EGR valve clogging issue

Got my Golf back from service today (1999.5 TDI) and the intake system and EGR valve were so badly clogged (the EGR valve was lacking the R part - COMPLETELY blocked, not even a tiny pinhole for gases to flow through) with deposits that the one service guy said "that engine really shouldn't be running, at least hardly at all"... I never really noticed too bad of a power loss, just had smoke under hard acceleration.

The cleanout made a nice different, throttle is more responsive, transmission fluidly shifts gears (I guess the engine can match revs easier now) and there is more power, with no more smoke!... Even with my Tuning Box plugged in... And the engine vibrations in Drive while stopped are tame, doesn't feel as much like an old dump truck anymore.

Also got a new timing belt. +60kkms servicing, car has ~120K kms on it, so this is # 2 for the 60K kms service.

I'm surprised no idiot light came on tho... i'd think with VWs on this newsgroup having random dashboard lights come on my sensors would have picked up this massive problem, but no.

So if any of you are suffering from some bad performance, get your EGR/intake system looked at. It didn't cost all that much, although the total bill (with belt, cleanup, oilchange, inspection etc) was kinda high (tho all itemized looked reasonable, so no worries that I got ripped off - I don't think I did).

Reply to
Rob Guenther
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What happpens when you mix diesel soot with the PVC oil mist. you get TAR that plugs up the intake and loose power. I would think VW would have a better method of smog control. but I guess between doing time belts and cleaning Tar out of intake manifolds VW has to keep the techs working. Maybe the plugged EGR valve saved on the clogging of intake and you didn't loose power. Just not pass smog testing.

Reply to
fixit1

It's not VW, but the crappy USA diesel fuel which is causing the majority of the problem! Should clear up once the better once the higher quality fuel gets introduced.

Reply to
Woodchuck

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