An exhaust gas recirculation system for an engine, comprising: an intake port in fluid communication with an intake manifold of the engine; an exhaust line in fluid communication with at least one exhaust manifold of the engine; an exhaust gas recirculation conduit in fluid communication with the exhaust line and the intake port; and a butterfly valve (154, 270) fluidly positioned along the exhaust gas recirculation conduit and in fluid communication with the exhaust line and the intake port and including: a housing having a valve passageway through which exhaust gases pass from a first end to a second end of the valve (154, 270), the valve passageway including: a shaft axis; bores (54, 56) on opposite sides of the passageway that are aligned along the shaft axis with one another; lap seating surfaces (48, 50) on opposite sides of the passageway facing opposite ends of the valve (154, 270), the shaft axis being between the lap seating surfaces (48, 50); a butterfly valve element in the valve passageway between the bores (54, 56), the butterfly valve element having counter bores (66, 68); two bushings (60, 62), each bushing (60, 62) being received in a different one of the bores (54, 56) and extending from the bore (54, 56) inwardly into a different one of the counter bores (66, 68) of the butterfly valve element; and a shaft extending between the bores (54, 56) and laterally through the butterfly valve element, the shaft also extending in each of the bushings (60, 62) so as to journal the shaft relative to the housing; characterized by a cooler fluidly positioned along the exhaust gas recirculation conduit and in fluid communication with the exhaust line and the intake port; in that the shaft extends between the bores (54, 56) and laterally through the butterfly valve element so as to permit some freedom of relative movement; and in that there is a first slip fit creating a first rotary joint between the bushings (60, 62) and the counter bores (66,68) and a second slip fit creating a second rotary joint between the shaft and the bushings (60, 62), and one of the slip fits is closer than the other. an intake port in fluid communication with an intake manifold of the engine; an exhaust line in fluid communication with at least one exhaust manifold of the engine; an exhaust gas recirculation conduit in fluid communication with the exhaust line and the intake port; and a butterfly valve (154, 270) fluidly positioned along the exhaust gas recirculation conduit and in fluid communication with the exhaust line and the intake port and including: a housing having a valve passageway through which exhaust gases pass from a first end to a second end of the valve (154, 270), the valve passageway including: a shaft axis; bores (54, 56) on opposite sides of the passageway that are aligned along the shaft axis with one another; lap seating surfaces (48, 50) on opposite sides of the passageway facing opposite ends of the valve (154, 270), the shaft axis being between the lap seating surfaces (48, 50); a butterfly valve element in the valve passageway between the bores (54, 56), the butterfly valve element having counter bores (66, 68); two bushings (60, 62), each bushing (60, 62) being received in a different one of the bores (54, 56) and extending from the bore (54, 56) inwardly into a different one of the counter bores (66, 68) of the butterfly valve element; and a shaft extending between the bores (54, 56) and laterally through the butterfly valve element, the shaft also extending in each of the bushings (60, 62) so as to journal the shaft relative to the housing; a housing having a valve passageway through which exhaust gases pass from a first end to a second end of the valve (154, 270), the valve passageway including: a shaft axis; bores (54, 56) on opposite sides of the passageway that are aligned along the shaft axis with one another; lap seating surfaces (48, 50) on opposite sides of the passageway facing opposite ends of the valve (154, 270), the shaft axis being between the lap seating surfaces (48, 50); a shaft axis; bores (54, 56) on opposite sides of the passageway that are aligned along the shaft axis with one another; lap seating surfaces (48, 50) on opposite sides of the passageway facing opposite ends of the valve (154, 270), the shaft axis being between the lap seating surfaces (48, 50); a butterfly valve element in the valve passageway between the bores (54, 56), the butterfly valve element having counter bores (66, 68); two bushings (60, 62), each bushing (60, 62) being received in a different one of the bores (54, 56) and extending from the bore (54, 56) inwardly into a different one of the counter bores (66, 68) of the butterfly valve element; and a shaft extending between the bores (54, 56) and laterally through the butterfly valve element, the shaft also extending in each of the bushings (60, 62) so as to journal the shaft relative to the housing; characterized by a cooler fluidly positioned along the exhaust gas recirculation conduit and in fluid communication with the exhaust line and the intake port; in that the shaft extends between the bores (54, 56) and laterally through the butterfly valve element so as to permit some freedom of relative movement; and in that there is a first slip fit creating a first rotary joint between the bushings (60, 62) and the counter bores (66,68) and a second slip fit creating a second rotary joint between the shaft and the bushings (60, 62), and one of the slip fits is closer than the other.