6.0 tips

[BroncoHauler]

Originally Posted by daveb

... Can't block the EGR here in Ca.

Legally, if it's part of emissions, it can't be modified in any way, anywhere in the country. Here in CA with the newly established diesel vehicle tax, I mean diesel smog testing, I don't know if blocking the EGR would throw a code, but I doubt it would be part of the visual inspection. In this case, be thankful we have vans, where there's pretty much nothing visible under the hood.

Received my '05 VW Passat TDI registration renewal the other day. "Smog Test Required".


Herb

[Switchfoot]

Modifying or disabling the EGR system will void your 5 yr/100K mile warranty in a heartbeat. Have to assess the risk vs. reward and I think you'd be better keeping the warranty intact. I've used my warranty three times in three years (none of it EGR related) so its definitely worth keeping to me.

In reading dieselstop.com, there are three ways people get around the EGR issue:
1. Disconnect the electrical connector. It defaults to the EGR valve to the closed position but will cause the computer to throw a code and the check engine light (CEL) will come on. The engine supposedly runs just like before.

2. Buy an upgraded EGR cooler like this http://www.ntshoptools.com/Ford_Power_Stroke_EGR.html or a bypass/delete pipe that removes it altogether. If this ever happens to me, I'll spring for the upgraded part rather than pay for more headaches down the road by staying OEM.

3. Most tuners disable the EGR cooler in the computer in such a fashion that it doesn't throw a code or the CEL. This is a neat feature and if the engine wasn't prone to stretching headbolts, I'd seriously consider one. Maybe with the Badger heat management vents, a mild tune, and mature use of the right pedal, the engine could survive unscathed.

As others have stated, the best advice appears to be install a coolant filter. I want to do that on ours and am looking at doing it off of my rear heater lines so I don't have to mess with the crowded conditions in the engine compartment.

[daveb]

I'm not gonna be the beta tester on this one. If the EGR does anything I won't be surprised if they find a problem with the emissions. Hell I won't be surprised if we have to add some kind of particulate trap in the future or take a state hand out to retire the engine. But you're correct, I don't know how hardcore the testing is gonna be.

[saline]

jess,
They could be talking about an oil transfer block. This replaces the stock oil cooler block and changes it to an air cooled system instead of liquid cooled.

[Ford_6L_E350]

Disconnecting the EGR valve does nothing to solve the problem of the EGR cooler. The exhaust is still flowing through the EGR cooler. And you will get Check Engine lights because the valve is not responding to the signals.

Blocking the flow of exhaust and leaving the EGR valve connected should work, but may not pass a sniffer test. But we don't have that - yet.

Legal - no.

My van is dead stock. The EGR valve has not been pulled out in over 70,000 miles. It was pulled and cleaned when it had a couple of thousand miles on it, but I attribute that to excess idling and no full warmups during it's time at SMB.

Mike

[Mahukaawe]

I'm just wondering with all the talk of no idling in the 6.0 what happens when we are rock crawling or cow trailing it down a very rough mountain trail?
There has been many times I am doing this for a long periods and barely above idle if that. I can get our van almost anywhere if it is taken slow.

[Ford_6L_E350]

My hope is that even rock crawling the engine has enough throttle to generate the heat needed to stay clean.

I know when I was climbing a miles long steep grade in low range, low gear, at or just above idle the engine got hot enough to turn on the fan. Makes me believe it was hot enough to be ok.

Mike