Styling Are these the symptoms of a sticky EGR valve?

[MultiPa]

Hi - just come back from a few days away in the Dales. The 'pla was fabulous, apart from one thing.

Our daughter was too excited to fall asleep when we'd hoped, so in the end I ended up driving rather slowly to make sure she had enough of a nap, knowing full well that she wouldn't sleep once we were on holiday.

This meant following a lorry at 56mph up the M1 and generally taking it very easy. Despite holiday luggage, hills, wind and driving through the centre of Bradford (thanks Sat Nav) I still managed 53mpg on the trip computer.

However, as we neared our cottage the car started to give an engine management warning light and the power dropped significantly - although the engine was still running. If you stopped the engine for 10 seconds and restarted it, the error was gone and all was fine again. It did this about 10 times though.

Thinking it might need something of an Italian Tune I leathered it the last few miles (bringing the average for the whole 70 miles trip down by 4mpg in the process) and the code didn't come back.

I drove it 'normally' the next two days with no problems, and then on the way home I got stuck behind a learner on very narrow roads, so I started to take it easy again. Engine management light came on, car down on power, stop car, restart car, error gone - the whole cycle again. It did it three times this time before I hammered it for a few miles and it has been fine since.

So, does this sound like a sticky EGR, or a loose connection, or what? Would the code be stored, do you think? I don't fancy driving it with the error on because it's really slow (limp home mode?)- and besides, it goes as soon as you stop the car.

Any advice much appreciated as ever.

 

[momoe]

The code should be in the ECU, not sure on the exact parameters but I think it's 3 or more consecutive errors.
EGR sticking open sounds like a good bet, you now have the choice of cleaning and blanking or just cleaning, PLENTY of EGR threads to help confuse you!!!

 

[pete123]

I had this problem with my 110 sx jtd around january time and posted an thread it turned out when the car was at a certain temp it used to draw air in from some where and end up in the water system it happened to me time and time again so was told to let it come on get out release pressire from water bottle and problem was solved if ya want more details let me no

 

[MultiPa]

I think I'd go for cleaning if it is the EGR - might be worth doing anyway, although pete123's solution sounds much simpler

Was it a permanent fix, pete123? Or does it keep drawing air in?

Not sure if it is temperatiure related though as it happened at the end of the long drive on the way there and at the start on the way back - and in between times I'd driven it on trips of 30 miles or so with no problem.

Every now and again you get a slight 'cough' from the car - you feel the power fall away very, very briefly and you think the engine management light will come on, but it doesn't.

 

[pete123]

It did work by releasing all the air and was a loose juballe clip witch was some how drawin in air never understood how but it worked . Egr is not worth cleaning other wise u will have it back off in a few months again always better to just blank it so either way 2 easy jobs