help,
thinking of moving up to a 3500 '03 or '04 HO but have many questions regarding the EGR valve. i am in calif and the dealer told me i can order a 3500 for delivery after jan '04. now being a novice what the hell gives? from reading the posts i am more confused than when i started reading.

EGR valve, in terms a novice can understand what is it? pros and cons? i plan on not bombing and pulling a 5er so will the valve be a bad thing?

i read the '04 will have 305 HP but will this be on calif models and what is this about 2004 vs 2004.5?

no lift pumps on the 2004? i read something about rail injection and i guess this replaces the lift pump. 2003s have lift pumps?

told you i was confused!
david

 

I'll take a stab at this...
egr, Exhaust gas recirculation... it takes a bit of the exhaust, cools it , and puts it in the intake. The NOX that is in the recirculated exhaust causes a reduction in combustion chamber temperatures, reducing NOX output... It's an emmissions thingy. pros/cons, pro's in laymans terms and how it affects you?... You finally get a HO diesel!!! some say the intake will clog, just like the Volkswagon TDI (because part of the emmissions of the diesel is soot) some say the maintaince intervals will be shortened. some say there will be a variable turbo on the '04 with egr that will translate to performance upgrade (stock) it should be pointed out that cummins is running EGR in their larger over the road engines for a couple years now...
No lift pumps?? Dunno... Haven't heard that one...
2003 cummins went to common rail injection with split shot injection to quiet the engine down at idle.
disclaimer... I am a telephone guy... this is just my understanding of things...

 

Westcoaster did pretty well, all the EGR is bleed exhaust into the intake (doesn't cool it). Most of the oxygen in the exhaust has been used up burning fuel, so it's basically an inert gas. The reason it reduces NO[sub]x[/sub] (oxides of nitrogen) is that it reduces peak combustion temperature because nitrogen can only combine with oxygen at high temperatures and pressures. It also reduces the amount of oxygen available to combine with nitrogen. Soot clogging will depend on how well the system is designed, if the exhaust is allowed to cool, deposits will form. Many TDI owners have found disabling the system to be the only cure.
Yes, you will have a lift pump to supply the high pressure pump.