EGR Screw-up (DIESEL 3.0d) Power problems

[dynamicq]

Hello guys,

Today I want to share a story of how not to do...Please be considerate to my problem, and help me fix things up.

Situation:
A high milage diesel (127'000 on odometer). Had issues with EGR valve. It was stuck open and cause various issues in engine work. Nothing major. Was still usable.

I have decided to replace it with a blank 'EGR Delete' tube. I have placed a blank instead of EGR tube.

A small vacuum tube was deleted by a small plastic tube.

And EGR tube, was blocked with a tablet at the very end close to the former EGR valve connection. I have decided to keep the tube and shut it at one end instead of removing it and shutting it at the rhombus connection of the exhaust manifold.

Problem:
On my way to the airport the noise from under the bonnet has increased and after brief examination it was concluded that the tube had broken in the middle making EGR gasses go through and come out just under the plastic cover.

I really needed to take that flight and by the time I got to the airport I have lost power. Looks like the turbo had it. Very similar symptoms. Power loss over 3000rpm etc etc...

Details:
I had my BMW Scanner 1.4.0 with me, and at the airport I have read the codes. Diesel engine module had 2 errors. EGR gas recirculation (amber) - the error was present before the blank with the open stuck valve. Also Pre supply air pressure low.

After opening the bonnet I have found that the gases melted a hole in the engine cover (ouch! - I know...) and number of cables looked like the wiring melted their insulation a bit, but not dramatically. After clearing the codes, the power didn't restore. There are no check engine sign, nor any other applicable errors.

This concluded my diagnostics, as I had a flight to catch. Now I am sitting in Zurich over a beer, and thinking what a fool I am.

My thoughts on this:

EGR should not affect Turbo theoretically..

EGR was not disabled on the software level (but should have!).

I am a bit confused why the turbo had it...was it a turbo at all? Limp mode? But then no errors shown? Did it melt something affecting a turbo (it would be cheaper to repair)

What can I do to self diagnose first, before spending big buck on something which was very cheap car on the first place.

[wpoll]

Wow. Ok, not sure where to start here.

First, let's clear out anything not relevant to your main issue - the lack of power (looking like a turbo failure).

The EGR is not relevant at this point.

The melted plastic is (largely) irrelevant at this point. Unless the EGR heat has damaged the air intake system but as the EGR is on the front left and the intake system is on the front right, this seems unlikely.

What seems most relevant is the melted wiring (and maybe a melted vacuum line or two. The wiring may well be associated with the camshaft position sensor (on rocker cover directly behind EGR) or the MAF (on the front of the intake chamber) and damage to either of these system could well lead to the DDE getting invalid readings and the engine running sub-optimally.

Also, the turbo is a variable vane type, vacuum operated. Damage to the vacuum lines that control the turbo could lead to an apparent loss of of power.

All of which is guess work until you can get a closer look. Let's hope it's easy to sort though.

I knew I wasn't a fan of EGR delete kits..... now I now why. Yours is the second case of this I have heard of on this forum (EGR melting acoustic cover etc.).

[wpoll]

BTW, I meant to add - the pre supply air pressure low error could point to a damaged MAF or MAF wiring.... which fits with your observations and symptoms.

[wpoll]

Do you know the error code for pre supply air supply low error? I can find a fuel pre supply low error code (error 1260) but not one for air.

If it is the 1260 code, it is still likely to be wiring to and/or a sensor. The 1260 error can be triggered by a faulty sensor (or in your case, possibly wiring).

[deepblonde]

Originally Posted by dynamicq

I have decided to replace it with a blank 'EGR Delete' tube. I have placed a blank instead of EGR tube.

A small vacuum tube was deleted by a small plastic tube.

And EGR tube, was blocked with a tablet at the very end close to the former EGR valve connection. I have decided to keep the tube and shut it at one end instead of removing it and shutting it at the rhombus connection of the exhaust manifold.

Problem:
On my way to the airport the noise from under the bonnet has increased and after brief examination it was concluded that the tube had broken in the middle making EGR gasses go through and come out just under the plastic cover.

I really needed to take that flight and by the time I got to the airport I have lost power. Looks like the turbo had it. Very similar symptoms. Power loss over 3000rpm etc etc...

Details:
I had my BMW Scanner 1.4.0 with me, and at the airport I have read the codes. Diesel engine module had 2 errors. EGR gas recirculation (amber) - the error was present before the blank with the open stuck valve. Also Pre supply air pressure low.

After opening the bonnet I have found that the gases melted a hole in the engine cover (ouch! - I know...) and number of cables looked like the wiring melted their insulation a bit, but not dramatically. After clearing the codes, the power didn't restore. There are no check engine sign, nor any other applicable errors.

This concluded my diagnostics, as I had a flight to catch. Now I am sitting in Zurich over a beer, and thinking what a fool I am.

My thoughts on this:

EGR should not affect Turbo theoretically..

EGR was not disabled on the software level (but should have!).

I am a bit confused why the turbo had it...was it a turbo at all? Limp mode? But then no errors shown? Did it melt something affecting a turbo (it would be cheaper to repair)

What can I do to self diagnose first, before spending big buck on something which was very cheap car on the first place.

I think you're jumping the gun, there is no reason to think the turbo is stuffed;
I had a similar problem, wpoll doesn't believe me, but pipe went after I reinstalled the original EGR, but it may have been weakened by removing and reinstalling pipe and playing with deleting EGR from the map, just a waste of time.
In the end my intake was getting choked...

if you've got a hole out the pipe; there is your lack of power!!!

The exhaust isn't going to create enough pressure at the turbo !

Just blank off the exhaust manifold - at the exhaust manifold - problem fixed. !

[wpoll]

Did I say I didn't believe you? Doesnt sound like me!

After two years of owning an E53 (and reading some of the adventures other owners have had on here!), I'd believe nearly anything...