Performance tuning the Amarok 2.0 BiTurbo TDI and disabling EGR (as the cooler was blocked). Pictures are of Barry’s Amarok that tuned a week or so ago.
Background: The Amarok with a 2.0TDI engine has an EGR cooler that commonly gets blocked up (most of the Amarok’s we have seen with this problem have about 80,000-90,000km on the clock). EGR is there to lower the nitrous oxide emissions so the vehicle can pass emissions legislation in some markets. It is extremely debatable whether small decrease in N2O emissions under some circumstances (i.e. when the EGR system is actually active) are worth the increase in CO2 emissions and higher fuel consumption that is associated with having an EGR system, assuming it is even working correctly, by nature of their design EGR systems get blocked up and don’t work as they should.
In any case on the Amarok, the EGR coolers seem to get blocked at 80,000-90,000km. On an Amarok there is also a very high danger of the cooler cracking and the water cooling going into the exhaust unnoticed if the EGR cooler is blocked.
The cost of repair a blocked cooler according to our customers that have had this happen is around $1500 (cost of the Cooler only) plus labour. However we have a better solution, we can tune the vehicle so EGR is permanently tuned off and the problem is eliminated. At the same time we can performance tune the vehicle which will not only increase power and torque output. It will allow the engine to run more smoothly and use less fuel and reduce emissions. It is also a lot cheaper than replacing the EGR cooler.
The tune is available here!