Swirl Valve - Deleted via Remap

[monty2556]

Just bought a ML320 (55 plate) and decided to have it remapped. The remapper told me the vehicle had already been remapped and the swirl valves deleted from the ecu. The car performs really well and pulls like a train. I get 38mpg (100 mile journey - 35 on A roads and 65 on motorway) and 28mpg pootling around town so very happy with that. However I need to know if the deletion of the valves is going to damage the engine. Also, would this manifest itself is a big plume of black smoke when I kick down.
Finally, I understand te egr function can be deleted via a remap. Does this improve performance and or fuel economy.

 

[Wolfie1]

Deleting an egr is always a good thing, it stops horrible sooty fumes making its way back into your engine and clogging everything up. Always cuckle servicing a diesel and changing the air filter as worse crap gets in post air filter

 

[mersum1es]

if swirl flaps are programmed off, it should be ensured they really are open all the time (or removed).

Lotsa discussion in EGR delete, basically engine warm up is slightly slower and no clogged intake manifold. Only minor theoretical improvement in performance, your '*ss dyno' probably won't notice difference if placebo effect is removed.

 

[Aletank]

Does the EGR being deleted affect emissions, especially a problem at MOT time ?
Can the EGR be deleted and DPF kept ?

 

[Crickleymal]

Does the EGR being deleted affect emissions, especially a problem at MOT time ?
Can the EGR be deleted and DPF kept ?

A good question. I'd like to know too, especially with the new MOT regs.

 

[grober]

This video appears to summarise the "soon to be current" situation. You will see that it still majors on visual inspection rather depending than any instrumentation measurement. This may change in the future of course, as said instrumentation becomes available--- particulate/soot meters appear to be in the offing ?? These would detect DPF gutting for example. The EGR "delete" would be most likely to affect NOx level- its function is to reintroduce burnt [ hence inert] gas back into the combustion chamber to lower combustion temperature and thus reduce NOx production [ IIRC?] so appart from visual inspection again there there would appear to be no current instrumentation requirement for monitoring NOx at MOT inspection--- yet! Visual Inspection of many of these devices of course depends on removal of engine covers or underbody cladding but it might be a mistake to rely on that as official guidelines to that may change in the future . We appear to be in a "phoney war " situation right now but make no mistake things will change in the future- not so much a question of IF but WHEN? Forum members who are actually MOT testers may wish to correct me on this one???

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[grober]

What quite few people get confused about is how much the MOT test reflects the new environmental classification that new cars will be subjected to after AUGUST 2018. The answer is - Not yet it doesn't! This may strike a note of cheer for the moment but the increased stringency of the new RDE [ real driving emissions] test which will be phased in to apply to new cars rather than the largely atypical and now discredited laboratory based New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) test is projected to raise any models CO2 emission figures [ on which taxation bands are now applied] by an estimated 14-22% in the next few years.

New WLTP emissions test: when it's in force and how it could affect your car | Autocar

The price we'll pay for improved emissions testing | Autocar

 

[Wolfie1]

What you have to remember about an mot test an and egr valve is an egr only works when the engine is cold to decrease warm up time so as to reduce emissions sooner, but when you do an mot test the oil temp has to be a minimum of 60 degrees at the moment (think its going up soon to 80) so the egr will be closed during an mot emissions test

 

[grober]

What you have to remember about an mot test an and egr valve is an egr only works when the engine is cold to decrease warm up time so as to reduce emissions sooner, but when you do an mot test the oil temp has to be a minimum of 60 degrees at the moment (think its going up soon to 80) so the egr will be closed during an mot emissions test

I would venture its the exact opposite. The EGR remains closed while the engine is cold and only opens when the engine has heated up. It usually remains closed at idle when warm but should open under load. That's how I understand it??? Without it the engine will often knock and ping (detonate) when accelerating or under load which might explain the symptoms being experienced by a poster on another thread. What it can do is introduce a lot of crap into the inlet system to crud up variable inlet [swirl] flaps especially if sharing plumbing with the PCV positive crankcase ventilation valve which contains a lot of oil vapour on a worn engine.

 

[Wolfie1]

This is the mess an egr makes to a diesel intact tract

 

[Crickleymal]

I would venture its the exact opposite. The EGR remains closed while the engine is cold and only opens when the engine has heated up. It usually remains closed at idle when warm but should open under load. That's how I understand it??? Without it the engine will often knock and ping (detonate) when accelerating or under load which might explain the symptoms being experienced by a poster on another thread. What it can do is introduce a lot of crap into the inlet system to crud up variable inlet [swirl] flaps especially if sharing plumbing with the PCV positive crankcase ventilation valve which contains a lot of oil vapour on a worn engine.

I think that other poster might be me. When I had a Berlingo (normally aspirated) with an egr I managed to reconnect the pipes controlling it back to front. When I started the engine the EGR would open (took about 10 seconds to fully open) which meant you could pull away fromn the driveway then the engine would bog down a few yards up the road. Swapping the pipes over meant it stayed closed whilst the engine was ticking over and cold. So yes I agree with your analysis.