Egr Valve - Low Flow, 1.4 Petrol

[oceanicgreen]

Hi Guys,

I'm really desperate for some expert help here and I'm hoping I am not on my own with this one. I bought a 2001 Golf 1.4 (AXP) last October and driving home the EM light came on. In fact it has come on pretty much every day since then and usually under the same conditions, which is on light throttle (50mph in 5th) or on overrun.

Strangely, it happens about 10 minutes into a second journey. Eg., I can drive 30 minutes to work without problem but the light will usually come on early into the return run. If it is a first journey after erasing the fault, the light doesn't come on at all, even on a long trip. However, after switching off the ignition for a period from 15 minutes up to a week or more, after restarting, the fault will reoccur just after the car has reached normal operating temperature.

The fault shown is always EGR valve - low flow and between the VW main dealer and an electrical diagnostic workshop, half the value of the car has now been spent with still no cure or hint of a solution.

Here's a shortened resume of what's been done so far:

1. New EGR valve. ( Poor deluded fool that I am - I thought this would fix it!). VW carried out adaption but ECU showed sporadic low voltage and temp fault which they said could show up as the EGR fault.
2. New coolant sensor and 407 relay - still same problem, and still EGR fault.
3. All engine earths checked and cleaned.
4. VW Software update carried out.
5. New busbar/relays fitted (starting to melt due to poor main feed connection).
6. Connections and wiring to and from ECU and EGR valve checked, all OK.
7. MAF replaced, EGR pipe and inlet manifold thoroughly cleaned for the third time.
8. EGR valve apears to work but ECU would not perform test correctly.
9. ECU replaced by VW and EGR tested OK.

VW now saying that their next course of action involves me leaving the car with them while they try to reproduce the symptom under test conditions. As well as not wanting to pay £90ph for however long, the fault only occurs when driving, so it seems quite unlikely they will find the answer this way.

I really like the car but I'm fed up driving it half the time in limp home mode and I just cannot afford throw any more money at what appears to be a unique problem. Short of a match and a petrol soaked rag - any ideas please? Can the EGR be bypassed without any side effects?

Sorry my first post is so dull, I promise I'll liven up later!