Abstract: An integral pintle shield and annular scraper for protecting and cleaning the pintle shaft of a pintle valve, such as an exhaust gas recirculation valve for an internal combustion engine, to prevent coking and failure of the valve. The scraper surrounds the shaft, making contact with the shaft surface with sufficient force to dislodge incipient coke deposits but with insufficient force to inhibit the axial motion of the pintle shaft in actuation. The scraper is mounted within a radial shield surrounding the pintle shaft and pintle bushing for preventing exposure of the shaft and bushing to combustion products. The scraper is disposed in such a way that the shaft is scraped in both directions during each actuative cycle of the valve.