cleaning throttle body

PDJetta

Top Post Dawg
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Nov 6, 2003
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
'04 Jetta GLS TDI Pumpe Duce Platinum Grey w/ Leather
The PD is. The throttle plate is electrically actuated with position feedback. Its used to increase the EGR flow by blocking off the intake as the EGR valve opens. The O2 sensor is the feedback sensor to the ECU to calculate NOx content from the oxygen content of the exhaust.

For a squeky clean intake manifold on the PD, block off the EGR pipe with a plate where it exits the EGR cooler and remove the throttle plate inside the throttle body:)

Then, just disregard the CEL you will have from that point on.

--Nate
 

TDI_PD

Active member
Joined
Oct 10, 2005
Location
Pottstown, PA
TDI
VW Golf, 2004, Silver
How do I block off the EGR pipe with a plate? What kind of plate? Where can I buy this at? Do you have pictures? Also what is the throttle plate?
 
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GoFaster

Moderator at Large
Joined
Jun 16, 1999
Location
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
Not a matter of buying anything, because tampering with emission-control stuff like that is illegal. You have to MAKE it.

How do you block it? Remove the EGR valve, make a pattern of what the flange looks like, cut/drill out of some suitable sheet metal but with no hole in the center for the EGR gases to flow through, re-assemble. The throttle is in the EGR valve assembly at the inlet to the intake manifold.

I don't get how you asked about throttle body cleaning and don't know how to identify the throttle ... perhaps it's better if one leaves well enough alone ...
 

n1das

TDIClub Enthusiast, Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2002
Location
Nashua, NH, USA
TDI
2014 BMW 535xd ///M-Sport, 2012 BMW X5 Xdrive35d, former 3x TDI owner
Anti-shudder valve or "throttle plate" ?

I know the EGR valve is electrically operated and has position feedback to the ECU. The plate is definitely there for the "anti-shudder" valve function. Does the anti-shudder valve also function as a throttle plate, i.e., partially close under certain conditions, like Nate described? I'm skeptical because the air intake on a diesel engine including a modern turbodiesel is normally unthrottled.:confused: Partially closing the plate under some conditions would essentially become a restriction in the intake air path and also block boost. Makes no sense to me in a modern turbodiesel engine.:confused:

"Throttle plate" in EGR valve assembly = Myth or fact?
 
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TDI_PD

Active member
Joined
Oct 10, 2005
Location
Pottstown, PA
TDI
VW Golf, 2004, Silver
Well i took it to a VW dealership cause i was having cold start problems, so the replaced the glowplugs and harness and called us and said they wanted to clean the EGR and the throttle body for $400 and we just told them no, so i wanted to know if i could just do it.
 

PDJetta

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 6, 2003
Location
Northern Virginia
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'04 Jetta GLS TDI Pumpe Duce Platinum Grey w/ Leather
Here is some info from the Pierburg web site. They make both the electrically-operated EGR valve and throttle plate on the PD:

http://www.kolbenschmidt.de/pdfdoc/edr_e.pdf

Read under the caption "Diesel Engines" Also read about the electrical throttle plate for diesel engine EGR control further on in the literature.

http://www.kolbenschmidt.de/index.php?lang=3&fid=444

"On diesel engines, low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation is an effective means of complying with emission limits. To work efficiently, such systems require very high EGR rates. Pierburg’s electrically actuated flap helps tighten the throttling effect within the exhaust system."

The EGR block-off plate can be made using an EGR pipe gasket as a template. Cut the plate out of sheet steel.

The throttle plate is removed by disconnecting the rubber elbow from the plastic charge air pipe to the throttle body (sits next to the EGR valve) for access. Then, with a torx bit (T-25?) remove the two screws securing the throttle plate to its shaft (being careful to retrieve the screws without loosing them in the intake manifold). Push the throttle plate to "open" (the ignition may have to be on for this, since it may be locked in the "closed" position with the key "off", I forget, using your finger. Once the plate is in a horizontal position, it can be removed from its shaft.

If you ever reinstall the plate, clean out its screw holes with gum cutter, or the like, and use thread locker on the threads before installing the screws.

Please note the anti-shudder valve function has been removed and will no longer offer protection if oil somehow gets injested into the engine.

Also note that blocking off the EGR without removing the throttle plate will cause an MPG hit because there will be a manifold vacuum when the ECU calls for increased EGR flow, and since the EGR is blocked and will not bleed off the intake manifold vacuum from the throttle plate cycling closed to draw in more exhaust into the intake manifold, and there will be an effeciency loss.

--Nate
 

Jwagen04

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2004
Location
Toledo, OH
TDI
Jetta Wagon, '04, Shadow Blue
PDJetta said:
The PD is. The throttle plate is electrically actuated with position feedback. Its used to increase the EGR flow by blocking off the intake as the EGR valve opens. The O2 sensor is the feedback sensor to the ECU to calculate NOx content from the oxygen content of the exhaust.

For a squeky clean intake manifold on the PD, block off the EGR pipe with a plate where it exits the EGR cooler and remove the throttle plate inside the throttle body:)

Then, just disregard the CEL you will have from that point on.

--Nate
There is a way to do reduce EGR flow without getting a constant CEL light. I did all of what you did above, except I followed the advice of the Passat guys who were looking to reduce shuddering similar to what my engine had. You can put the plate in place with a 9mm hole (approx) that will reduce the EGR flow, but not give a constant CEL light. It took care of the shuddering/bucking issues I had as well. The CEL light did come on after a few weeks, but then went out after eight cycles of the engine (approx) like I was advised it would. This is an option for those that don't want the constant CEL light.
 
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PDJetta

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 6, 2003
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
'04 Jetta GLS TDI Pumpe Duce Platinum Grey w/ Leather
I'm waiting for my CEL to burn itself out!

I scan for codes periodically with my VAG-COM since the CEL is on all the time.

--Nate
 

sinneD

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2003
Location
Fondy-Dfld
TDI
Jetta 2006 Reflex Silver
you can do it

TDI_PD said:
Well i took it to a VW dealership cause i was having cold start problems, so the replaced the glowplugs and harness and called us and said they wanted to clean the EGR and the throttle body for $400 and we just told them no, so i wanted to know if i could just do it.
as far as cleaning the egr- yes you can do it. look at the info here on the site regarding intake cleaning. the ALH motors and BEW's are almost identical in this regard.

did the dealer perform the whole cold start tsb? its like a 2 or 3 step procedure. i don;t think that glow plugs and realy alone is part of it.

poke around, there is lots of info here on cold start.

if they did the WHOLE thing, includeing changing injectors, the book time is half of actual time. sounds like they are trying to recover their lost labor.

since the egr is part of the emissions system, and is warranteed different than the car, you may have an argument to get them to clean it. then again, it may be wishful thinking.
 

tungsten c

Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2013
Location
Florida
TDI
gulf 2012
Code I am getting

I wonder if anyone has used a fuel additive that will clean some of the system for now.?

Also this is the this is the error I am getting but my car seems to work fine so far

P0401 - powertrain exhaust gas recirculation flow insufficient detected

Thanks
Golf DTI 2012 104000 miles
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
Well i took it to a VW dealership cause i was having cold start problems, so the replaced the glowplugs and harness and called us and said they wanted to clean the EGR and the throttle body for $400 and we just told them no, so i wanted to know if i could just do it.
I'm going to guess they are using the term throttle body for the intake.
You can clean the intake and EGR, but first see if they need it. They will be dirty, but unless there is a buildup, you can just spot clean it and motor on.
 
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