Pics: EGR pipe at 230k miles

Yeah @NutzAboutBolts had good results with maybe 10~15 minutes of cleaning, I believe with BraKleen, or similar. Maybe the video doesn't really represent the total effort, but didn't seem too hard.

 

It's easy once it's out.

 

Mendel.....Mendel....Mendel.....we need low mileage data LOL

Or Ray can simply do his again when it reaches 10k miles

 

Too late (already at 40 k miles on this cooler).

But maybe @Rebound would agree to do so soon.

 

Could all this coking be coming from the PCV valve??

I don't have my 12mm ratcheting box wrench, or an E8 socket yet. That's my excuse.

 

What's your mileage? The EGR cleaning sounds like it should be an official 100K interval maintenance item (full system including cooler, valve, pipe, intake manifold, PCV replacement, throttle body). Might as well clean the MAF sensor and replace engine/inverter coolant while you're there, and why not replace your spark plugs & clean injectors too.

 

Those are some good pictures of the dirty EGR coolers! Here's my wife holding up a cleaned EGR cooler for the newbies to compare against

Clean_egr_cooler by mjoo posted Jun 7, 2017 at 10:49 AM

I did the following in order:

1. soaked 4 times sealed in old brake fluid. Allowed to sit for a day. Rinsed with garden hose.
2. Used @danlatu's copper wire and drill method
3. soaked 4-5 times in diluted vinegar water + oxyclean. Sat for a day then lots of filling with water alternating between hot and cold (this helped). Vigorous shaking and emptying over utility sink.

Having just bought the car when I cleaned the cooler I wanted it as clean as it would get. It was soaked and rinsed until few carbon flakes fell out.