2006 BRM EGR cooler fix

cakins

Active member
Joined
Feb 26, 2014
Location
Northeastern IL
TDI
2006 Jetta DSG/BRM
I'm planning to jb weld my leaky cooler bypass valve and plug the vacuum line. The shaft will not be able to rotate. I would like the EGR gas to pass through the cooler and not the internal bypass, mostly because I want heat in my coolant in the winter. What position should the shaft be in for full-time cooler (not bypass) flow? I have never seen the inlet of the cooler or butterfly valve, so don't know the right position for the shaft.

If I pretend that the plate on top of the shaft is an hour hand with the shaft as the fulcrum, should the plate at the top of the shaft be at 6-7:00 or 3-4:00 or ?
 

cakins

Active member
Joined
Feb 26, 2014
Location
Northeastern IL
TDI
2006 Jetta DSG/BRM
Sorry to bring up an old thread but my EGR cooler has took a crap again and its only been about 40,000 miles sense it was replaced. The dealer wants $1,200
to replace it each time and I think its time to make it an off road vehicle.
I have a few questions though.
1) Can I just install the blocking plates and keep the cooler in place?
2) Where is a good place to find the parts needed for the job.
It looks like it can be blocked with the cooler still in place. Kits are available on ebay and you'll need to have a computer tune.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo4qR-7a5NY

A5Inky is selling block off kits in the vendor section.
 

digi923

Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2013
Location
Delaware
TDI
06 Jetta
It looks like it can be blocked with the cooler still in place. Kits are available on ebay and you'll need to have a computer tune.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo4qR-7a5NY

A5Inky is selling block off kits in the vendor section.
Thanks for the info! One More question though. Should i try to find a local shop that can tune it or just find one online that specializes in TDI's.
 
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cakins

Active member
Joined
Feb 26, 2014
Location
Northeastern IL
TDI
2006 Jetta DSG/BRM
Thanks for the info! One More question though. Should i try to find a local shop that can tune it or just find one online that specializes in TDI's.
Malone tuning has a list of vendors/shops on their website. Lots of the shops have web pages you can research to see if they are experienced with TDIs, or at least turbo diesels. A tuning shop could do both the hardware and software all at once, but personally I wouldn't take it to a generic tuning shop with no TDI experience.

And make sure your state won't emissions test your car before you go that route.
 

shaark92

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2005
Location
Erath County, Texas
TDI
06 Jetta, manual. '12 Jetta, DSG
I just did the EGR delete on my 06 ... with the colt 2 cam replacement. Awaiting my next opportunity to get the Kerma tune loaded (Monday, 13 April?)

Love love love THE 5th gear swap. .658. My Jetta makes a lot of highway runs & this is a big benefit. When I received the 6 month survey from the dealership, I told 'em 1rst is too tall & 5th is too short. Got 5th addressed.

(done at 157K miles)

Thanks Steve!
 

tsimon325

Active member
Joined
Dec 3, 2016
Location
Brentwood, norcal
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI Auto
bushings for sale?

Bump. Does anyone have the bushings available or another type of fix?
Who's making and selling the brass replacement bushings for the BRM cooler shaft?

-Seems a new replacement $320 EGR cooler will just have the soft oem bushing
-I could machine my own bushing, I have the skill set but the nearest lathe
in a buddy's shop is over an hour away, it'll be a 7hr time investment by the time I have a bushing in-hand
 

spatuality

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2010
Location
Ontario, Canada
TDI
2006 1.9L Jetta BRM MKV 5MT
Can someone clarify the leaking egr cooler options? :confused:

If the valve stem is leaking, it looks like its possible to:

  1. replace the entire cooler. stay stock.
  2. attempt to fix/seal/weld the bushing around the stem
  3. block off the exhaust pipes on both ends of the cooler and elbow-bypass the coolant lines, get a tune.
  4. do the block off, elbow, and tune, above, while physically removing the egr cooler from the engine block
  5. just tune out the egr valve

Is there any benefit / drawback to physically removing, other than making some space behind the engine? The function appears to be the same, but the engine will look stock if the cooler is left in place.

Doing just a tune to disable the egr valve, is that enough to reliably stop exhaust from going through the cooler? Is there a likely point of failure here with the valve? Assuming a tune is no additional cost, why not just tune without wrenching here?

