By reducing oxygen entering the chamber, the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve reduces the temperature reached during the combustion process and helps to increase engine efficiency.
Due to the role of the EGR valve within the engine management system and the harsh environment it operates in, it is susceptible to failure due to soot and carbon build up or extreme temperatures damaging the valve.
Symptoms
- Loss of engine power.
- Engine juddering.
- Car falling into ‘limp mode’.
- Black smoke appearing from exhaust
If an EGR valve is proven faulty, installers should make a point to replace it, rather than to clean the unit; it’s also important to clean the pipework leading to the EGR valve to ensure that existing deposits do not transfer onto the new unit.
To avoid misdiagnosing an EGR valve as faulty, it is important to check the other components that may cause similar symptoms to surface such as the air mass sensor, throttle body or vacuum pump.
Cambiare offers pneumatic and electrical EGR valves covering popular vehicle applications including the Audi A4, Volkswagen Golf and the BMW 3 Series.