a two stage exhaust gas recirculation valve delivers a wide range of egr flow while operating with reduced valve actuating forces allowing use of a reduced cost actuator such as a solenoid with smaller sized coil and armature . an attached valve body mounts concentric dual pintle valves including a larger first valve , which engages a valve seat in the valve body to control exhaust gas flow between inlet and outlet openings and a smaller second valve positioned inside the first valve and engaging a second valve seat in the head of the first valve . the second valve controls a low flow passage inside the first valve . the solenoid armature engages only the smaller second valve during a first stage of its stroke so that the smaller valve is opened first and flow control is maintained in a low flow range . exhaust and intake differential pressures acting on the second valve are overcome by a smaller armature force because of the smaller area of the second valve . in a second stage of its stroke , the armature also engages the first valve , forcing it off its seat and providing a greater amount of exhaust flow . opening of the larger first valve requires less force than a single pintle valve because the flow from the open smaller valve reduces the pressure differential in the valve body and thus reduces the force opposing opening of the larger valve .