DIY - Homemade EGR Block-off Plate

[gottaBdope]

EDIT - All references to EGR valve are meant to be for the SAI valve since our cars don't have EGRs. Thanks walky_talky.

Like most of you, I'm sure, I was not willing to pay the high prices for such a small piece of basic function metal. (in my case, the shipping to Hawaii is my deal breaker...item prices themselves aren't unholy) So now that I've started my engine up and run it with the plate in place, I'm going to show you how to make your own as well!

I know I'm not the first to make this plate and definitely not the first to suggest it, but I haven't see any other full-on DIYs on making one...

Items needed:
- Sheet metal (I got 6in x 24in sheet metal for ~$7. I needed to make other things too)
- Dremel with cutting wheels and shaping bits and shrapnel guard
- Gloves (metal gets hot)
- Safety glasses (metal flies)
- Marker
- EGR valve and gasket
- Drill and 1/4in bit
- Stock bolts and I used the three bolts that attach the breather tube to the valve cover...seeing as though I wouldn't need those anymore



Started out by tracing the outside of the valve (the part that mounts to the engine, duh!). It's good to trace outside the valve so that you have a little more room to work with. As long as the plate that you cut completely covers the gasket and comfortably houses the bolts, you'll be fine. But just in case, I traced an additional outline of the outline. Then you cut it out with the Dremel's cutting wheel.



Next, shape the plate using whatever means work best for you. Resourcefully, I found that you can remove more metal per cutting wheel and then as you near the final shape, use the shaping tool to file down and round off the edges.





Then trace the holes of the gasket and drill them out. Using the 1/4in bit creates a perfect size hole that allows easy fitment of the stock bolts and is completely covered by them.



Test it out by using the bolts to check the alignment of the plate hole with the gasket and the valve. Mine was slightly off but was easily remedied by barely enlarging the bottom hole.





After you're happy with the fitment, test it out on your engine. Because of the easier access of the valve, testing it on that made for a perfect fit on my engine.



I still plan to polish and even engrave the plate at some point, but for now, it serves its simple purpose: block-off the hole of the once existing SAI valve.

[walky_talky20]

Nice DIY. I made my own plate as well.

Just FYI, no 1.8T has ever had an EGR valve. The valve you are deleting is for Secondary Air Injection (SAI).

[gottaBdope]

Nice DIY. I made my own plate as well.

Just FYI, no 1.8T has ever had an EGR valve. The valve you are deleting is for Secondary Air Injection (SAI).

Maaaaaaan. I was wondering about that because I'd seen similar claims before. But I just referred back to the DIY that I followed for the removal of it all and used that name. I think I might understand it now...the SAI pump is down behind the passenger side fog light, and the valve is what connects to the backside of the engine?

[walky_talky20]

Indeed. You will find that outlet hose from the SAI pump leads directly to the valve which you removed. This valve is officially known as the "combi valve". It is what lets the forced, fresh air from the SAI pump into the exhaust stream through a small port on the rear of the cylinder head.

Generally speaking, full deletion of the SAI system would involve removal of the SAI pump, fresh air piping, combi valve, blocking off the port on the cylinder head, blocking the port on the airbox, and plugging the associated vacuum control line from the N112 solenoid valve.

[foley803]

Are you sure that dinky little piece of sheet metal is enough to not deflect under the heat and load? Looks like the block-off plates that you can purchase have quite a bit more meat to them and are made out of Al like the head.

Not trying to rain on your parade, I don't know what kind of pressure that sees.

[AudiA4_20T]

I applaud a solid DIY, but the IE one is O-ringed and laser cut, for $35 and by the time you buy sheet metal, glasses, something to cut with, etc it's not worth it for the common guy

[Charlie240sxt]

I also thought ur part was abit thin but then again I don't know how strong it really needs to be

[gottaBdope]

Indeed. You will find that outlet hose from the SAI pump leads directly to the valve which you removed. This valve is officially known as the "combi valve". It is what lets the forced, fresh air from the SAI pump into the exhaust stream through a small port on the rear of the cylinder head.

Generally speaking, full deletion of the SAI system would involve removal of the SAI pump, fresh air piping, combi valve, blocking off the port on the cylinder head, blocking the port on the airbox, and plugging the associated vacuum control line from the N112 solenoid valve.

Yeah, I did all of the above...minus the air box since I don't have one...but I was unsure of the name of the valve...which now makes much more sense. Sometimes you just need that one last explanation. Thanks.

[gottaBdope]

Are you sure that dinky little piece of sheet metal is enough to not deflect under the heat and load? Looks like the block-off plates that you can purchase have quite a bit more meat to them and are made out of Al like the head.

Not trying to rain on your parade, I don't know what kind of pressure that sees.

