Does deleting the EGR on BEW effect cold weather operation?

Fasteddie10

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2011
Location
Illinois
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon TDI, 2-2005 Passat Wagon TDIs, 2-2004 Passat Wagon TDIs
Does deleting the EGR on BEW effect cold weather operation?

My new EGR pipe for my new Garrett GT1749 does not fit well. I have a small leak that is whistling. Drivers side flange was off by 1/2 bolt hole, was a wrestling match even with the cooler bolts loose. Now I am thinking about a delete kit. Cleaned up the intake, was dirty but not as bad as a number of photos that are posted.

My concern is engine heat in the winter, a few people say to leave it due to egr helping it warm up. Have 2 BHWs with a delete kit, no heating issues on them. It does get below zero here. You can watch the temp gauge go down while idling when below zero. But heats right back up while driving. Being a manual, it uses so little fuel at idle.
 

Mike_04GolfTDI

Top Post Dawg
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Nov 19, 2003
Location
Richmond, BC, Canada
TDI
Mine: 2019 Golf R DSG, Wife's: 2015 Golf Comfortline TDI
The manual transmission version has the three glowplugs in the cooling system to help with warming up. So perhaps EGR delete is less of an issue with those.

I haven't noticed any problems in the winter. Seems to warm up just as slowly with or without EGR.
 

gforce1108

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2006
Location
Newburgh, NY
TDI
04 Jetta GLS BEW, 14 Audi A7 V6 TDI, 13 Porsche Cayenne V6 TDI
Mine is quite slow to heat up - at least 10 minutes of driving. I have not checked if the coolant glow plugs work and I have no hood insulation. I changed the thermostat to see if it would help and it would not. I have to get on it hard at least once to get the heat going and most of my winter driving shows coolant temps in the 170 range (dash gauge reads fine, SGII shows low temps). By contrast - my 03 with working EGR (no hood insulation either), starts to get warm within 2 minutes of light driving.

EDIT - adding pipe insulation as a grill block does help my 04.
 

scurvy

Good Ol' Boy
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
Chicago IL USA
TDI
2006 Golf
Install pipe insulation and a Zerostart heater, you'll never notice the difference.


FWIW, I use both in the winter and have my EGR tuned out. It does get a little chilly in my corner of Illinois and my commute isn't a long highway one anymore.


I changed the thermostat to see if it would help and it would not. I have to get on it hard at least once to get the heat going and most of my winter driving shows coolant temps in the 170 range (dash gauge reads fine, SGII shows low temps).
Your thermostat still isn't working correctly if the coolant doesn't get above 170ºF... you need to replace it with one that does work, and you should verify it in a pan of hot water before installing it.


I used a Stant Superstat with OK results (got up to temp quickly, but more variation in coolant temps), also an OEM Mahle with good results.
 
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KrashDH

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Location
Washington
TDI
2002 Golf
Like all diesels, they aren't going to warm up just idling in the driveway. They need to be under load to heat up. It may be a matter of a few extra miles before it's up to operating temp, but it's nothing to sweat.
 

gforce1108

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2006
Location
Newburgh, NY
TDI
04 Jetta GLS BEW, 14 Audi A7 V6 TDI, 13 Porsche Cayenne V6 TDI
Install pipe insulation and a Zerostart heater, you'll never notice the difference.


FWIW, I use both in the winter and have my EGR tuned out. It does get a little chilly in my corner of Illinois and my commute isn't a long highway one anymore.



Your thermostat still isn't working correctly if the coolant doesn't get above 170ºF... you need to replace it with one that does work, and you should verify it in a pan of hot water before installing it.


I used a Stant Superstat with OK results (got up to temp quickly, but more variation in coolant temps), also an OEM Mahle with good results.
2 thermostats (original and replacement from idparts) - same temps. Lower radiator hose is cold.
 

Genesis

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Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Location
Sevier County TN
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'03 Jetta Wagon
2 thermostats (original and replacement from idparts) - same temps. Lower radiator hose is cold.
I've had mine, at a train crossing in the winter while waiting for said train, lose enough heat to go from normal operating temps and plenty of cabin heat to COLD AIR out of the heater and the needle barely off the cold peg! Yes, these engines idle quite cool and in the winter, with no load..... :cool:

Mine is an ALH but it DOES have all of its stock bits on it, including the EGR cooler....
 

Votblindub

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2010
Location
NY
TDI
MK4 Jetta Wagon
My white car isn't deleted and it's on the cooler side during the winter, even with the radiator blocked off. The seat warmer helps. The frost heater helps, but it's heater is nowhere NEAR the one in my Audi.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
FWIW, the BEW (and the BRM) both have EGR cooler bypass flaps. Which means, when the engine is cold, the heat transfer won't be as much through the EGR cooler anyway. Unlike the ALH and BHW, where the EGR is ALWAYS passing through the cooler when the EGR is on.

So I think the difference in warm up with or without a functional EGR cooler on the BEW may not be as noticeable as on some other TDIs.

That said, it seems like the PDs do some trickery with maybe the electronic intake flap and bigger EGR passages as well as the ability to run more fuel and boost (so, more power) that they seem to warm up a little quicker than the VEs do anyway. At least, that has been my experience.

Because otherwise, the ALH and BEW have virtually the exact same cooling system, and volume (more or less) same thermostat, and are moving essentially the same car. I do not know if it is just the less efficient (fuel use wise) of the PD100 vs. the VE90 or what.
 

scurvy

Good Ol' Boy
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
Chicago IL USA
TDI
2006 Golf
2 thermostats (original and replacement from idparts) - same temps. Lower radiator hose is cold.

Did you verify that they open at the correct temperature before installing them? There have been lots of complaints in the last few years about brand new, non-functional thermostats, even OEM.


It's either the water pump, thermostat or a restriction in the system. Cooling system is pretty simple on these cars.
 

gforce1108

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2006
Location
Newburgh, NY
TDI
04 Jetta GLS BEW, 14 Audi A7 V6 TDI, 13 Porsche Cayenne V6 TDI
Did you verify that they open at the correct temperature before installing them? There have been lots of complaints in the last few years about brand new, non-functional thermostats, even OEM.


It's either the water pump, thermostat or a restriction in the system. Cooling system is pretty simple on these cars.
I did not - but I do know it's not stuck open since the lower hose is cold. When the outside temps are higher, the car runs at the correct temp. I just replaced the thermostat on my 03 and did verify that it opened correctly (the old one was stuck closed causing overheat on very hot days).

A higher temp thermostat is on my to-do list for the 04. I will test it before install and also test the one I remove.
 
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