[MrWoolf]

Hi all, Sorry this may be a bit of a read, but stick with me!

After many a month, well a couple of years actually, of living with a sticky EGR valve, I finally plucked up the courage to begin the task of removing, cleaning and refitting the EGR.
I would love to say that the "guides" i found on youtube really helped out but i have to admit they make the job seem far too easy, I will go on to explain.

My background - Never been a full time mechanic and have no formal training, Spent 20+ years learning from my Uncle ( Certifiied mechanic ,former MOT tester, and HGV mechanic) bought and sold many MOT failures and repaired countless cars on the side, I would not say i know everything ( who does?) but like to think I'm quite handy on the tools

I completed the job in roughly 5-6 hours ( I will explain) and have lost countless layers of skin on both arms and hands in the process, Thinking the "guides" I had seen would actually work!

Started the job at home on the road side, as usual and all seemed to be going well! EGR to inake manifold off , wiring out the way, 2 x 8mm holding the EGR to engine removed, EGR cooler water pipe removed, top 10mm bolt holding the EGR to EGR cooler removed......................30 mins/ 1 hour so far and this is easy......just like the guides.........and that when all the swearing and skin loss began.

Like f*ck can you get a ratchet and 10mm to the bottom 10m bolt holding the EGR to ERG cooler, I have 3, 1/4 drive of varing size and head angle but you cannot move the rachet against the bulk head. Tired various flexi-nuckles and extender bars still no joy.
Abandon that and try a 10m ring spanner - again, get the spanner on but no space to move it. Ok 10mm ratchet spanner - fiddly as f*ck, riping my right arm apart with every move trying to hold the head on the bolt and turn with left hand, some progress but not worth the pain and slow progress!

Ok, abandion that, lets have a try at the allen bolt that located directly underneath the EGR,It's directly down from right hand side 8mm bolt we undid earlier! Size 5 allen key/ allen driver needed here (Not shown in the "guides") ...............nope I could not get an allen key/ or driver bit to the bolt and turn it, Mostly due to the fact the intake and heater pipes are in the way, and it seemed almost impopssible to get the allen key or bit in the right angle to get into the bolt. I even cut 1/4 off the end of the allen key with a grinder but still could not get it in the boly hole! Soo super fiddley, I could not manage it! There must be an easier way FFS

So I'm now roughly 3 hours in and its starting to rain, Not a happy bunny and i guess the neighbours are growing tired of me shouting profanaties at my engine bay, Change of plan needed and possibly, NO deffinatley, access to more tools needed. Everyting put back tohether and over to Uncles Bob's garage.

So there are two problem bolts to remove due to a lack of space/ room to move the tools when on the bolt. Allen bolt underneath the EGR and the 10mm lower bolt holding the EGR to the EGR cooler.

Lets tackle the allen bolt first - With access to a pit, you can do this from under that car! FFS - if only i knew this before!
I put my light in the intake pipe along the bulk head, facing the EGR and got under the car. At first i could not see any way to get at it from underneath..losing all hope at this point but then a glimpse of hope!. If you look up and slightly right, head at the left side of the exhaust down pipe, you can see the allen bolt ( laughing at you) in all it glory!
A load ( I used 5 long bars) of 1/4" extension bars, 10mm socket and no 5 allen driver, and bingo! allen bolt loosened 4-5 turns and a deep sense of relief - I think a vicotry Cigi was in order! ) I replaced the allen bolt with a 10mm bolt when refitting for ease if I ever take it off again!)

EDIT - If you have car ramps ( i do but hindsight is a wonderful thing
and i was not getting soaked with the car not driveable! ) get your car on the ramps and tackle this first.

Now onto the lower EGR to EGR cooler bolt - you are best served having access to a stumpy/ short 10mm ring spanner. You can easily get the ring end on the bolt head and actually get a 1/4 turn, without ripping you hands apart - Bonus! Bolt out and ERG removed - happy days

EGR valve now off the sodding car and its blacker the the darkside of the moon, all the internals are covered in a thick layer of carbon, (I hear Mclaren are recycling carbon, maybe i could sell it to them???) Time to brake out the oven cleaner and a small paintbursh. Cake the internals with oven cleaner and leave for 15mins. Then aggitate with bursh and repeat untill it looks like new! Dot forget to take the plastic cap of where the piston spring is and give that a good clean out.
Final spray with WD40 down the pistion and spring and all is clean and freely moving.

All said and done this job is not a difficult as it seemed if you have the right tools and know you can get to the allen bolt via ramps or a pit. I recon this should have taken 2-3 hours in total depening on how long you take to clean the valve.

I hope this may at least help someone else or at best make someone else feel better about an "easy" job that turned into a nightmare!

I've just been on the internet and ordered a set of stumpy ring spanners for the tool box and a load of plasters for the cuts!