Detect leaking / defective EGR cooler, repair, change!

Recently updated on October 28, 2023 at 04:06 am

In terms of space, the EGR cooler is located integrated in the engine. There he acts in Cooling water circuit and is as a component of the Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) entrusted with the task of controlling the exhaust gas flow before it is returned to the intake tract to cool off. Problems with EGR coolers are particularly evident from the exhaust scandal known. After several software updates for various VW engines, difficulties arose here that are related to defective EGR coolers. But not only VW's are affected by leaky or defective EGR coolers. In general, continuous use can cause age-related signs of wear and tear over time with everyone Vehicle with EGR occur. In the long term, exposure to high temperatures and stubborn traces of old exhaust gas can lead to a clogged, damaged or brittle EGR cooler.

Exhaust gas recirculation & EGR cooler

The above-mentioned damage therefore occurs in almost every vehicle in the long term. You can read everything you need to know about repairs and the costs you have to estimate in the following little guide. Various measures have been developed to reduce pollutant emissions, with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) being a central element. If an engine draws in fresh air, a component of the exhaust gases from the combustion is mixed in with it. This lowers the combustion temperature in the combustion chamber because the formation of new nitrogen oxides (NOx) is reduced.

The recirculation rate of the exhaust gas depends on the fuel and the type of injection. Here between the direct injection and the Manifold injection differentiated. For the exact calculation, however, this is Engine control unit responsible. Most of the repatriation takes place in the partial load range instead of. The engine control unit is responsible for regulating the EGR valve and determines the amount of exhaust gases that are recirculated. The EGR cooler supports the process by removing the exhaust gas cooled down is.

Detect a defective EGR cooler. There are essential factors by which you can recognize a defective EGR cooler:

• Smells from exhaust gases in the vehicle interior
• Loss of cooling water
• The engine control lamp or exhaust emission warning lamp lights up
• starting problems
• little engine power
• Emergency program
• Vehicle jerks when driving
• strong, dark exhaust smoke under full load
• more fuel consumption

Continue with a defective EGR cooler?

Basically: With a defective or leaky EGR cooler is a workshop in shortest time to seek out. If the defect is ignored, there is a risk of costly damage. One example is the popular VW T5 bus. Due to the disintegration of the cooler into small parts, there is a risk that particles will get into the intake tract and become one engine failure to lead. It's not just an expensive proposition, right up to the economic total loss, but in the worst case also one life-threatening situation. And a similar scenario occurs when the engine is runs too hotsince the Cooling water loss is too strong. The result is damage to the cylinders, in particular the Cylinder head including gasket is affected.

Defective EGR cooler: how do I pass the general inspection?

If there is only a small loss of cooling water, the general inspection is generally considered to have been successfully passed. However, if the situation arises that the exhaust gas values ​​are considered to be too high, the vehicle will not pass the general inspection. The same applies if the MKL (Engine control lamp) lights up or the Exhaust light is active during the exam.

This is how the EGR cooler is replaced

The cost of replacing an EGR cooler cannot be generalized. That's because it varies depending on the car model. Always comes first draining the old cooling water and its environmentally friendly disposal. In order to access and change the EGR cooler, some components must first be removed. Depending on the structure of the vehicle, the diesel particulate Filterwhich Exhaust pipe and often that too Oil return line to remove. Only then can the EGR cooler be removed and replaced without any problems. The purchase of used EGR coolers, as well as a repair, is by the way not recommendable!

In some vehicles are the EGR cooler and the EGR valve installed as ONE module. If it is actually a module, both components are automatically changed. If there are two different components, only the element that causes the problem needs to be replaced.

Calculation: replacement of an EGR cooler

EGR coolers are approximately in the material price 350 to 1.600 euros in some casesif the parts are original. In addition to the cooler itself, there is something new cooling water necessary. At a liter price of 5-10 Euro and a cooling water volume of three to five liters result in additional round 15 to 50 Euro. In addition, the workload for the exchange must be added. For this, in a workshop - depending on the vehicle model - between three to eight hours which can result in an additional 80 to 360 euros at an hourly rate of 640 euros. The total cost is between 800 and until partly over 2.000 euros to apply. Our calculation is of course only to be seen as a rough guide. Depending on the vehicle model and engine, additional costs may arise, for example due to increased installation effort or rising material costs. Concrete examples of the cost of changing the EGR valve:

EGR cooler exhaust scandal

If problems with the EGR cooler occurred due to a software update related to the exhaust scandal, we recommend that you submit a goodwill application to the manufacturer. Especially when it comes to a 2.0 TDI VW engine with a diesel particulate filter. More information can be found in our article "Exhaust scandal: illegal defeat device discovered in Audi with gasoline engine" and in the post "VW loses in the emissions scandal: Supreme Court awards customers damages!".

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