Evening all.

I have had in the past 6 months the phantom "engine systems fault" come up on the dash a few times. Quickly pullover and restart the car and everything is rosy.

Today however the light wouldn't go off and I was forced to call the AA.

Two codes came up:

P0489: EGR system control.

P0670: Heater plug monitor function interrupted.

AA chap sprayed some sort of aerosol in through the pipe toward the EGR. Still nothing productive happened and I have had to use the M1 in limp mode. However 5 miles from home the fault disappeared and normal play resumed. Two miles later it came back and I've limped home again.

So some questions.

If I need to clean the EGR valve, how easy is it to do? I haven't got a pot to pee in at the moment so would like to do what I can.

What is a blanking plate? I got a load of results about them. What do they do?

Any ideas on the glow plug issues?

Thanks.

Ben.

ok so first things first...

this is the thread i would follow to clean the EGR. it tells you how to fit the EGR blanking plate which consequently is the best 'how to' ive found on actually how to get to it and subsequently clean it by default

http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/42915-guide-fitting-egr-blanking-plate-16tdci-engine/

thanks jeebowhite.

now the purpose of the EGR is to recirculate combusted engine emissions back into the engine for further combustion (its how engines achieve the environmental standards of todays need), and so the Exhaust Gas recirculation valve (EGR) does just this. it connects the combusted exhausted gasses from the engine back up to the manifold for burning. the valve on the EGR works by vacuum so the valve controls the flow of recirc gasses i presume.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151346890534?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

This is a link to the one i bought the other week. make sure you get stainless steel whatever the option you choose.

By blocking it off you essentially only burn the air once in your engine. it blocks (not in a dangerous way) the gasses from entering the manifold to be burnt again and then they just continue to flow out of the exhaust as normal.

There are many benefits to this, such as once fitting the EGR, the engine then only burns fresh air (which is better for combustion because it contains more O2) and consequently the engine has a little bit more power and the turbo spools up slightly faster meaning that the delivery of this said power comes sooner than it would as stock.

i did mine the other day (weve only just got our car) and to be honest, it flies now! lol. i was recovering from some engine trauma myself (dreaded dpf problems) and possibly a dodgy MAF connection, but when everything all worked after this, it worked really well.

it may also end up being better for fuel consumption too (which some would argue offsets the environmental benefits of the EGR in the first place), so all round, its a pretty good idea to do.

Thanks for posting. On the basis of what I have seen under my bonnet today I think My EGR is slightly different in terms of type and positioning?

And example here

http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/50519-where-is-the-egr-valve-located-on-a-55-plate-18-tdci-focus/

I think the disassembly on the guide getting under the manifold would be helpful.

With regards to the plate, would it affect mot emissions?

Oh right, wow, that's really easy to get to. No complaints from you please! Lol

I wondered that too, bit no emissions test on a diesel, they look to see the three boxes, and do a smoke test, do booooo failure in the not for it being fitted ;-)

So no*

Thanks,

So looking at what appears to be my EGR. It's easier to access but looks harder to clean. I.e I can take the right side off but then have to take the left side off also?

the comments in that thread seem to suggest doing both too, no comments on how to take off the left side however. It surely must be a case of just undoing bolts or so? id love to see one of these.. i have EGR envy due to where mine is located! lol

I have egr envy of you guys at the moment. Talked to a mechanic of mine and he has told me that it is actually built in to the inlet and not a separate component.

He will clean it for me tomorrow but his gut feeling is it will need to be replaced and they ain't cheap.

Before you pay to replace anything, even from 'mate who works at garage', please try the EGR blanking plate first.. its £3 delivered, and if it works you may have saved yourself 100's! first rule of diagnostics- try the cheapest things first! ;-)

So an update,

Very helpful mechanic came out to have a look. Took off the right hand side and found some small soot deposits but the valve itself was fine and moving fine. After reassembly (also checked the air filter etc and were also fine) the EGR error code has gone but the glow plug error still remains along with limp mode. Mechanic did not think the glow plug code would turn the car to limp mode and that the EGR valve is still at fault.

I've emailed a friend at ford and he has come up with nothing. Before I start looking at another EGR valve can anyone help/shine a little light on the situation. I'm really stumped for ideas.