Get rid of the EGR-problem on DTI

[fikse]

Yes, another tread about the troublesome EGR and sticky mud in the inlet manifold on the DTI.

Symptoms:

• "Limp home" mode (spanner sign in dashboard, and low respons from engine)
• Cut-off (engine just dies, will eventually start easily after a short pause)
• Loss of response from trottlepedal (no response at all in a few seconds, or even the engine cuts)
• Fault codes like P0638 and others related to EGR, boost pressure, trottle position, and more

Whats wrong:

Several things can make this, but its very often related to the inlet air route (air filter, turbo, hoses, trottle, inlet manifold, sensors related to this route), and too often it is soot from the exhaust who is routed back to inlet via the EGR valve, combined with some oil.

• The EGR is pushing alot of soot into the inlet. This alone should not make much trouble, but what is the point of EGR? This, and alot of other articles related to EGR, makes me belive it might be better to blind it. It should not be illegal, as long as your car will pass the MOT... And for the DTI-engine, it should be no trouble doing so.
• There is getting some amount of oil into the air intake. This makes the soot very sticky, and gets all parts very clogged, prevents valves, trottles and sensors to do their work.

Solution:

Haha! If there was a simple solution!

Anyway, this is what I belive must help alot:

The EGR can be blinded, by making a gasket of steel, copper or similar material. Have a look at these pictures:
Here I have made a gasket from some galvanized 0.6 mm steel, the only metal I had at the moment a saturday night... The black one is the original, the blank one I have made:


At this picture you can see the difference; at the one I made I have blinded completely the EGR area.


Here is a picture of the gasket after 1 hour drive. As you see the EGR area now is completely black. There is almost no soot, it is the galvanising who has melted, exposure the black steel! So, the temperature in this area is pretty hot! It is still a small opening in the cast wall between the exhaust gas chamber and the inlet air chamber, so a little exhaust will still get in.


This should stop approx 85-90% of the EGR function. But still there is getting some oil. Where does that come from? By using the method of elimination its pretty obvious where the oil come from: The hose between the valve cover and the air hose just before the turbo! Here it gets drops of oil, making all the air inlet line pretty sticky. This in itself should not make any trouble, but when you also gets soot from the exhaust via the EGR, you have the problem. So, we have to remove the oil....permanently.
My thought is that the hose is too short, and maybe a oil filter or a oil trap.
Here is a picture of the troublesome hose. Notice the turbo / turbo hoses to the right, the valve cover is at the bottom of the picture. The trouble hose is routed from the valve cover and in a "L" into the hose between the airfilter house and the turbo:


Here is a picture of the hose who goes from the turbo and the stainless steel tube on the top of engine. Remark the shiny, oily surface:


And here is a picture showing the stainless stell tube. Remark the oil in the bottom:


I have prolonged the trouble hose, letting it pass over the turbo inlet air hose, down under (passing the diesel filter) and back again. Unfortunately my favourite pusher only had a reinforced hose, so it is thick and stiff. Together with some hose clamps, copper bends and pipes, i made something who might look like a scarecrow, but I'm pretty sure it will do its job:


The top hose goes into the valve cover. I use the original hose from the T-piece and back to the air intake hose. My oil trap is the hose who ends in the bottom. I cut a circle of rubber and glued it in the bottom of the hose:

I secured it with some gasket silicone into the hose:


Here is a few pictures of the mess I made:





OK. So whats all this? Is it doing some good?
Its a bit early to make a conclusion, but so far it looks promising:

• Softer but also more precise response from engine at low RPMs or/and easy trottling.
• Less soot! Alot less soot when you look in the mirror, and also less soot in the intake manifold.
• A bit more power in low RPMs. The turbo seems to spin up faster at low RPMs.
• Still a bit oily in the intake manifold, but its alot better. This might come from the rest of the air intake I have not cleaned (like the charge air cooler) yet.
• I suspect some better MPG, but have not measured precisely.
• No spanner sign, so far. Fingers crossed!!!

[bat30]

solution-buy a 1.8!

[fikse]

solution-buy a 1.8!

No-no. I want to get to work before the day gets evening

[bat30]

yeah but you wont because the egr will have broken and youll be limping along!

[fikse]

yeah but you wont because the egr will have broken and youll be limping along!

But that's the point of my posting. My DTi actually runs pretty perfect now Knock-knock....

[kenp]

Nice work Bent if it works remember to make it a how2 but cant you also via tech2 or other software solution just disable the EGR?

you could also just get a 2.2 petrol and sell me your DTI cheap

[kenp]

i know you can read this (atleast fikse can http://www.opelpower.dk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38933)

[Sean-2.2Direct]

Very good mate good advice

[fikse]

Yes, I will make a How2, when I can "confirm" this really does the job, over a prolonged time. I have never heard of disabling the EGR via Tech2, but Ill guess it should be possible, like they try to do in the danish site you linked to (they have not found a final solution yet...).
So far it hasnt been really annoying for me, it only happened a few times a week, and only in a second or three. Not enough to swap engine Not yet, at least... Ill visit you if I change my mind

[Eirik]

Dont Opel have gaskets with smaller holes in? I know that VW and Audi have that...