Thread: EGR blanking plate availability in Aus

Or do I just make my own? If so, does it need be stainless steel or will 1.6 sheet be ok?

And….. can the coolant pipe on the EGR be left in situ or does that also need attention?

eBay should yield a result, but probably from OS. Note though that blanking plates will probably throw an error code - a web search will show the various designs people have tried.

A better idea is a remap - again a search will help, BAS is generally the fave.

Finally, I don't think the 2.4 EGR has a coolant line? I think that's the 2.2?

i removed the entire EGR set up from my 2.4 puma. I used a kit from UK, being a blanking plate at the exhaust manifold and on the intake side. Was cheap and easier to buy than make. A few things of note:

1) as below (above) it will through a fault code unless you tune it out in the ECU. I can't speak for whether the EGR carbon clogs if you turn it off in the tune for an extended period of time so it faults on you if you revert back to factory tune (see below).
2) a faulty EGR valve (or an ECU perceived fault) will put the car into limp mode. I found out while turning across on coming traffic. Not cool for the nerves for the car to go almost dead on you. This was the prompt to remove it.
3) some kits have a hole in the plate to permit enough gas to pass through to not put the ECU into fault. Not used that style and can't comment on long term use/problems.
4) the EGR cooler uses the coolant lines on the same system as the heater matrix. If you are simply turning it off in the tune, no need to by-pass the EGR cooler. If you remove the set up, simply run the hose to the heater valve adjacent to the heater box.
5) if the EGR valve is missing or turned off in the tune, first you need to re-flash with the factory tune with the EGR enabled, then plug in the EGR valve (if removed). Otherwise relearn functions like the suction control valve will simply not take. I've spent hours arguing with a relearn before working out why it won't work. I have to plug an EGR unit into the harness whenever i do a re-learn or more complex diagnostic stuff. Simple fault code reading and clearing is not affected.
6) turning off the EGR makes no difference to performance. The benefit is no higher than a placebo that exhaust gas is not being routing back into the intake.

when the 2.2 came out in the defender, there was a rush on blanking plates which most were SS and cost about $2 each.

there were some show and tells put up on here which should be able to found.

there were also warnings about lacerations to the fingers when trying to push the plate between the flanges.

I did it fairly easily to my 2.2 Ranger and no warnings came on , the exhaust gas was immediately cleaner , the Ford dealer couldnt care less.

Originally Posted by MLD

6) turning off the EGR makes no difference to performance. The benefit is no higher than a placebo that exhaust gas is not being routing back into the intake.

That's an interesting observation. As far as I can tell, there's no other reason to remove / disable EGR than chasing a performance increase. In the earliest days of EGR (about 1979 / 1980) it was an obvious performance killer as it was always injecting exhaust gas into the combustion chamber. In a modern ECU controlled system where the EGR is shut off at wide throttle, I can't see why there is this urge to get rid of it? Unless people have some morbid desire to be putting more NoX into the air around them? I took mine off to clean it at about 200,000km (a PIG of a job) and it was spotless.

The main reason to blank the EGR is to stop the inlet manifold gradually getting clogged up,with an oily goop,but this is more of an issue in some vehicles/brands than others.
It also stops the exhaust gas from entering the engine,which would not do it any long term favours

And disabling the EGR is one less thing that may fault.

*suppliers on ebay have stainless plates for both the 2.4 and 2.2
*a thin stainless plate sandwiched between exhaust manifold is fine, it takes the heat well. If you removed the heat exchange (no point) on the egr assembly you would need to put a thick end plate.
*both 2.4 and 2.2 use a water cooled heat exchange on the egr assembly.
*the 2.2 are prone to the egr heat exchange cracking internally and pushing exhaust gas into the cooling system.
*as already mentioned, stopping egr will keep the intake nice and clean and is a better option than adding such a device as a provent.