oil coming out of egr valve

cboozer0511

Member
Joined
May 18, 2010
Location
Clarion PA
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2003 Jetta TDI
I have an 01 jetta tdi and i have a decent amount of oil coming out of the egr valve and coving my valve cover. What could be causing it? blowby?
 

migbro

Veteran Member
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May 19, 2010
Location
Lincoln, Mass.
TDI
2003 Golf GL
EGR Valve Weeping

I have an 01 jetta tdi and i have a decent amount of oil coming out of the egr valve and coving my valve cover. What could be causing it? blowby?
I recently dismantled a failed EGR valve from my 2003 Golf. Not an easy thing to do, btw, as it's not designed to come apart. Had to grind the cap off.

The oil is coming from your intake and from the recirculating exhaust gas flow. The EGR valve contains a piston that is raised and lowered by vacuum in response to commands from your ECU. The piston slides in a metal bushing. As the EGR cycles, the piston moves up and down in the bushing. As it does so, small amounts of oil pass through the annular clearance between the piston and the bushing. It's my guess that this process is accelerated by the presence of soot - carbon deposits - between the piston and bushing which wear the bushing and piston, increasing the clearance between them and allowing progressively more oil to pass into the space underneath the EGR diaphragm. Also, the intake air is pressurized (by the turbo), so that once the bushing is worn, small amounts of air/oil may flow continuously through the bushing while the engine is running.

The EGR has two small holes - one each side - through which the leaking oil will flow. These two holes are not designed as weep holes, though they
function that way. The holes allow the air under the EGR diaphragm to remain at atmospheric pressure as the EGR operates and the EGR diaphragm moves up and down.

Bottom line. It's only a cosmetic problem, not a functional problem, so you can safely ignore it.

If you must fix it, the only way is to replace the EGR valve as the EGR valve is not serviceable.
 
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josh8loop

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2002 VW Jetta TDI Manual(performed 01M to 5-speed swap) - 183,000 miles and climbing!
Perhaps you are talking about the black rubber grommet & plastic crank case vent assembly that plugs into the valve cover? I can imagine this could leak covering the whole valve cover.
 
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SmokeFree

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Easton, PA
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2011 Golf TDI, 2008 Audi A3 2.0T, 2010 Mercedes Sprinter 3500
no I have had the same issue ever since I disabled my egr... it weeps out of the hole, I was considering plugging these holes. I was told not to plug the hole if I had an operational EGR, but an idea was thread a plug in, and route your leaking oil somewhere else? catch can? a little one but who knows... idea.

I am assuming since the holes are for a WORKING egr, that if ones egr is not in operation, we could plug it?

Other wise, clean it everytime you fill up!
 

migbro

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May 19, 2010
Location
Lincoln, Mass.
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2003 Golf GL
no I have had the same issue ever since I disabled my egr... it weeps out of the hole, I was considering plugging these holes. I was told not to plug the hole if I had an operational EGR, but an idea was thread a plug in, and route your leaking oil somewhere else? catch can? a little one but who knows... idea.

I am assuming since the holes are for a WORKING egr, that if ones egr is not in operation, we could plug it?

Other wise, clean it everytime you fill up!
If you plug those holes on a working EGR valve then the EGR valve will quickly get stuck open - i.e EGR on all the time - as the space under the diaphragm becomes pressurized and the EGR piston is permanently raised.

If your EGR valve is non-operational because the EGR valve diaphragm is damaged - holed, torn, etc. - then you could plug those holes without a problem. You can check the condition of the diaphragm by using a Mity-Vac to apply vacuum to the EGR valve (engine off, of course and flexible hose to EGR valve removed). If the piston does not move, your EGR valve diaphragm is damaged.

If your EGR valve is non-operational because you have disconnected the vacuum hose or for some other reason, but the EGR valve diaphragm is intact, then plugging the holes will again cause EGR to be on all the time.
 
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cboozer0511

Member
Joined
May 18, 2010
Location
Clarion PA
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
thanks for the info everyone! i'm considering doing what bluesmoker suggested as there are no emissions tests in our area. i assume this will cause the check engine light to come on. my friend has the vag-com software is there a way to fix the light with that? this is prob a dumb question but why is there oil in the egr in the first place?
 

bluesmoker

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Jun 7, 2006
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Maple Ridge, B.C.
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2004 pd 5 speed tip
thanks for the info everyone! i'm considering doing what bluesmoker suggested as there are no emissions tests in our area. i assume this will cause the check engine light to come on. my friend has the vag-com software is there a way to fix the light with that? this is prob a dumb question but why is there oil in the egr in the first place?

