned gas recirculation in the intake manifold, thus increasing the engine’s power;
- Clean intake manifold;
- In some situations, the car’s fuel consumption is reduced due to the increased intake of clean air;
- The problem of oil leakage from the EGR area due to the wear of the valve will be eliminated once it is canceled;
- Burning is a more efficient idea in the case of modified engines;
- The explosion in the combustion chamber is stronger;
- Reduction in exhaust smoke;
- No need to maintain and change expensive components.
These benefits may motivate many car owners to delete their car’s EGR system.
What are the cons of EGR delete?
The advantages of an EGR delete are more for people who intend to tune their car, thus making software and hardware changes to increase engine power. Not only will it help your consumption and power, but at the same time, it can create problems for your engine.
With EGR having a well-defined role, some cars that have a more complex suite of sensors can give random errors and, in time, can affect other components vital to the optimal operation of the engine.EGR delete can therefore create problems, even if the car is older, without DPF or sophisticated sensors.
Some drivers have reported a large amount of smoke coming out of the exhaust after canceling the EGR, strange noise, like the sound of a vacuum cleaner, when the car was accelerated, or even other more serious engine problems, for example, temperature sensors went nuts when the engine was running for longer periods in summer.
Common disadvantages of EGR delete:
- If you delete the EGR, and if the car is under warranty, you can practically say goodbye to it;
- The temperature in the combustion chamber can rise by up to 800 degrees Celsius (1472 ° F) under certain circumstances thus shortening the life of the engine in the long run;
- Emissions will suffer, being different from those specified in the car manual;
- The color of the exhaust gases may be more pronounced, white smoke or slightly black;
- Possible problems with periodic technical inspection of the car;
- Possibility to be fined if it is found that the EGR is canceled.
- Deleting EGR on newer cars that include other emission reduction systems, such as DPF, can cause instability or strange on-board errors;
- Noises when the engine is running.
Is an EGR delete illegal?
The answer is yes. Because EGR is closely linked to emissions, the practice of deleting EGR is illegal. You can receive fairly large fines if you are caught having your EGR canceled.
Does EGR delete increase horsepower?
In older engines, there is a way to make room for the clean air to go into the combustion chamber. With the help of this clean air trick, you can feel more horsepower in the engine. However this is not the case for newer engines, here the situation can be reversed meaning you can feel the engine has less power.
How much does EGR delete cost?
An EGR delete kit can cost up to 200$, also additional costs such as labor can be included.
Conclusion
There are advantages and disadvantages to this procedure. If the vehicle is older and does not have a very advanced exhaust gas recirculation system, this cancellation cannot damage the engine, on the contrary.
The disadvantage of cancellation for older engines is the emission of pollutants and automatically the problem with the authorities. But the newer the car, the more complex the cancellation procedure.
Newer engines, however, are no longer made to withstand extremely high temperatures. Thus an EGR cancellation can drastically reduce the life of the engine block, even if the discussion for this is still open.
