My wife's 1981 300SD's EGR valve has finally died. The diaphragm has failed. The price of a new EGR valve is just short of shocking and used ones will most likely be no better than what I now have on the car.

I've had a few folks advocate just plugging the line going to the EGR valve with a BB and be done with it.

I know the EGR on a Diesel doesn't affect the engine performance, but the EGR is supposed to reduce the oxides of Nitrogen which contributes to smog.

Any thoughts? Replace the EGR valve or plug the line going to the EGR valve?

Thanks. Tom