The company, supplier of brands such as VXPRO (pictured) and Lucas, says analysis by its TechAssist service shows there are two common reasons for EGR valve returns.
“There are several causes of EGR-related fault codes and not all point directly to the valve itself,” cautions Tim Brotherton, marketing manager for ELTA Automotive.
He adds: “Our research shows that EGR valves that have failed prematurely are often heavily contaminated, indicating that they’ve been installed into a ‘dirty’ system.”
ELTA recommends a three-step process. First, clean the system using an EGR/turbo cleaning aerosol or a Terraclean (or similar) system; second, replace the EGR valve; and third, reset the ECU so it recognises the new component.
Brotherton adds: “Other components to check include: the air mass sensor, as a faulty sensor may not be measuring the correct air flow rate; the throttle body, because if this is malfunctioning it may result in an insufficient amount of air entering the engine; and the vacuum pump, because pneumatically controlled EGR valves can fail to actuate if it is not operating correctly.”