EGR cleaning opinions please

[D3Less]

I am running through a few checks on my 2001 C270CDI.
All filters were changed a week ago before I bought the car, checked the MAF and was spotless, cured a small oil leak from a breather pipe where it has a electrical connection going onto it.
My question is whether it is worth checking / cleaning the EGR if there are no specific problems.
As reprted elsewhere on here the tickover on the 270 is a little loud but I would not call mine lumpy.
If you reckon it is worth a clean can anyone tell me whether there are any potential problems when removing the EGR on this model.
BTW the car has done 42k averaging 38 - 40mpg on a mixed cycle and has plenty of power

Cheers
Cliff

 

[Sprint'n'Go]

I would also like an opinion on this as I prefer to carry out preventative maintainence instead of trying to fix preventable problems.

Any one?

 

[television]

I would also like an opinion on this as I prefer to carry out preventative maintainence instead of trying to fix preventable problems.

Any one?

All of the trade press and seminars that I have been on say that the spring gets weak in the EGR valve and that it is a waste of time cleaning it, if you do clean it it will soon stick again. the temperture of the manifold where this things sits is not far off 600c, thats what the CATs temperture is. 65k on is the recomended time to replace or at the first sighn of any problem.

Malcolm

 

[psmart]

... cured a small oil leak from a breather pipe where it has a electrical connection going onto it.

This it the rocker case breather outlet temperature sensor just before it is fed into the Turbo. The black plastic cup sitting on top of the cylinder head is the seperator, but still some oil vapour goes into the air inlet system.

I mentioned the EGR on an earlier post and I cant find the thread where a description of it being replaced is mentioned. What Im going to do is disconnect the Control Transducer (the device, sitting on the right part of the bulk head, with a mini air filter sticking out of the bottom and two vacuum pipes, 1 inlet, 1 suction which goes to the EGR valve) this weekend and plug in the diagnostics and see if disabling the EGR registers as a fault or if it affects running/economy. Would be good to know if running without this primarily green contraption is actually needed (other than it possibly being not legal)!

 

[D3Less]

This it the rocker case breather outlet temperature sensor just before it is fed into the Turbo. The black plastic cup sitting on top of the cylinder head is the seperator, but still some oil vapour goes into the air inlet system.

That's the one,it was the sensor part that (although MB just call it a pipe)was leaking oil through the connection. Popped a new one on and all is fine.
Does the oil seperator ever need changing? is it an easy job if so?

 

[television]

This it the rocker case breather outlet temperature sensor just before it is fed into the Turbo. The black plastic cup sitting on top of the cylinder head is the seperator, but still some oil vapour goes into the air inlet system.

I mentioned the EGR on an earlier post and I cant find the thread where a description of it being replaced is mentioned. What Im going to do is disconnect the Control Transducer (the device, sitting on the right part of the bulk head, with a mini air filter sticking out of the bottom and two vacuum pipes, 1 inlet, 1 suction which goes to the EGR valve) this weekend and plug in the diagnostics and see if disabling the EGR registers as a fault or if it affects running/economy. Would be good to know if running without this primarily green contraption is actually needed (other than it possibly being not legal)!

There is a reason why this should not be done, see if I can find it.

Malcolm

 

[Bargain Bucket]

I wholeheartedly agree. Tried cleaning the sticking EGR valve on my E320 CDi to no avail. It had to be replaced.

All of the trade press and seminars that I have been on say that the spring gets weak in the EGR valve and that it is a waste of time cleaning it, if you do clean it it will soon stick again. the temperture of the manifold where this things sits is not far off 600c, thats what the CATs temperture is. 65k on is the recomended time to replace or at the first sighn of any problem.

Malcolm

 

[psmart]

Does the oil seperator ever need changing? is it an easy job if so?

I havent changed mine, although it has a tiny leak, so definitely a replaceable item! Its on my job list for summer (car is in snow in winter with nowhere warm to do anything major on it).