EGR Cooler Issue

wukie · **Joined:** Wed May 22, 2013 11:14 pm **Posts:** 7

Took the CRD into it's 2nd favorite parking spot today. YTD it has spent 2 months in the shop...

CEL. Do not have the code - but mechanic called and said the EGR Cooler is the issue. Doesn't think it can be cleaned as things are hardened. A new one costs $800+ then labor, gaskets, coffee etc.

Question, In reading the board over the last year or so, I have not really come across any egr COOLER issues. Does this even sound reasonable? I was swamped and work but took the call and could not talk much. I will head over to the shop in the AM....

-mjc

121k - no egr work to date.
Plenty of power chirping tires on takeoff (don't tell the wife)

GreenDieselEngineering · **Joined:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 5:10 pm **Posts:** 1111

If you need EGR or cooler parts, give us a call. Much less than what you were quoted for parts...like less than half.

dgeist · **Posted:** Thu Oct 03, 2013 10:16 am

At the very least, I'd get the service rep to explain exactly why the egr COOLER needs replacing... It's a passive chamber as far as I know and all it does is hold moving fluid to cool another chamber. About the most it can do is be clogged by soot or to start leaking. I'm guessing if there's a code to be thrown, it would be EGR pressure or something. Regardless, they're probably not giving you enough information to make an informed decision.

Also, once it is working right, getting a GDE tune or other EGR behavior "optomizations" will prevent unnecessary soot flow through that path. If you've really had and EGR working in stock configuration that long, I'm sure there's a bit of soot buildup.

Dan

papaindigo · **Posted:** Thu Oct 03, 2013 10:46 am

You really need to get the code or at least a more believable explanation. The EGR "cooler" is nothing but a tiny sort of radiator with no moving parts (see viewtopic.php?f=98&t=74594 for a picture). As noted it can leak or I suppose it could get clogged (not by soot as only coolant flows thru it) but if there are issues with coolant clogging then other things like the heater core, oil cooler, and radiator would be clogged. If clogged it can easily be cleaned.

Now if they said the EGR itself was the issue then that's a pretty standard dealer let's throw parts at the problem approach. FYI the EGR can easily (I say that ignoring the fact that getting it off is harder than cleaning) be cleaned and put back on.

Get more information and contact Keith at GDE who probably has a solution for a lot less $s.

By the way what symptoms sent it to the shop?

dgeist · **Posted:** Thu Oct 03, 2013 11:17 am

papaindigo wrote:

As noted it can leak or I suppose it could get clogged (not by soot as only coolant flows thru it) but if there are issues with coolant clogging then other things like the heater core, oil cooler, and radiator would be clogged. If clogged it can easily be cleaned.

Not to split hairs, but it DOES have exhaust/soot passing thought it if/when the EGR solenoid actuates and assuming the egr valve itself isn't stuck(see pic). Although it is enormous compared to other chambers, it (theoretically) could be clogged. I doubt the dealer tech would have disassembled it to the point where you can actually tell if it's blocked, though, as that would basically require EGR removal... My vote is an EGR malfunction code and the dealer spit-balling a solution and throwing the customer's money at the problem.

Dan

papaindigo · **Posted:** Thu Oct 03, 2013 11:41 am

I stand corrected dgeist. After taking a closer look at the parts diagram and the linked picture I see what you mean. Bottom line though we are both thinking the same thing which is that the code is an EGR one and the tech wants to solve it by replacing the EGR (as noted it can be cleaned and returned to service but techs no longer "fix" things they just replace parts). If so a GDE tune is likely the solution for substantially less $s plus side benefits.

dgeist · **Posted:** Thu Oct 03, 2013 3:20 pm

Indeed. The likelyhood of it actually being a cooler issue seems about as likely as a brick suddenly ceasing to be rectangular while already being in place in a wall.

EGR Cooler Issue

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