I'm interested in your thoughts group.
 
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greengeeker

Vendor
Joined
Feb 8, 2006
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS
Can someone clarify the leaking egr cooler options? :confused:
If the valve stem is leaking, it looks like its possible to:
  1. replace the entire cooler. stay stock.
  2. attempt to fix/seal/weld the bushing around the stem
  3. block off the exhaust pipes on both ends of the cooler and elbow-bypass the coolant lines, get a tune.
  4. do the block off, elbow, and tune, above, while physically removing the egr cooler from the engine block
  5. just tune out the egr valve
Is there any benefit / drawback to physically removing, other than making some space behind the engine? The function appears to be the same, but the engine will look stock if the cooler is left in place.
Doing just a tune to disable the egr valve, is that enough to reliably stop exhaust from going through the cooler? Is there a likely point of failure here with the valve? Assuming a tune is no additional cost, why not just tune without wrenching here?
I'm interested in your thoughts group.
#5 isn't a viable fix. Think of the egr system as a garden hose with nozzle on the end. Now the main difference with the egr system is there is no spigot at the inlet to the hose - it is plumbed directly into the water supply. If you spring a leak in your hose somewhere preventing​ someone from operating the nozzle on the end of the hose won't fix your leak.
I typically recommend #4 for most of my customers and they are always satisfied by with the tune as well as knowing they have fixed the issue permanently.
 

spatuality

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2010
Location
Ontario, Canada
TDI
2006 1.9L Jetta BRM MKV 5MT
#5 isn't a viable fix. Think of the egr system as a garden hose with nozzle on the end. Now the main difference with the egr system is there is no spigot at the inlet to the hose - it is plumbed directly into the water supply. If you spring a leak in your hose somewhere preventing​ someone from operating the nozzle on the end of the hose won't fix your leak.
I typically recommend #4 for most of my customers and they are always satisfied by with the tune as well as knowing they have fixed the issue permanently.
:) Thanks, thats exactly what I needed to know about the just-tune option. Makes sense.

Any tips on the bolts used to remove it?

It looks like 4x 5mm hex for the cooler to block bolts. Then there's the bolts for the horseshoe and the other side of the exhaust, and 3 bolts for the turbo oil return if the cooler doesnt get cut in half to remove.
 

Zwelder81

Member
Joined
May 1, 2017
Location
Washington state
TDI
2006 jetta
To delete the egr do you just block off the horse shoe shaped pipe and hook the coolant hoses together. My egr is hissing and I got the delete kit. I had the pipe out today and couldn't figure out what ones to block because my kit came with a different blank also. If it's just the two then I think I'm good
 

Zwelder81

Member
Joined
May 1, 2017
Location
Washington state
TDI
2006 jetta
And I was confused on the 2 hoses. I think it's the 2 right next to each other but there is a third kinda behind them and I wasn't sure witch 2 it was
 

spatuality

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2010
Location
Ontario, Canada
TDI
2006 1.9L Jetta BRM MKV 5MT
And I was confused on the 2 hoses. I think it's the 2 right next to each other but there is a third kinda behind them and I wasn't sure witch 2 it was
The coolant hoses to connect are the two rubber hoses attached to the egr cooler on the left side when looking up at it from under the car.

 

spatuality

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2010
Location
Ontario, Canada
TDI
2006 1.9L Jetta BRM MKV 5MT
To delete the egr do you just block off the horse shoe shaped pipe and hook the coolant hoses together. My egr is hissing and I got the delete kit. I had the pipe out today and couldn't figure out what ones to block because my kit came with a different blank also. If it's just the two then I think I'm good
The block off plates will be different sizes. One goes on the far right on the smaller opening, the other goes on the flar left larger opening, of the egr cooler when looking up at the engine from from the back.

 

Franko6

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
May 7, 2005
Location
Sw Missouri
TDI
Jetta, 99, Silver`
We have been welding the butterfly valve shut for years. We even have a kit for the purpose and take in core exchanges from your old EGR. There are a few stainless steel gaskets we found with legs to keep them in place when trying to get difficult bolts through the holes. It's not an easy job, but keeping gaskets aligned helps.
Btw: we only use one fiber gasket. One they put in from the factory is really ignorant, as the seal deteriorates. The stainless steel gaskets are very durable and in this case, often reusable.

