Black exhaust smoke, loss of power, poor idling or inadequate acceleration can all be symptoms of problems with the EGR system on a vehicle, something that sector experts Pierburg says is increasingly common.

Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) technology has been making a vital contribution to emission reduction for many years. Strict emission regulations around the world have significantly advanced the use of EGR technology especially since the introduction of the Euro 4 and Euro 5 standards. More recently Euro 6 has made it necessary to have low-pressure EGR in addition to highly cooled EGR in order to achieve the permissible level of nitrogen oxide emissions.

At its German site in Neuss, Pierburg has been producing EGR valves since 1970. The company is now the European market leader for emission control and reduction of consumption in the engine and produces a wide range of EGR coolers and valves for numerous state-of-the-art vehicles as an OEM. Its sister company, Motorservice, which is responsible for aftermarket activities, provides the independent aftermarket with these high-quality replacement products.

The company says the current trend in exhaust gas recirculation is for compact modules made from aluminium with an integrated EGR valve, bypass flap and additional attachments such as oil coolers and oil filters. It is vital that the components are coordinated precisely to one another as well as to the engine, so worn or faulty components should be replaced with an equivalent spare part. Although the components involved in exhaust gas recirculation are not traditional wear parts, a failure may still occur during the life of the engine and a replacement is advisable when symptoms display.