Let's talk EGR valves - OEM or knockoff?
 

Alright gentlemen, what's the deal with buying an EGR valve. I heard for some reason to buy only an OEM one....why? The dealer wants $128 and I can pick one up at Advance Auto for half that. Let me know your experience in this...trying to get that damn "check engine" light off. My van has 101,000 miles on it and my guess is its never been changed before. Just got this van.
It's a 2006 T & C touring - 3.8 engine

there are a lot of people who will only buy from main dealers in the belief that they get better quality parts (volvo and mercedes owners come to mind in particular).

A lot of so called main dealer parts are not made by the car makers, most of the fuel injection system will be made by Bosch or Siemens, same with the ABS, filters are made by Mann, Mahle etc and so on. Even the diesel engine in Chyslers is either mercedes or VM usually.

Often the clone parts are made by the same suppliers. I've no experience of a clone EGR valve for a petrol engine, but I'd have no problems in fitting one.

Regards
Richard

New egr valve installed
 

So I purchased my EGR valve from Ebay for about $35 versus $120 from Chrysler. The install was fairly easy except for the one bolt we know of on top of the alternator...you know the one. I tightened it just enough to rotate the valve back to put in the other one but then you hope that it was tight enough. I would change out the tough 10mm bolt with an allen wrench bolt that you could get to easier and tighten. Other than that, NO MORE ENGINE LIGHT ON!!!
Another thanks to all the help available on this forum...you guys fricken rock!!
The whole job took about a half hour