I’m starting to wonder if this whole EGR valve replacement craze is overblown. I’ve been tinkering with cars for decades, and lately it seems like every little engine light leads straight to the EGR. Sure, older engines suffered from coking problems, but now we’re being told that the EGR valve is a ticking time bomb on virtually every model. I’ve replaced mine before, but the performance gains were marginal at best—and sometimes the repair costs nearly equaled buying aftermarket parts to cover up other issues.
Is it possible that the industry is pushing these replacements as a catch-all fix when, in reality, many problems might have different sources? I’ve seen debates where some mechanics insist that the trouble is always the EGR, but the numbers don’t always add up. Can anyone share real-world tests or diagnostics that clearly point to the EGR being the culprit versus a general maintenance “scare” tactic? I’m interested in hearing if anyone else has data or long-term results supporting or contradicting the status quo on this issue.