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Diesel EGR Service

For independent automotive repair shops, diesel exhaust gas recirculation can be a boost to the
bottom line.
By:
Tony Martin
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 - 00:00

For independent automotive repair shops, diesel exhaust gas recirculation can be
a boost to the bottom line.
exhaust EGR repair shop training technician training A/C training automotive aftermarket
Diesel EGR Service
Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is an emission control system that we love to hate. On the one
hand, EGR tends to reduce both power and fuel economy. EGR systems have also become more
complex over time, making them more challenging to diagnose and service. However, EGR has
made it possible for diesel engines to meet strict government NOx emissions regulations, leading
to an improvement in air quality in our major centers.

For independent automotive repair shops, diesel EGR has been a boost to the bottom line.
Enough goes wrong with these systems that EGR has turned into a good revenue source for
shops that offer diesel repair services. Getting some training in diesel EGR service basics can
pay off quite nicely for both the technician and the shop owner.
A Little History
Exhaust gas recirculation systems have been in use in gasoline engines since the mid-1970s.
Automobiles were identified as a significant source of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions,
which were bad enough by themselves but were also an ingredient in the formation of groundlevel ozone and smog. EGR was an effective method of preventing NOx from forming in the

engine cylinder, but tended to decrease engine efficiency. It was a common belief in pre-OBD
days that maximizing power and fuel economy were far more important than what came out of a
vehicle's tailpipe. Thus, it was common practice to disable a vehicle's EGR system despite
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warnings against tampering.

Most diesel engines in the U.S. didn't use EGR in these early years, despite the fact that they
produced a great deal of NOx. The diesel emissions regulations of the time were such that the
required NOx reductions could be achieved using methods such as charge air cooling (CAC) and
injection timing adjustments. The bar was gradually being raised, however, and in the 1990s all
eyes were on the EPA 2004 regulations that required a major decrease in diesel NOx output. It
was quite likely that EGR was going to have to be utilized to meet EPA 2004, but engine
manufacturers were planning on crossing that bridge when they came to it.

The situation changed in 1997 when the EPA discovered that most of the major diesel engine
manufacturers were "dual mapping" their on-road engines. This meant that the engines were
calibrated to meet EPA emissions standards when run on the 20-minute certification test, but
would revert to a different calibration when operated under highway driving conditions.
According to the EPA, some manufacturers had been engaging in this practice since 1990,
resulting in millions of tons of illegal pollution being produced. The charges led to a settlement
that cost the engine manufacturers hundreds of millions of dollars and, more significantly,
moved the timeline to meet the EPA 2004 regulations to October 2002. The diesel engine
manufacturers were now under the gun, and many adopted cooled EGR as the technology to use
for meeting the accelerated standards.
The EPA regulations have only gotten tighter since that time, and since 2007 all new on-road
diesels use cooled EGR as part of their emissions control strategy.
How EGR Works
A diesel engine typically uses a stratified mixture for its combustion process. Fuel is injected into
superheated air during the compression stroke and creates a broad range of air-fuel mixtures in
the combustion chamber. Areas at the interior of the fuel spray will have rich mixtures, which
take more time to mix with air and ignite. These rich areas also tend to burn cooler and produce

more particulate matter (PM) emissions.

The outside edges of the fuel spray are a different matter. These areas tend to be lean (up to
100:1) and the fuel vaporizes and ignites very quickly, creating a hot flame front. The extreme
heat generated in these areas is what causes normally-inert nitrogen to react with oxygen and

create oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions.

The basic idea behind EGR is to meter exhaust gases into the engine intake air stream. The
recirculated exhaust gases have a high carbon dioxide and water content, which tends to limit
NOx formation in the cylinder by:
1. Absorbing heat from the combustion process, which lowers peak flame temperatures.
2. Displacing oxygen from the intake air charge.
Diesel engines equipped with an EGR system also utilize an EGR cooler. The EGR cooler is a
liquid-cooled heat exchanger that removes heat from the EGR gases and transfers it to the engine
cooling system. When EGR gases are cooled, their density and heat absorption capacity is
increased. Cooled EGR gases are thus able to absorb even more heat, further limiting NOx

formation.

Sidebar 1 Bypassing the EGR Cooler

There are some modes of diesel engine operation where it is undesirable to send exhaust gases
through the EGR cooler. One example is cold starts, where hot EGR gases can be used to help
warm up the combustion chamber as well as the diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and diesel
particulate filter (DPF).
Another time that the EGR cooler might be bypassed is during DPF regeneration, when high
exhaust gas temperatures are required. If post-injection is used to initiate an active regeneration
of the DPF, it also may be necessary (as in the Dodge/Cummins 6.7 liter) to bypass the EGR
cooler to prevent fuel from contaminating the cooler element.
Most EGR coolers have an integrated bypass valve. This valve is used to allow EGR gases to
bypass the cooler element and proceed directly to the engine intake air stream. The bypass is
generally a two-position valve (either on or off) that is operated using either an
electromechanical or vacuum actuator.
Diesel EGR System Design
Gasoline engines use anywhere from 5% to 15% EGR gases in the intake air charge. Because the
EGR volumes are relatively low, newer gasoline engines are able to use an EGR system which
does away with the valve and associated piping. Instead, internal EGR uses variable valve timing

to retain exhaust gases in the combustion chamber during valve overlap.