The car warms up within a 2 minutes difference, but there isn't a butterfly valve shaft to loosen up and leak all your boost out.

Without the EGR cooler (maybe we should call it an antifreeze heater!), there is a city driving cool-down issue and fuel economy can suffer, especially in cold winter climates.

For those who prefer to block off and remove the EGR cooler, we are offering to buy cores. Let us know what you have and overall condition. Email pics help. NO broken bellows or beat up units...
 

Franko6

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
May 7, 2005
Location
Sw Missouri
TDI
Jetta, 99, Silver`
There is some misunderstanding with what I am doing with the EGR. I repair the EGR by altering the EGR cooler's butterfly valve, which has a big tendency to lose boost pressure, and a lot of power, out the butterfly shaft.

The purpose of the butterfly valve is to bypass the EGR cooler's heat exchanger when the water temperature is below 140 degrees. The supposed improvement in warm-up is pitifully short. The real purpose of the valve seems to be it's 'design obsolescence'. In other words, the part is designed to fail, it's expensive and your car runs poorly and may not be able to be licensed without it.

For a device we have seen people spend over $300 for the part and about 4.5 hours to install, that valve is an expensive problem to replace, is of little benefit even when it is working. If you delete the EGR cooler, you may cause your vehicle to be out of compliance by local emission rules and will reduce engine efficiency when it is not installed. We have seen EGR coolers replaced 3 or more times. Once we fix that valve, we have not seen any failures for our modified EGR coolers. We warranty our repair for 5 years.

We are not against the purpose or effectiveness of the EGR. Having grown up in SMOG Central, Los Angeles, I can appreciate breathing cleaner air and the efforts to reduce NOX, which is the main purpose of the EGR valve on a diesel. I can also attest that when the EGR valve is correctly operating, the system for the BRM engine is reasonably clean and does not have the clogging problem that was associated with the previous ALH engine.

In the States, the delete is illegal by Federal Law (As some mechanics have found out, "Blantant abuse of EPA rules and regulations..." $10,000 per incident fine can be levied) In several states, like California and I believe NY, NY, you cannot get the car passed inspection without the proper smog equipment installed. In other states, you will not be able to pass inspection with a CEL light on.

In many of our colder states, the EGR valve is beneficial in warming the engine and keeping the engine at a good operating temperature, just as GoFaster mentions. I have seen fuel economy can decrease 15%+, if the engine will not properly warm up.

In all, we do not see a problem leaving a correctly repaired EGR in place. We provide a kit that is comparable to making a EGR delete tune, but leaves the whole system intact. We take your old EGR cooler in as a core and the kit of seals is not only 'the right stuff', but actually makes the job easier by using our gaskets with clips we found to hold them in place.

The big question is, What is wrong with improving a part that has a high potential of failure into one that is virtually Zero failure? That is our EGR cooler kit.

Questions?
 
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Franko6

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
May 7, 2005
Location
Sw Missouri
TDI
Jetta, 99, Silver`
Sorry T-bone, I don't regularly check this thread...

We are selling our repaired EGR cooler for $170. We refund $80 for a repairable core, when returned.

We also include a set of seals to replace one poorly situated fiber gasket (I don't understand why the Stainless Steel gasket was not used there) and a couple of SS gaskets that have 'legs' on them to keep the gasket lined up on the holes. If you ever fought a gasket that swung out of location and you can't really see it, you will appreciate a gasket that stays put. The gasket set adds about $25 to the kit, but reduces the headaches and hassles.

We have had ZERO failures for any of about 200 EGR coolers we have repaired. However, I will note, we have taken in two core EGR coolers with the brass replacement seal that failed. That brass seal is a B**** to remove. compared to the OEM seal.

Our complete kit, with replacement gaskets is $195 + shipping. Core return drops total cost to $115+shipping. Follow our mandates on install (must have all 4 screws attaching cooler to engine block) and has a great warranty.
 
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Ol'Rattler

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
PNA
TDI
2006 BRM Jetta
Frank,
I just got one of your welded cooler kits and my assumptions are that the EGR will work pretty much as designed at normal operating temps, Warm up will be slightly longer depending on outside air temp, the vacuum actuator becomes a sooty paper weight and I won't have to get a tune. Are those points all correct?

