EGR Valve Question

[Gossy1988]

Morning!!

I have a question that I need some help with regarding the EGR Valve.

I believe mine to be faulty as it needs to be cleaned like every few weeks (even though I drive 100 miles a day), plus my fuel consumption has dropped - 33.5mpg.

Been thinking about getting it blanked and remapped. However, is it better to buy a new EGR Valve and get that blanked or just get the current faulty EGR Valve blanked? Does it make a difference as technically once blanked the EGR isnt really doing anything. 

Thanks for your help.

[Verbout]

I believe you can blank the faulty one, did you clean the MAP sensor When you cleaned the EGR?

[VrmmVrmm]

I've a question for you about your driving style....my IS220d is now 10+ years and 235k klms.  I too had problems with sooting up because I inadvertently used to drive in 6th gear at 70-75 mph. BAD idea....NOT FAST ENOUGH and sooting reoccurs very quickly and EGR needs cleaning.  I followed advice on here and just more or less forgot I had 6th gear always use 5th as my top gear....sooting decreased instantly and I just clean it as a matter of course being proactive about every 8000 miles no problems since I adopted this maintenance regime.  However your post does refer to a possible fault of the EGR itself which I accept is another possibility.  Interested to hear your comment about 6th and your style maybe a factor.  The fact that you car drives leads me to think you EGR is OK and your use of the 6th at relatively slow speed (better at a constant 90 mph) maybe part of the issue.  My overall mpg  or in my case ltrs/100 klm is 6.5 litres and 42 mpg since the very beginning i have a spreadsheet of every litre of Diesel filled.

[Bigchad]

Do you use supermarket fuel..if so bad idea  checkthis linkfor some usefull info regarding dpf egr etc

http://www.oilem.com/turbo-cleaning-and-turbo-cleaners/?gclid=CjwKEAjwsr-6BRCLvrj785rbhTsSJADjUxakXLFC_4-8bbyfGvSAWpqyWxRDjq_NMB-N2ead8tpQBRoCyrnw_wcB

[Gossy1988]

Thanks for the responses. 

Paul - A few months ago I thought I was possibly changing up to 6th too early; however after reading some posts on here I found out that 6th gear was useless for the standard 220d and not the sport, due to the gearing. When I am driving in 6th gear at 70mph the car is at 2200 rpm, which I thought would be fine??? 5th gear at 70mph is around 3400rpm, which for me felt too high, so I decided 6th should be fine for 70mph+ 

I used to use supermarket fuel. Since my last egr clean (1000 miles ago) I have only been using shell nitro v power and will continue to use this or BP ultimate.

As I am thinking about blanking the EGR anyway, I may just blank the faulty one rather than buy a new one and get that blanked. 

[Gossy1988]

Can you confirm where the MAP sensor is? Might of cleaned it as I did clean a few sensor located around the EGR valve and the sensor near the air filter (MAF I believe).

cheers. 

[VrmmVrmm]

No I don't use Supermarket fuel ....not by choice, just that my local filling station is Esso so that's what I use...Low Sulphur Diesel.

Interestingly if I do 100 klm per hour = 62 mph my engine is 2000 rpm in 5th and 70 mph in 5th 2500 rpm that's almost a full 1000 revs lower than what you report?

I never use 6th at all for years...I get good return in mpg and no EGR issues because as stated I clean it every 8000 klms (5000 mile) sometimes it really needs it and other times not.

I suspect town/urban driving in low gears isn't friendly to EGR either.  I live in a rural situation with medium length journeys so the engine at least gets warm etc.  Jumping in the car to do multiple 2-3 mile journeys wouldn't allow the engine to warm and an owner doing predominantly short journeys shouldn't in my opinion buy any diesel let alone the Lexus IS220D with known EGR issues.  I live in Ireland where we have NCT (National Car Test) you have MOT ...how would a car go through the test re: emissions etc if EGR blanked (I haven't a clue just asking)  some mods work out others don't.

[johnatg]

Actually a diesel with blanked off EGR would probably pass the current emissions test. But if they somehow bring in real-world emissions testing (as seems possible) it would likely fail. EGRs are there to recirculate exhaust gas at high revs/load which reduces combustion temperatures and hence NOX emissions.

