In case you are an owner of a diesel engine vehicle, you may have come across a special kit that is aimed at deactivating the EGR system. This kit represents a modification to your car that offers not only outstanding engine performance but also provides better car reliability and increased fuel efficiency. This option raises a significant question: is removing your Exhaust Gas Recirculation system actually worth it?
In this article, we invite you to explore what an EGR removal does, what the pros and cons are, and whether this procedure will offer the right choice for your car.
What does an EGR Removal do?
Before one considers deleting the EGR system, it is critical to understand what an EGR system does and its role within your vehicle.
EGR stands for Exhaust Gas Recirculation and represents the system made to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. How does it do it? In brief, EGR system recirculates a small amount of engine exhaust gas back into the engine intake system. As a result, this dirty exhaust gas is pushed back into the combustion chamber, causing the temperature to drop and NOx emissions to be reduced.
EGR kit removes the EGR valve and its components, which, in its turn, prevents dirty exhaust gas making its journey back into the combustion chamber. Once the kit removes the valve, your engine will perform without recirculating exhaust gases.
Benefits of Removing Exhaust Gas Recirculation
Performing an EGR removal provides several advantages, particularly to diesel engines.
- Improved Fuel Efficiency
Given that your engine does not need to recirculate exhaust gas, the combustion process becomes more efficient. This will, in turn, lead to increased fuel efficiency, since your car’s engine will no longer need to operate as hard to compensate for reduced oxygen levels.
- Enhanced Engine Performance
When removing the EGR valve, the engine intake will start receiving only clean air, resulting in better engine power and airflow. This will increase horsepower and the entire vehicle’s performance.
- Minimizing Costly Repair
A malfunctioning system may lead to engine power and performance issues, which may cause expensive repairs and even DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) failures. By eliminating this system, drivers can be sure that they will avoid additional costs while improving reliability and engine efficiency.
- Reduced Carbon and Soot Build
The recirculation system brings exhaust gas back into the system and its cylinder, which leads to clogged inlet manifolds, soot build-up, and engine knocking. The modification will enhance engine lifespan while minimizing soot build-up.
Disadvantages of EGR Removal
Before deciding whether to undertake this important step, do take into account the cons of an EGR delete kit installed.
- Environmental Impact
The key disadvantage involves higher nitrous oxide emissions, which contribute to air pollution. Given that EGR causes the system to reduce harmful discharge, its elimination will make your car less eco-friendly and result in higher air pollution.
- Legal Aspects
In many regions and countries, EGR elimination is illegal, with fines for both EGR or DPF deletes. Failed inspections may result in high penalties for tweaking the emission component systems.
- Increased Exhaust Gas Temperature
Given that the recirculation system reduces engine combustion temperature, its deactivation may lead to increased exhaust gas temperature, straining vehicle components over time.