no vag com will not turn off the cel

you need a chip tune from RC, malone ect
 

eb2143

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Dec 26, 2005
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Rhode Island
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Bottom line. It's only a cosmetic problem, not a functional problem, so you can safely ignore it.
Except they can get bad enough to be a little bit of a fire hazard. I just bit the bullet and replaced mine. $120 for a new one a member never installed. I apparently caused it as it only leaked after I used degreasers on it while cleaning it.
 

migbro

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Location
Lincoln, Mass.
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2003 Golf GL
Except they can get bad enough to be a little bit of a fire hazard. I just bit the bullet and replaced mine. $120 for a new one a member never installed. I apparently caused it as it only leaked after I used degreasers on it while cleaning it.
Well, I hadn't really thought about the fire hazard angle. Good point.

The degreaser may have come in contact with the internal diaphragm. Not too difficult to do.

I tooefed my EGR valve by overheating it when I cleaned it. Found a used unit for not too much money. Live and learn.
 

mikey141414

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If your EGR valve is non-operational because you have disconnected the vacuum hose or for some other reason, but the EGR valve diaphragm is intact, then plugging the holes will again cause EGR to be on all the time.
So, I am confused. I thought when the valve is in the closed position/no vacuum, that the EGR is off.

I have had the same oily situation and a broken ASV arm, so I decided to unhook both actuators and vacuum lines. I assumed that this would act as a "Race Pipe" and fix the oil problem. Obviously, I am mistaken.
 

migbro

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May 19, 2010
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Lincoln, Mass.
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2003 Golf GL
So, I am confused. I thought when the valve is in the closed position/no vacuum, that the EGR is off.
Yes, that's correct. No vacuum means EGR valve closed, hence exhaust gas recirculation is off. That does not stop pressurized charge air flowing through a worn EGR valve piston bushing however, bringing oil with it.

I have had the same oily situation and a broken ASV arm, so I decided to unhook both actuators and vacuum lines. I assumed that this would act as a "Race Pipe" and fix the oil problem. Obviously, I am mistaken.
Yes, afraid so. This shuts off exhaust gas recirculation but does nothing to stop the air/oil leakage through the EGR valve piston/bushing.

Since the oil leaking from the EGR valve comes primarily from the charge air, I wonder if excessive oil leakage at the EGR valve might be a warning of impending turbo (oil seal) failure. Something to think about.
 
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josh8loop

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Fellas,,,

Nevermind :)
 
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mikey141414

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So, after unplugging the EGR and ASV, my cleaned up EGR shows no signs of leakage after 2 days, which was really oily after 2 days the last time I cleaned up the oil. It might have been just due to cleaning out the soot and debris from around the valve itself. In that case, I might hook it back up and see if it works properly now. I also cleaned the inside of the big black rubber elbow of any oil to see how much is accumulated over the next few days.
 

shouck

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Sep 5, 2009
Location
Milford, MI
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99.5 Golf
Are we talking about this? I just noticed this not too long ago after replacing the elbow that connects the EGR to the intercooler. I've been going to the DIY carwash & washing the oil off, but obviously, that's not the real solution. Looks like a new EGR is in my future?



 

mikey141414

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Overland Park, Kansas
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Thats what mine looked like. I wouldn't spray the inside of the car with the power washer. There have been multiple threads advising not to do this.

I took my EGR off and cleaned it really well, especially where the valve seals. Hook up a Mitey vac suction to the valve to open it it and clean under it.

I went ahead and disconnected everything, but either way, i have seen no more weeping.

Good luck~Mikey
 

shouck

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Milford, MI
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99.5 Golf
That's definitely worse, but your oil fill area seems clean, where mine is getting oil blown on it. Does this indicate it's in worse condition, or should I still try cleaning it out?

Also, I recently cleaned my intake & EGR, and I'm sure I got degreaser somewhere in the egr it shouldn't have been. I was pretty liberal, with the exception of the vacuum hole. Nothing went in there.

 

mikey141414

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Mine was like that also. I had just cleaned it before taking the pic. I also noticed that when I had the EGR off, it sounded like there was some liquid inside it when I put the vacuum on it. Perhaps that is how it stopped working properly? I don't know.

I just unplugged the EGR and VOILA! no more oil. I'm not sure if you want to try that for awhile. You will get a check engine light, but at least you know where it is coming from.
 

cboozer0511

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May 18, 2010
Location
Clarion PA
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
There's no way to know really. If only someone who had taken one apart had taken the time to explain exactly where the oil comes from at 4:34pm on 10-9. Oh well.
You said, "The oil is coming from your intake". I was asking how does the oil get into the intake.
 
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