Driving with a bad EGR valve

Hi. We have a 1993 Rodeo. Our check engine light just came on yesterday. The tech we took it to said it is a bad EGR valve. He told us to replace the valve and clean the system, it will be $650 - $700.
Does this sound right? How long could/should we drive without getting this done. He said it shouldn't be driven at all. Should I get a second opinion? Any advice would be appreciated.

Interesting. I have a 1994 2.0L VW Jetta and my engine doesn't have an EGR valve. Where it is supposed to be behind the throttle body by the intake is a cover. If I lived in CA it would have had an EGR valve.

Fine for a carbureted car, but cars with EFI use the EGR system for knock supression. Disabling the EGR can make the car octane-hungry, OR can cause detonation no matter how high octane fuel you use in some cases.

No, but potential major engine damage is possible.

The rate of fuel injected and the spark advance are calculated for a given amount of EGR flow. With the EGR inop, you stand a good chance of experiencing knock and wasting fuel. It is not uncommon for this to also reduce power output.

That's the sticker, Aint it? Sounds REAL high to me, even for a GM electronic EGR, which is what it is.
Call the dealer and get their price!!!

Around here's that runs $70-90. I have done tons of them, and it's well worth the trouble and $$

Huh???? Napa list is $10.29 on that part!!
RUN AWAY!!
(http://www.napaonline.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ ExecMacro/NAPAonline/search_results_cat.d2w/report? ENG=40|3.2 L 3165 CC V6

You called this one. Talked with the dealer. $151.77. Guess I'll be talking with another tech.

Thanks for the info so far. The estimate breakdown is as follows. I'm not sure if I can read it all correctly, so forgive me if I type it wrong.

EGR valve (part) $320
Moter vac to Decarbon Intake system $109.95
Fuel Filter $79.95
Labor $34.95

They charged us 69.95 to diagnose the problem

Total - $614.xx

I agree with the others.

That price is way out of line. (Unless you are receiving that much money for doing it.)

I have heard of running with no functioning EGR. But in the long run it may cause trouble with burnt valves. The EGR allows gasses from the exhaust stream (of course) to be sucked back in to the intake. These gasses cause the combustion chamber to run cooler than if they are not introduced.
Without the exhaust gasses in the intake, you get a hotter combustion chamber.

Especially in a computer controlled fuel system, which maintains as lean of a fuel condition as is safe for the engine, the EGR is important for the long run.

The computer also injects more fuel than is necessary for most efficient running. The extra fuel is there to cool the combustion chamber as well.
(This has little to do with the conversation at hand, but I found it fascinating... they sell 'steam' injectors on ebay to cool the combustion chamber so the engine can be safely run quite lean and efficiently). The ol'
Chrysler lean burn systems produces burnt valves. An engine designed to be run with an egr valve (which means it still thinks it has to dump in LESS 'cooling' fuel because the EGR is supposedly doing it's job) should have an operational EGR valve for long life.

Find another mechanic QUICK!