2.2 D4D Carbon Build Up

[blackcts]

Hi,

Got the egr valve cleaned on my 2.2 D4D 180 - around 11k on new 3/4 engine and it was quite badly built up. It's already had 2 changes of Shell helix ultra extra 5w30. Branded diesel is used as much as possible - any ideas to keep the dreaded carbon build up at bay?

Cheers

[korat102]

There's probably not a lot you can do to be honest. EGR is a poorly thought out solution to a problem that they really should have put more effort into solving. The politicians basically adopted a 'screw the owner' attitude to emissions control.Wonderful for their friends in the motor business though, they get to charge to clean these things over and over and over...maybe that had something to do with it...who knows.

Improving combustion is probably the only way to reduce build-up and since the systems are actually designed specifically to mess up combustion, that's a bit difficult to achieve. Maybe a 'premium' diesel might help...or some sort of additive that you put in the tank each fillup.

Oh yes... The EGR is closed during high load so not driving it like it's your grandma's heirloom might help!

[blackcts]

I can't imagine how bad the carbon build up must have got on some cars that have been run on the normal 5w30 A1 oil as originally recommended.

[Phil_1985]

I cleaned my egr on my 3/4 engine after 9k miles - was surprised as it was clean. Didn't require any work as it was a very light coating of soot.

[korat102]

I wouldn't expect the EGR valve to need cleaning after just 9k miles, it should last twice that at worse. Unless you're burning excessive oil or only doing short runs where the thing never gets warmed up properly or it's left idling for long periods of time, you shouldn't have problems until you've covered quite a high mileage.

[Mistermena]

Look at the Archoil products that powerenhancer have! Plus the BG products! I found that using V-Power derv helped alot as my egr valve had just a light coating of soot and not the baked on hard black carbon. I think that changing the oil every 6-8k helps to!

[Phil_1985]

Yes i wouldn't be expecting it to be all carboned up but it's strange how blackcts' s has after only 11k miles

[blackcts]

It's had 2 changes of helix ultra extra 5w30 over 11k! (Since the new engine was put in). To be fair it does a lot of shortish runs from cold, but it would get a decent run once a week. Doesn't burn any oil worth mentioning (maybe a litre over 11k at most and that's prob quite good for a new engine)

[Mistermena]

I've just sold a 4Ltr can of Helix Ultra Extra 5W -30 C2 Spec oil on eBay! £80 for £164 worth of oil! Well that's what Opie oil would have sold it for! Without delivery...

[Druid Boy]

Plenty of welly every so often is the trick. These engines need to work hard or they simple go wrong. They are a bit like Thomas the Tank Engine - happiest when working hard.

[waqar_lionheart]

treat it to some fuel additive and blast it on a motorway or something. dont over speed but higher revs would clear out the carbon.

[blackcts]

I would give it a good 3,000 rpm run at motorway speeds for at least 20 minutes usually once a week - this may sound silly but isn't this nearly producing more soot

Cheers

[waqar_lionheart]

actually its not when you put an additive in. Its like doing what dynorod do :) high pressure hose cleaning.

[Springy]

I too have had my engine replaced, 45000 miles, EGR problem.

Can you suggest any particular additives?

[korat102]

No additive is going to clean an EGR valve. It'd need to survive combustion then get fed back to the valve and the tubing to do anything and that's pretty unlikely to happen. The additives are to improve combustion and clean/improve lubrication of injectors and pumps, etc.

Lots of people swear by BG244, a one shot additive that you dump into the tank every so often to clean the fuel system and combustion areas.

There are also additives (like Diesel Rhino) that you can drop into the tank each time you full up that are supposed to raise the cetane rating and disperse any injector killing water in the fuel, etc.

In general, the people who use them regularly swear by them while the ones who don't use them call them snake oil.

[Springy]

A nice, balanced response! As I said, my engine was changed at 45K, it's just had its 70k service. D-4D 07, maybe I shoild take a look at my EGR. I'm not a mechanic, but it looks easy enough to get at and there don't appear to be any electrics associated with it.

[korat102]

Modern EGR valves are activated electrically, older ones were sometimes vacuum operated. The EGR body should be easy enough to remove. If yours is electric and you use fluids to clean it, remember that they're pretty noxious chemicals that you want to keep away from the electric parts of the valve. It'll be worth also checking the inlet tract from where the EGR connects through to the engine. If the valve needs cleaning, that part of the inlet tract will likely be pretty coked up as well.

[Colspur66]

Trying to remove egr on my 56 plate T180. The two bolts on the right hand side (the slightly difficult to reach ones) are proving difficult to undo. Anyone got any suggestions how to remove them. The other 4 bolts are very easy.

Following on from above comment, the egr is held by the 4 bolts. I noticed that these are infact 2 bolts and 2 long threaded bars with nuts on top. I wonder is it possible to remove the 2 threaded bars or is there any physical reason why they cannot be screwed out allowing the valve assembly to slide out seeing as I am unable to remove the 2 bolts on the right hand side.

[Mistermena]

Spray the bolts with WD40 and let it soak in for a good half an hour. I used my torque wrench when putting them back on as you don't want to crack the alloy block/head...

[Mistermena]

I too have had my engine replaced, 45000 miles, EGR problem.

Can you suggest any particular additives?

Take a look at the BG products and the Archoil ones! These seem to be the best! Using a high quality fuel will help and so will a good blast up a long hill! Keeping the engine revs up... There are discount codes to ge had for the powerenhancer site