I am not sure of anything. I admit that my plate is substantially thinner, by about 3mm, and I too questioned the durability of it. I even initially planned on cutting out two and putting them back to back. But after making the one and determining that there was absolutely no give in the metal (especially at the size of the plate), I'm pretty confident that it's not going to blow or warp. My logic would tell me that since the IE and Forge plates only use the upper and lower holes and not the side one, that their plate would need more meat to it in order to provide the needed strength. Since I used all three holes, it may allow the pressure put on the plate to spread a little more among the plate (definitely not evenly since the port is not centered).

As for the o-ring, stock valve uses a gasket, so I don't see why that shouldn't suffice.

I applaud a solid DIY, but the IE one is O-ringed and laser cut, for $35 and by the time you buy sheet metal, glasses, something to cut with, etc it's not worth it for the common guy

I too am just a common guy...but as I take on projects I build up stock of tools and materials. These things accumulate over time and the cost of said projects becomes less each time. I agree that if you had none of the above it may not be the best place to start from scratch. But I've brackets for motorcycles on the back "porch" of my tiny apartment and I have more to make...so I figured I could make something for my car too. Although the plate is only $35, it would've added another $25 just for shipping to Hawaii...and while $60 is still not too bad for an engine part, I refuse to double the price of an object that weighs >6oz just for shipping. If a company could throw it in an envelope and send it for $0.60 postage...then I'd be a lot more willing.

Charlie, for some reason it won't let me quote your post...probably cause you got a 240 as your avatar Two cars ago I had a s13...fun cars.

[foley803]

I'm pretty confident that it's not going to blow or warp.

Good, I'm glad you thought of it already. Some people would just slap it on and not realize that that cavity is under pressure.

As for the o-ring, stock valve uses a gasket, so I don't see why that shouldn't suffice.

I would actually prefer the metal gasket over the o-ring in this situation. Rubber + exhaust = bad, IMO.

If a company could throw it in an envelope and send it for $0.60 postage...then I'd be a lot more willing..

No kidding, it still costs $9.98 to ship the smallest item most of these companies offer.

Thanks for writing it up for everyone.

[A4Dit]

I bought the one from 034 for $14.

[gottaBdope]

Good, I'm glad you thought of it already. Some people would just slap it on and not realize that that cavity is under pressure.

I would actually prefer the metal gasket over the o-ring in this situation. Rubber + exhaust = bad, IMO.

No kidding, it still costs $9.98 to ship the smallest item most of these companies offer.

Thanks for writing it up for everyone.

I agree on the o-ring. No problem on the write up! I couldn't find enough info on actually doing it and any of the results, so I figured I'd try it out. I work at an engraving shop and we tried to laser engrave it and nothing happened. I also took some aluminum of the same thickness and even some a little thicker and I could bend that and not the sheet metal. I'll work on finding a PSI rating for various metals and see how it compares.

Thanks for the feedback...You guys got me thinking of things I hadn't yet thought about.

[gottaBdope]

I bought the one from 034 for $14.

That's a sweet deal. How'd you swing that one?

[walky_talky20]

While we are discussing, I thought I'd include a picture of my homemade block off plate here:


Just made of some scrap flat stock we had laying around. 2 holes drilled in it and done. Cleaned up the edges on the grinder so I didn't slice myself open should I have to do the coolant flange again. I used the OEM gasket and added a little bit of high temp silicone sealant just in case. It's not pretty, but it's doing the job.

[boy412]

It's not pretty, but it's doing the job.

Not like you're going to be looking at it every day either.

Nice writeup OP! Like you I balk at what some of these companies charge for shipping such a small item. If you have the means and some scrap materials then do werke!

[gottaBdope]

It's not pretty, but it's doing the job.

Like boy412 said, doesn't have to be pretty on the back of your engine. How long has it been like that? No leaks I trust...

Nice writeup OP! Like you I balk at what some of these companies charge for shipping such a small item. If you have the means and some scrap materials then do werke!

Thanks man. I'm glad people are encouraging my attempt at craftsmanship. Better to learn on a hidden piece of metal so I can produce better quality on the things that will be seen...like the bracket I'm probably gonna have to make for my OCC. I've got 10x more time to invest in my car than I do money... :-D

[B3rgersen]

do anyone have the measurements for that blockoff plate? like this one http://www.uspmotorsports.com/Integr...T-Engines.html

[Valve_Cover]

Are you guys getting a MIL for this mod? I'd think that without getting the SAI written out the ecu has to know something's wrong no?

[vtraudt]

I did one 2.7T (before installing, with lean access to the hole, and ability to remove shavings) by just cutting threats into the existing hole in the head and put a screw in (with some RTV goop).
I did two otherwith the DIY sheetmetal (no time to wait for mail order to come in), and 2 with the luxury plates.
All work.
Sheetmetal should not be TOO flimsy. And putting the old gasket under the plates helps as well IMO.