Oh, and the cooler looks almost like brand new, fantastic....................
 
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Dominicdx

Active member
Joined
Sep 18, 2018
Location
Fort Worth TX USA
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
Egr parts

I deleted my EGR Cooler when it failed. It is a dirty job, but can be done relatively quickly with the help of a sawz-all.

Two block off plates and a 90* PCV bend later and its gone. You WILL get a CEL, but any tuner can tune that out. (And you might as well get a tune while you're at it. Well worth it).

Remember, this is for 'off road' use only though. ;)
Where did you buy the kit or parts ?
Looking to delete my egr and cooler
 

Franko6

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
May 7, 2005
Location
Sw Missouri
TDI
Jetta, 99, Silver`
Update to what we are doing...

We recently sent a BRM EGR cooler, repaired as we have been doing for a long time, to a California customer. He has a buddy who works in the government agency that does SMOG checks. They are really after the diesels and are going to reject any car that has been modified, especially concerning emission control systems. There is a visual inspection to make sure all the parts for emissions are in place. That does not mean necessarily working, but in place. So, we will be making 'stealth' EGR coolers for the California market and any others that think they may require it.

In other words, the parts for the EGR cooler butterfly valve will be installed, but the shaft will be sealed so it never leaks.

I might mention, in the last few months, we have gotten core EGR coolers in, that had the brass bushing repair. Unwittingly, we started to weld one and splattered the brass bushing into our weld. That made a mess...

So, our opinion of the brass bushing was not all that good to begin with, but now we see they wear out same as the OEM.

So, no CEL, no leaking valve shaft and for your Cali boys, a repair that will pass visual inspection.

By the way, we found a couple of gaskets that have 'legs' that hold the gasket in place. This keeps them from moving around when you are trying to get bolts installed. If you ever tried without our gaskets, you will understand how the upgrade gaskets helps.
 

TexasWren

New member
Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Location
Austin, Texas
TDI
2000 New Beetle ALH, 2006 Jetta BRM
Brass bushings aren't going to work for long without lubrication of some sort. I found graphite-impregnated, dry-lubricating 841 bearing bronze stock from McMaster-Carr (the high-temperature, dry version of SAE841 oillite bearings) which is rated to a working temperature of 700 degrees. I machined that to make a press-in bushing. I made it longer than the stock graphite bushing, to provide extra shaft support.

It's been 40,000 miles, so far, and no leaks that I can tell. It's only a useful solution for anybody who has some machining tools and patience, because I had to make some tweaks from my original design to keep it from binding. The graphite-impregnanted, sintered bronze, self-lubricating bearing stock is the only one I would consider, because the graphite is well-distributed. The bronze bearings with buttons of graphite in it is not going to work well for machining. McMaster-Carr is the ONLY place I have found the sintered graphite bronze stock.

Given that it was a one-off, and I didn't have any experience in the repair, it didn't take too long. My only regret is that I didn't knock out the plug on the other end of the shaft and make a bushing for that end, too, but I didn't want to get into taking the butterfly valve apart. If it leaks again in the next 100,000 miles, I might go that extra step, to better support the shaft and reduce the stresses that would wallow it out. My wife appreciates how quickly the car warms up (about 5-10 minutes faster than our MK4 Beetle)

I can't say it will last forever (no moving part ever will) but it should last longer than the 100,000 that the original soft graphite bearings lasted, and given that it only took about an inch of bronze stock, I've got enough to do the repair several more times, if need be. This is an experiment, whose durability has yet to be verified, whereas Franko6's fix is absolutely permanent. Still, I just thought I'd bring it up for anybody who finds joy in cutting metal and reverse-engineering improvements.
 

Franko6

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
May 7, 2005
Location
Sw Missouri
TDI
Jetta, 99, Silver`
All that effort and the stainless steel shaft is as much the problem. I am into ELEGANT SOLUTIONS! No EGR butterfly valve= NO LEAKS and of course, no CEL. So, this fix does not require a tune fix.

Also, for Northern cars, the EGR being operable is an advantage to bring the engine up to operating temp. We do not recommend removal of the EGR in many cases, as it does serve a purpose, even if it's not the one most people are thinking of.
 
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