nytrdr24
+1y
well i wasn't going to touch that comment (not yours hex), but it is like this, he is true when he says that your tampering with the emissions, & yes it does play a part of the engine operation.......only if your running all the smog stuff......think about it....pre smog engines (pre 70's) ran w/o smog equipment in them & they all ran good, but they used leaded gasoline to prevent detonation @ higher rpms, but the gas was lower octane back then & not near as pure either which all has it own measure on an engines operation.
now removing a non operating egr valve that is taking up valuable space in our very restrictive intake may not produce a dramatic gain in anything (hp/tq), but it isn't going to hurt either....now that doesnt' mean that i advocate breaking the law either........lastly if you take good care of your engine that doesn't have the smog equipment , & have it properly tuned you should be able to pass emissions testing just as good as an engine that has that equipment on it (i have seen it done many times.....), & it should last just as long with proper maintaince as any engine would that is properly maintained.....
now with that being said, i'm a firm beliver that the smog equip on my truck (accompanied with my heavy right foot @ the time i was a lot younger) is a good factor in my engine not making it past 160k mi....the pre-cat stopped up the exhaust, thus causing my egt's to rise, & then being recirced thru the motor with the egr caused premature wear on the componets of the engine leading to its demise......& yes i did regularly <sp>do the maintaince on it.
so to answer your q hex, with proper maintaince, whether you remove it, or leave it, neither should hurt a thing......