An exhaust gas recirculation cooler, or EGR, recycles waste exhaust through the engine in order to improve efficiencies and reduce emission levels. Over time, carbon buildup and other deposits from the exhaust it recycles will accumulate in the EGR cooler unit. Maintenance on an EGR unit consists of periodically cleaning the buildup to ensure regular functioning of the cooler. Failure to keep the interior of an EGR cooler clean can lead to undesired emissions in the exhaust, resulting in poor engine performance.
Turn off the car and open the hood.
Remove the intake manifold hose and the air intake hose from the manifold typically found on the side of the engine.
Unplug the PVC heating element.
Remove the change-over valve of the intake manifold by removing the two hex bolts.
Remove the vacuum lines of the anti-shudder valve and EGR.
Remove the turbo intake pipe by removing a clamp and a hex bolt.
Remove the three bolts that secure the EGR.
Apply de-greaser to the intake of the EGR and wipe it clean.
Re-assemble the components you removed from the engine compartment using new gaskets.
