T5.1 EGR & Cooler Replacement

[Fredo44]

Morning people,

Just wanted to share my recent experience after recent error code for EGR.

I have the twin turbo CFCA engine which i bought at 12K and now has 132K. No problems whatsoever thanks to a strict service schedule and some preventative maintenance along the way.

I'm not one to stuff around so booked the van in to my trusty mechanic after experiencing complete loss of power following the dreaded engine light. I even struggled to get the van out of the garage and reverse up the driveway - the power loss was quite dramatic.

Error code related to EGR. Not one to dilly around I started looking for a replacement EGR/Cooler combo.

Pierburg (in Germany) make the OME part being Part No. 7.02756.07.0 and I found the guys at Tooley Imports in Sydney had one on the shelf. $1585 plus $55 overnight air freight and I had the part at my residential address in metro Adelaide within 24hrs. Two VW dealers I spoke with quoted $2296 for the exact same part.

5 hours labor for my patient mechanic (taking the front off basically), new oil (Liqui Moly Top Tec 4200) $154 for 7 litres and $60 for the genuine coolant (GA13A8JM1) and its like new again. The engine can breathe again and the van drives so much better obviously. Total parts and labor around $2600

My opinion. VW should come to the party on this part considering there is a genuine problem here. The $700 premium on the genuine part over the Pierburg is an insult. It's exactly the same part FFS!!!

During the process I read so much about blocking off the EGR and doing an EGR/DPF Delete. There is only one reason why I didn't go down this path and it has everything to do with vehicle insurance. If I or the vehicle was ever involved in an accident, the chance of being caught with an illegally modified vehicle is greater now than ever before. Apparently insurance companies are looking at these mods very closely and it's basically one of the first places the insurance assessor's go looking.

Therefore, do an EGR/DPF delete at your own risk if you want to void insurance on your $50K vehicle, all for a $1500 part.

[Sunny43.5]

I call BS on an insurance company refusing a claim for damages etc by the removal / modification of an engine component , the only way they could refuse is if they could prove a modified EGR caused a driver to run off a cliff or some other unforeseen accident . Lets face it if that was their actions then there are thousands of other VW enthusiasts who have done suspension /engine /body /drive train / stereo,s you name it but again they have to prove those changes actually caused an accident . My work van rolled away down a steep hill outfront of our house some years ago , handbrake on and in 1st gear {manual } Insurance paid for all damages after they replaced the whole side of the van which at the time had Holden 1 ton wheels and heavily tinted windows modified air cleaner and something removed from the cat converter so there you go .

[Fredo44]

Out of interest I rang my insurance company (Allianz) and asked them if I delete the DPF and block the EGR would you still cover me. Never made a claim in 32 years of driving!

'Ahhh, yeah, nope...' was their answer, with a sniggering laugh!

Just confirmed for myself what i've already been told!!!

[Sunny43.5]

What do you expect them to say , if you actually told them what you had done then yes they may refuse but again the onus would be on them to prove its association with an accident . My van was assessed by the insurance company and they could see the mods but as far as they were concerned it made no difference to the policy . Actually I have been pulled over by the Qld Police and also Queensland Transport Compliance boys and not one of them were concerned about any part of my van , I even tried to bait the Transport guy by telling him that the GM badges in the centre of the mags were from a Holden I tonner as that's were the wheels came from on my van and he just said as long as your car is roadworthy then its ok by them .. Much the same response from the Police , maybe SA has different rules . The only way anyone could detect the blanking of the EGR or deleting the DPF is if the vehicle is made to undergo an emission test and I doubt any insurance company or their assessor would have either the equipment or bother checking .