# Pictures of EGR valve after 33,500 miles



## finnbmw (Jul 6, 2008)

I had the emission recall performed today on our 2010 X5 diesel. I asked the technician to take a few pictures of the EGR valve as I've been reading about the soot build-up in the old style valve and was interested to see how much was in mine after 33,500 mostly highway miles. I thought you might be interested as well so here are the pictures:


----------



## DnA Diesel (Jul 31, 2010)

That doesn't look so bad, Finn...you should have seen my TDI's EGR valve before I cleaned it...


----------



## TDIwyse (Sep 17, 2010)

Thanks for posting those pics.


----------



## F32Fleet (Jul 14, 2010)

Big benefit of ULSD


----------



## finnbmw (Jul 6, 2008)

Dna Diesel, does the EGR valve need to be cleaned on a regular basis?


----------



## DnA Diesel (Jul 31, 2010)

Not now, finnbmw. ULSD has significantly reduced soot and I have also adjusted my TDI's EGR duty cycle, particularly since I travel a lot on highway, and NOx production is greatly reduced at moderate-speed part throttle travel. The picture on the right was at about 100,000km when I cleaned the valve and the intake -- VWs (ALH code TDIs 99.5-2003) were well known for gunked up EGR valves). I have about 220,000km on the Jetta and the EGR and intake are almost as clean now as when I cleaned them back at 100,000.

I haven't heard much of E90 D's getting too dirty...the E70s (X5) have a different EGR set-up that I hear has had issues in the past.

Regards 
D.


----------



## Yborg (Feb 1, 2011)

what a pain in the a$$ the EGR systems can be..i have no experience with car egr's but i disabled them in my Volvo semi truck and what a beautiful difference it makes! i am thinking about getting a diesel powered vehicle and one of the first things i will do to it disable the EGR! We are not gona talk about the legality here ))..


----------



## TDIwyse (Sep 17, 2010)

Anyone borescope their intake to visually check the carbon buildup?


----------



## Axel61 (Mar 10, 2011)

Amigos this what I wrote in the other forum:

_Amigos I can attest to this supposedly carbon build up this last saturday as I was going to the 1/2 mile race I had the ENGINE light come up and man i almost SHEIT on myself. I called my mechanic as he was going to race my car for me since I have a broken hand. He told that that occurs also with the JBD on some of his clients. and informed me not to worry I stopped turn car off and back on and it was GONE!! OK I deided later to press on it and GUESS WHAT? Not only the ENGINE light come but also the damn ESE light F'me now Im pissed and scared. I stopped and turned off and back on AGAIN! and the engine light gone but not the SES.

The car was running quite VAGUELY but I realized the the day before I had put on 3 ounces of Amsoil DIESEL injector cleaner and 3ounces of AMSOIL CETANE Booster, I guess all the SOOT was coming off since it had been a month since I had stopped using DIESEL Injector Cleaner. Anyway, my friend drove the 1/2 mile race and he told he clocked 150 mph at the end of the track but forgot to clock at the 1/2 marker(he did it twice) he was VERY IMpressed with the DIESEL, he had had many gassers during his youth and was ALL smiles with the DIESEL. My car clocked the first time 120 mph which I found very disturbing since I had a better program come to find out the systme was not calibrated weel and many competirors were complaining.

Anyway, once I took the car and drove to my uncles house I noticed the car was eager and loose, i looked at my girlfriend and told her "Hey something is wrong with the car, she REPLIED by saying The car is responding better!!" I drove the car to the 1/2 mile race went to my uncles ate and got drunk partied at nite, next day drove to the other extreme of the island and went to see my friends game and drank and ate an came home and looked at the tnak and guess what? 1/2 tank on 243 miles, PRICELES!!!! Now my girlfriend wants a DIESEL!!!

P.S. The SES light went off the next day at my uncles.___________________
RENNtech Flash/VMR710 19"
Execuhitch Hitch
Soft Ride Bike Rack
Amsoil Cetane Boost Diesel Fuel Additive
Amsoil Diesel Fuel Additive Concentrate


----------



## DieselRacer (Apr 22, 2014)

Anyone make a EGR delete kit, and can it be tuned out...so no engine lights...


----------



## robster10 (Oct 8, 2012)

*SES light fix.*

Black electric tape!:thumbup:


----------



## Flyingman (Sep 13, 2009)

Axel61 said:


> Amigos this what I wrote in the other forum:
> 
> _Amigos I can attest to this supposedly carbon build up this last saturday as I was going to the 1/2 mile race I had the ENGINE light come up and man i almost SHEIT on myself. I called my mechanic as he was going to race my car for me since I have a broken hand. He told that that occurs also with the JBD on some of his clients. and informed me not to worry I stopped turn car off and back on and it was GONE!! OK I deided later to press on it and GUESS WHAT? Not only the ENGINE light come but also the damn ESE light F'me now Im pissed and scared. I stopped and turned off and back on AGAIN! and the engine light gone but not the SES.
> 
> ...


