Changing and cleaning EGR valve on BMW 3 Series

Start by removing the engine cover. Be careful of the small screw behind the power steering fluid cap.

This is the EGR valve

Remove the valve surround.

Unscrew the 3 clamps (2 on the black rubber hose and one on the exhaust gas inlet on the left).

Unscrew the small metal piece on the valve with a torx screwdriver .

Remove the small vacuum hose located behind on the right.

Remove the black rubber hose (if the gray plastic tube moves it doesn't matter, it is connected to a rubber hose at the intercooler lower down).

Unscrew the four nuts to separate the valve using a socket and ratchet.

Be careful, the fourth nut at the bottom right is almost invisible to the naked eye and not very accessible. To reach it, you need an extension to put on the ratchet and you have to guide it with your finger, while being careful not to drop the nut into the engine block.

The inside of my intake pipe is accessible

Clean the valve with a small cloth

In case there is more dirt, immerse the valve in a bath of gasoline and let it simmer then clean. Be careful not to soak the pneumatic part connected to the hose.

If after diagnosis there is an EGR fault, change the valve.

Proceed with reassembly in the reverse order of the previous operations.

1. Reassemble the 4 nuts of the valve to the intake pipe (pay attention to the screw at the bottom right, hold it with your finger while looking for the hole). Do not screw the bolts back one by one, screw them in gradually.

2. Reassemble the rubber hose and the 3 clamps (tighten the clamps well to prevent the hose from coming loose under the pressure of the turbo).

3. Replace the small metal piece on top and make sure to reconnect the vacuum hose.

4. Replace the engine cover.