Diesel engines use much higher volumes of EGR, and can use it across the operating range. In
some diesels, up to 70% EGR can be used, and the highest flows are often seen at idle and part
load. Since diesel EGR volumes are much higher, a conventional external system must be

utilized.

The most common EGR configuration in diesel engines is known as high-pressure loop (HPL).
HPL EGR taps exhaust gases from the exhaust manifold (before they enter the turbocharger) and
then sends them through the cooler and EGR valve on their way to the intake manifold. All
current domestic heavy-duty pickup diesels use cooled HPL EGR systems.
The Achilles heel of HPL EGR is intake manifold boost pressure, which is often high enough to
limit EGR flow. Two strategies are employed to increase EGR flow during high-boost
conditions. First, a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) is used to increase exhaust
backpressure, and second, an air throttle valve is used to lower intake manifold pressure. Thus,
HPL EGR flow can be regulated through the operation of the EGR valve, the nozzle in the VGT,

and the air intake throttle.

Despite these measures, some light-duty diesels need more EGR than what can be provided with
HPL systems. For increased EGR flow at high engine loads, some diesels (such as the VW 2.0
liter common-rail TDI) also use a low-pressure EGR system. Low-pressure loop (LPL) EGR
takes exhaust gases from the outlet of the diesel particulate filter and sends them into the
turbocharger air inlet. LPL EGR may also incorporate a cooler to further decrease NOx
formation.
LPL EGR has numerous advantages, including the relatively cool temperatures of the exhaust
gases after they leave the DPF, and low pressures at the inlet of the turbocharger. Volkswagen
goes one step further and uses a throttle valve downstream from the DPF to increase exhaust
backpressure, which serves to increase flow in the LPL EGR system. While attempts have been
made to use LPL EGR alone, it appears to be most effective to use a combination of HPL and
LPL systems to achieve necessary EGR flow across the engine operating range.
Diesel EGR Service
Obviously, your customer is not likely to tell you that their diesel engine's EGR system isn't
working. Instead, common diesel drivability complaints include white smoke, black smoke,

exhaust odor, surges or lacks power. Verify the concern, and then do a visual inspection of the
vehicle to look for obvious problems. Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) can play a critical role
in diesel drivability diagnosis, so retrieve any DTCs early in the game and do a thorough TSB
search. Narrow your search to powertrain management/emission control TSBs, and then look
over the results for symptoms and/or DTCs that match your problem vehicle.
When diagnosing a diesel drivability concern, you should consider what role the EGR system
might be playing in it. Use a scan tool with sufficient capability to perform bi-directional testing
of the EGR and air management systems. A good example is diagnosis of Ford Powerstroke
diesels, where the technician's best choice is the Integrated Diagnostic System (IDS) scan tool.
The IDS can perform an EGR Systems Test and an Air Management Test that will quickly
confirm proper operation of the various EGR components as well as the turbocharger, etc.
Keep in mind that EGR malfunctions are often just a symptom of another problem. For instance,
a common failure is for the EGR valve to hang up due to coking. While the valve will likely need
to be replaced instead of cleaned, you still need to ask what made it coke up in the first place.
This could be caused by a number of issues, including:
1. Poor quality fuel
2. Excessive fuel
3. Unburned fuel
4. Excessive oil consumption
If poor quality fuel is suspected, try an OEM-approved fuel additive to see if it helps. If the
additive goes into the fuel tank, it may take 20 miles or more of driving to see a difference. Some
technicians recommend pouring the additive directly into the secondary fuel filter for more
immediate results.
If the engine is consuming coolant, you should suspect a leaking EGR cooler. There are often
factory service tools available that are made to pressure-test EGR cooler elements to confirm
your diagnosis. Factory service tools also come in very handy when removing EGR valves.
While you can occasionally get away with using pry bars and screwdrivers, there are some EGR
valve designs that will sustain damage if the recommended tool is not used. Be sure to use a stiff
brush and a vacuum to clean out the EGR passages before reinstalling the new valve.
Eventually, a TSB may lead you to the point where you need to reflash a module (or two). A tool
like the IDS works perfectly for this, but you may also use a J2534 pass-through device to get the
job done. Make absolutely sure you have a ripple-free battery charger connected to the vehicle,
because if the battery goes dead during the reflash process you will likely ruin the module. Also,
keep in mind that changing the calibration on one module may require a reflash on another as
well.
A New Frontier

EGR systems are being used in virtually all new diesel engines. While the systems are becoming
more sophisticated, an organized approach can help you diagnose and repair any EGR problem
that comes your way. If you get the appropriate training and the tools, diesel EGR service could
be a great source of revenue for your shop.
- See more at: http://www.searchautoparts.com/motorage/training/diesel-egrservice?cid=95882#sthash.mRnGB4j4.dpuf