[Miłosz]

Cleaning egr is not good idea, it works for couple days. I turned off and blanked my egr valve and i don't have any problems with my diesel. You can use market fuels, but don't forget to add special additives for example ar 6900 d-max. Read my thread about my is220d and little work to make it better.

[VrmmVrmm]

On the contrary...it's a great idea....unless you want to crawl home at 20 mph.  Cleaning the EGR is like changing the oil filter...necessary maintenance!

The idea it works for a couple of days is I have to say very very far fetched in my experience.  

By the way what do you mean when you say cleaning?....do you mean a fuel additive? or taking it out and cleaning it with carburetor cleaner and a toothbrush meticulously? I do the latter and never had an issue after I got caught in crawl home mode the first time....9 years ago...same car.

 

[Gossy1988]

I know the sport version has different gearing to the standard models so that would explain the difference in rpm... If you have the sport model too then I have no idea!!

I do just over 100 miles a day so definitely isn't anything to do with short journeys. How would I know if my egr is faulty? Maybe I am over reacting with the carbon deposits and it is the standard amount.

Avon tuning (recommended on here) will do a stage 1 remap and egr deletion for £300. Will probably do that as heard good things.

[Miłosz]

21 hours ago, VrmmVrmm said:

On the contrary...it's a great idea....unless you want to crawl home at 20 mph.  Cleaning the EGR is like changing the oil filter...necessary maintenance!

The idea it works for a couple of days is I have to say very very far fetched in my experience.  

By the way what do you mean when you say cleaning?....do you mean a fuel additive? or taking it out and cleaning it with carburetor cleaner and a toothbrush meticulously? I do the latter and never had an issue after I got caught in crawl home mode the first time....9 years ago...same car.

 

Read this and you will have answers

 

[VrmmVrmm]

Quote last paragraph of my previous advice:

FORGET USING JUST AN ADDITIVE until you've cleaned it back to metal manually first and get a clean start...additives may well prolong the time span between cleaning and may well prevent build up but if you've already got build up I can tell you it wont clean with additive alone.  You'll be surprised at how resistant the gunk is when you tease it off with a small blade screwdriver and toothbrush it clean using the odd squirt of carburetor cleaner but as a say if you want it cleaned properly DIY and elbow grease is the way to go  It's a dirty job enough dress for the occasion...LOL

 

You did notice this in my post didn't you...FORGET USING JUST AN ADDITIVE

It's apparent your opinion is just as valid as mine....BUT...there is a distinct difference which I went to great length to make and that is when you get back to a thoroughly cleaned EGR by all means use additives but do not rely on additives alone to rescue an EGR that is all coked up.   You purchased such a car that was on it's knees for the want of a specific maintenance issue ...the one we're discussing!  Your method worked for you my method worked for me.  Your method cost you money my method cost me time and a bit of diligence.  Both work.  My response to your claim of cleaning an EGR being a waste of time as it only lasts a few days needed to to be made as that is untrue in 99% of cases and in itself was a sweeping statement.  The advice I gave took into account more than one method and the difference between them in order to assist the OP in his endeavour to keep his car on the road with minimal issues.  That's all.  You stated is was a bad idea needed a response,  The answers you believe I need are not answers for me your context shows they are answers for you and maybe others like you that find themselves with a car that has not been fully maintained. I pointed out I got caught out once but never again, simply maintained the car as it should be maintained...don't tell me or anyone else looking for constructive advice that's a bad idea and leave it at that.  I'm 10 years on this forum with trouble free motoring with the same car 235,000 klms...some of it luck perhaps and some of it being aware and proactive.  Thanks for all the info but thankfully it wasn't me who looked for the advice. We both gave advice perhaps either will work for Gossy1988 that's all that matters...this isn't about Good Vs Bad.  It's about being as helpful as we can.

[is220dlex]

On 3/29/2017 at 8:06 PM, Miłosz said:

Cleaning egr is not good idea, it works for couple days. I turned off and blanked my egr valve and i don't have any problems with my diesel. You can use market fuels, but don't forget to add special additives for example ar 6900 d-max. Read my thread about my is220d and little work to make it better.

Hi did you have egr mapped out? Did you black both ends of the egr. Valve end and the other end where the pipe goes to and from? I did this once a few years back but I routed the gases from egr to under engine and I'd ratehr blank both parts if I can without issues. Going to get mapped out dpf and close egr anyway but doing blanking before that.