So i fitted a new EGR valve but ALSO blanked off the egr pipe-to- EXHAUST manifold just because im sick of messing around cleaning them out. And i want this Freel2 to last a long time.

This has now thrown a P042F egr stuck shut fault.

Any ideas? Dodgy (New) egr valve?

its a 2009 FL2 btw.

Not so far read on here anyone blanking off and getting a P042F code but you could remove the plate clear the code and try it again first.

You could have disturbed the EGR wiring so you will need to either rule that out or just try yet another unit.

I take it your old unit was giving a different code and faults before this to make you need to change it ? FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

I thought id put the blanking plate on the exhaust manifold to stop the exhaust gases getting to the (new) egr valve. So im wondering if the egr can detect any gas flow? I cant see any circuitry to that effect on the old unit. All the electrical connection are to the motor and switching inside.

Removing the egr was easier than i anticipated. Its just a case of undoing nuts and bolts - wipers, scuttle panel, bulkhead, cooler pipes, cable mounts, egr bolts. Heat Shield and O2 sensor do not need to be removed as per the Haynes. I spent all afternoon on it this afternoon but reckon i could cut it down to around 2hrs labour.

The old unit was throwing several faults and even put it in limp mode (which then cleared itself).

At the moment there are no egr pipes installed. Just a blanking plate at the exhaust manifold and another at the inlet throttle body. The new egr valve and cooler assy are simply bolted on and hanging there with its electrical connection.

On my 57 plate just blanked at the front of the engine. We have also bypassed the water to it as it has a leak. Going to fit new EGR at some point. I have not had any problems with codes, and the FL2 seams to be running fine. I would clean all the plugs and take the blank out and see if it likes that is the best idea I got.

read the egr thread,im pretty sure your blanking plate for your year with dpf needs a hole in it for ecu to detect some gas flow?

That is most properly right about the gas flow. Later vehicles are being developed to detect the loss of gas flow. A friend of mine had allsorts of problem with a pickup he tried to fool kept going into regen all the time he never got to the bottom of it and he had all the gear at hand to work on it. As I have written before on the forum I have only done to one of my FL2’s until I get time to fit the new EGR on the bench in the garage.