Dont think that would do anything as the egr is a live read for the ECU... car take a lot of info from it to run efficently...?? Not sure tho lots of diesel lad remove them but you probably need a resistor to tell the engine its still there but not (if you get me!?)
Take it down to you local garage and get them to read the live data from the EGR they will tell you if its shot... only be 10-20 for a read or carb cleaner the egr (it will gunk up agian tho)see if it helps