Axel,

What did you ever do about your CBU????


----------



## Axel61 (Mar 10, 2011)

UPDATED the Ecu with more aggressive tune by Renntech

Sent from BimmerApp mobile app


----------



## DieselRacer (Apr 22, 2014)

Axel61 said:


> UPDATED the Ecu with more aggressive tune by Renntech
> 
> Sent from BimmerApp mobile app


Awesome fix for CBU:thumbup:


----------



## sirbikes (Aug 17, 2012)

So what you are saying is ... put some injector cleaner in and really flog it, and then it will run better?



Axel61 said:


> Amigos this what I wrote in the other forum:
> 
> _Amigos I can attest to this supposedly carbon build up this last saturday as I was going to the 1/2 mile race I had the ENGINE light come up and man i almost SHEIT on myself. I called my mechanic as he was going to race my car for me since I have a broken hand. He told that that occurs also with the JBD on some of his clients. and informed me not to worry I stopped turn car off and back on and it was GONE!! OK I deided later to press on it and GUESS WHAT? Not only the ENGINE light come but also the damn ESE light F'me now Im pissed and scared. I stopped and turned off and back on AGAIN! and the engine light gone but not the SES.
> 
> ...


----------



## Axel61 (Mar 10, 2011)

It might or might not work. It might go limp mode or a code if you hv never used additives. My case as u read a one time thing im at 42k so far so good but does not exempt me the intake issues

Sent from BimmerApp mobile app


----------



## Xerix (May 5, 2010)

Question for you all.

Is the EGR valve attached at the front right of the engine to the air intake manifold?

I have a Throttle Valve Actuator code that is being thrown and Im at 109,000KM. So I'm going to clean out the intake and EGR with carb cleaner next weekend prolly. I just wanted to make sure Im going to clean the right parts.

Also, given that the glow plugs are right under the air intake, should I replace those as well while im at it?

Thanks.


----------



## Xerix (May 5, 2010)

Ok, I know its old, but I will answer my own question and provide some info for someone else.

Yes. It is at the front right of the engine. Also, I did not replace the glow plugs as posts I read said they should not need replacing.

That being said, it took me 2 days to get all the CBU out of the intake, EGR, and Throttle. It was a real bitch to clean out the intake and think I will use a proper wash table and just submerge the damn thing in carb cleaner next time.

The Check Engine Light came back on with the same codes after 15 minutes of driving on the test drive after re-assembling. And I did clear all codes before the test drive ;-).

Been driving with the Check Engine light ever since and its still running fine. Its possible the Throttle Actuator and EGR actually have a problem with them and might need replacing.

Only other thing I can think of is that there is a sensor on the Air Intake at the back near the firewall which may be malfunctioning. Unfortunately I just don't know what that sensor is for.

FYI: Injector cleaner will not clean out the CBU from the EGR or Air Intake.


----------



## Flyingman (Sep 13, 2009)

Xerix said:


> Ok, I know its old, but I will answer my own question and provide some info for someone else.
> 
> Yes. It is at the front right of the engine. Also, I did not replace the glow plugs as posts I read said they should not need replacing.
> 
> ...


Xerix, sorry I did not see this earlier. CBU on our diesels really needs to be done with walnut blast and the proper set of hand wands and nozzles because all of the intricate spaces in the intake.

A walnut blast should cost about $800- $1,000 if done by a proper Indy that has experienced with the 335D. We have swirl flaps, etc that make access even more difficult to get to.

Early on the entire intake head was removed and being sent off to specialist shops to be cleaned up. Time and money!

With your amount of miles and evidence of CBU you should consider having it done right.


----------



## Xerix (May 5, 2010)

I don't know much about walnut blasting, and the limited amount I did now was telling me to keep that away from the plastic intake because it would eat right through it. That's why I went the chemical route and washed it out with carb cleaner and nylon brushes.

I think you might be referring to the actual intake ports perhaps? I looked at those when I took off the intake, but couldn't see the valves or anything so I didn't touch them. Im guessing I should have bought a scope and took a closer look when I had it all apart.

Also, I know it may not have been the professional way of cleaning it all out, but I got it to its original shiny luster, that's why it took me 2 days ;-) Always next time though!

Thanks for the info.


----------

