My 240 has had a leak in the corrugated tube that goes from the exhaust manifold to the egr since before i accquired the car. I got around to taking it off today and it is beyond repair. I got a quote on this part at my mercedes mechanic and his cost is something like $186 bucks. I am not about to spend that on this little pos part. Has anyone had any luck plugging both the hole in the manifold and on the egr with anything? This piece mounts with clamps and not with bolts through a flange.

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Post some pics, but I'm sure this has been done before. Search for "EGR blockoff" or 'EGR removal'

IIRC a removal kit will run you around $30; and it increases performance/mileage (For offroad or experimental usage only)

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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

A quarter should fit in over the hole and clamp in place.

I looked at every related post. Seems that someone use to offer a kit that came with a sheetmetal disc that you could be peened around the opening on the exhaust manifold along with a gasket and EGR valve blocking plate. I can make that plate in 5 minutes, thats not the problem. I'll probably just block vacuum to the egr and assume the spring or whatever holds it closed is good. However, I cant find an easy way to block the hole in the exhuast manifold. Out of all the little jobs on this car, this is one of the most difficult because of access, or lack of rather. Just checking to see if anyone knows of any quick easy fixes using stuff from around the house, hardware store, etc. The clamps are kind of a b*tch to get on and off as well and that only makes it that much harder to do. I really would hate to have to take the exhaust off and remove the intake and exhaust manifold but it seems to me like that is what might have to be done.

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Have you done this successfully? Will the existing clamp hold it against the manifold without leaking? I just matched up a quarter to whats left of the tube and it will go right through the hole in the tube.

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Humm, its bigger than I remember. Then get a coke can and cut it to cover the hole.

Tried the coke can before the quarter. Didn't work, its way too thin at only .13mm and wont seal with the clamp

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Ok, got it figured out and put back together. I cut up a aerosol can. Turned out to be
.4mm thick. I cut a circle out the inside diameter of the flange on the corrugated tube. I cut the bad (cracked) half off of the tube and threw it away, put the cut piece inside the tube opening and put it back together with a tiny bead of jb weld between the tube and the piece to seal. I also removed the asssociated throttle linkage and egr butterfly. I have a gasket coming for the valve. As soon as that comes i'm going to make a plate and remove the valve and block it. I put 2 bb's in the vac line coming from the little deal in the head going to whatever the thing is on the inner fender that connects to the EGR. Is that the right place to block the vaccum?

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I just went for a quick trip for some late night grub after i put everything back together and there is a very noticeable SOTP difference in performance. I'm sure that removing the egr butterfly blade and reducting the air restriction is what made most of the difference. Either way i'm happy. I do notice now that it is a little louder than usual. I'm going to try to take some acceleration videos tomorrow to see what you guys think about how it runs compared to others. I would like to get rid of the butterfly shaft on the intake. I noticed that that top piece of the manifold is removable. Is there such a part that doesnt have the provisions for the EGR butterfly? Also, it is incredible how much crap (soot, oil, sludge) there is inside the intake manifold and i wonder if cleaning it out would help.

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A pre 1981 intake manifold. That will kill 3 birds by removing the flap, being less restrictive (airflow not having to change direction) and it will be clean.