I did a test drive today.
There`s a big difference.
Now the car pulls much harder (=stronger), starting from standstill in 1st gear and in every higher gear too, it `has more juice`/ it`s significantly peppier (5th/Overdrive not tried yet).
It gets to certain speeds way better, the power curve is better; engine has a feel to it like it runs more even now. As a result of all of this, the wagon gains speed easier, gradually and smoothly.
I heard it sounding better too when the turbo joins in.
I didn`t go on the freeway yet but already I `m convinced now that its driveability improved by a lot.
A substantial change also in how well different RPM ranges harmonize with what I`m doing with the shifter and acceleration.
By the way, the exhaust cement paste dried/cured into a really hard substance. A `bad` choice of a paste, maybe, but if this fails I will use JBWeld Extreme heat paste.
I`m glad I tackled this EGR `blow-out leak` issue. Car is happier, driver is happier.
Ngoma, kuddos for the quick motivation and for uploading your EGR-delete thread for this good community of diesel brickers (and for VW owners, of course
). Thank you
PS. I`ll have more bolts to check for tightness because the intake manifold also got removed when the exhaust manifold was taken off, my intake also received a new gasket back then. Some of those bolts are also hard to access so I`ll see if I missed some torque specs on the ones I had to do `by feel`.