Thanks for the tip, I will try that. Testing indicates my EGR recirculation system is not functioning -- not the controllers or monitors like DPFE, but the recirculation part, that runs from the exhaust manifold, through the lower pipe with the orifice you mentioned, then through the EGR valve, and finally through the EGR ports in the intake manifold.

 

You can sign-up for Alldata.com This is not an add but i have used it many many times and you get complete step by step directions on how to do anything involved with your vehicle and any other vehicle. It gives you labor hours so you can see if a shop is being honest of not and it gives you some leverage to negotiate. All in all for the price it cost to join this service you will save it in BILLS to the mechanic. In my opinion if a person cannot follow step by step instructions with pictures them maybe they should call a cab anyways.

 

Checked this out today, and could feel exhaust pulsing. So that part is working.

 

I have found dozens of references that talk about cleaning the EGR ports in the intake manifold of a 4.2L V6, but only a single one with the details / photos of getting to that point. I gave a link to that page elsewhere in this forum. There are so many other detailed instructions for other procedures & repairs to this truck posted on the internet that it seems peculiar that this particular procedure is so poorly illustrated.
I believe I've narrowed my problem down to clogged EGR ports in the intake manifold and am now in the middle of the project. My back hurts.
DISCONNECTING A THROTTLE CABLE FROM THROTTLE BODY FORD 4.2L V6 ENGINE 2001 - YouTube

 

This thread was intriguing, I don't have a 4.2 but just like the other threads I have read I guess cleaning the ports are my next step as well on my sweet hearts van. This should be fun

_________________
98 5.4 Eddie 4x4 176K (body) & 70k (engine) she's back!
88 Stang LX 5.0 HO (stock for now)
01 Windstar LX 3.8 (a huge pain in the you know what )
95 Mazda Protege Dx 1.5L 5spd 222,252 miles (wrecked - gone but not forgotten)

 

I have been working over a week off & on to take the top of my F150's intake manifold off to get at the EGR ports and clean them.
Recall that I had done the basic EGR test -- while at warm idle, connect a vacuum pump to the EGR valve port, pull a light vacuum & notice whether or not the idle changes. If the EGR valve & its passageways are open, the engine should run very rough or even stall. I bought my vacuum pump years ago, and tested it just this very way on my F150, and got the results I just mentioned. After my F150 started giving me the P0401 code, I repeated the test and got no change in the engine's running.
Many online discussions about Ford EGR's and the P0401 indicate that EGR's very rarely fail.
When I got to my EGR valve to inspect it inside & out, it had failed. The passageway from the exhaust manifold was nearly occluded with blank gunk, and the passage to the intake manifold was almost that bad. I had to pour a substantial amount of carb cleaner into the passageways, and brush it out with a toothbrush, just to see the EGR valve shaft. The carb cleaner would not flow between the 2 ports. I used a pair of small pliers to manipulate the shaft - it was frozen.
I attached my trusty vacuum pump to the vacuum port, pulled 30 psi, nothing happened. The valve shaft did not move. I left the pressure connected & put the EGR valve down for a few seconds. It made a loud metallic "Clang" and I picked it up. Suddenly the valve had opened, I could see the top part of it in one passageway. Releasing the vacuum allowed the valve to close, then re-applying vacuum made it open normally.
Nothing short of removing the EGR valve and inspecting it off the engine would have disclosed this problem. A large amount of carb cleaner & physical removal of gunk and chipping out hard black carbon was necessary to even get to the point of seeing the valve shaft. That and the prolonged application of vacuum finally caused the valve to open.
The EGR ports looked dirty in the intake manifold, but didn't seem to be obviously clogged. Now that I can see them I will clean them out with more carb cleaner. Spraying the carb cleaning upstream showed the passageway was open clear back to the mounting point of the EGR valve itself.
As long as I've gone this far I will buy a new EGR valve & put everything back together. I hope this is the last P0401 code I will get from this vehicle.
Will leave a final note when appropriate.

 

One extra note, it is true the EGR system rarely fails, and the passages being blocked is usually an indication of rich operation. Maybe that has already been fixed or maybe it is ongoing. When was the last time your O2 sensors were replaced? If you have access to a scan tool, what kind of values do you get for the fuel trims?

 

O2 sensors are OEM. This truck does have 108,000 miles on it. The only scan tools I have access to are the free ones the car parts places offer to check the 'service engine soon' light.

 

One other thing I thought was odd. There was no gasket between the EGR valve and the V-shaped structure Ford calls the "EGR Valve Spacer Plate Adapter" just some silver colored grease looking exactly like antiseize grease.
I've take many other OEM parts off my vehicles and I've never before seen antiseize grease in a factory installation.
The EGR valve has a Ford part no. on it. I bought the F150 when it was a year old & had 11,000 miles on it.
Does this make it look like the EGR had already been replaced once before?

 

I tested my new EGR before I installed it, using a handheld vacuum pump.
Here's the video:
Operation of EGR Valve for 2001 F150 4.2L, off the engine - YouTube

There is the common on-engine test: With the engine idling, connect the vacuum pump to the EGR vacuum port & pull a small amount of vacuum. If the EGR valve and its passages are working, the engine's operation should stumble or it may even stall.
However, if nothing happens, this does not tell you whether or not the EGR valve is working, only that the exhaust gas is not recirculating - which could be the vault of the EGR or of other parts of the system.
This particular EGR valve model has no way to determine whether or not the valve is actually operating while it is on the vehicle. You can hear the valve slamming shut when you release the pressure, but it's not very loud, and is only an indirect indication of valve operation.

 

I reassembled my F150 on Jan. 9 & started it for the first time after replacing the EGR valve & cleaning out the upper manifold passages. I've put on about 150 miles, 5 or 10 start & run cycles, no further CEL codes, and it's running well. Last mpg was 15.1 after mixed highway & city driving, an improvement over the no-EGR status.
Lessons learned: when the EGR system grossly fails, as indicated by lack of a change in warm idling when vacuum is pulled on the EGR valve, check the EGR valve FIRST. It's easy to do & would have saved me a great deal of time & trouble. I did clean the EGR ports, but they didn't seem to be clogged.
If the ports of the EGR system into the intake manifold are truly closed, the only cure is to take off the intake plenum & clean them. Most of the effort in doing that is removing and reinstalling parts that are in the way. I now can see why mechanics charge $400 on up to do this job.
Most useful tool in cleaning EGR ports: Harbor Freight's 1/4" Stubby Swivel Head Ratchet ITEM # 98667 MANUFACTURER: PITTSBURGH PROFESSIONAL. That and a 10mm 1/4" drive deep well socket were essential in removing the intake plenum.
Most useful website for this job: https://sites.google.com/site/fordf1...0174-Fix/page2

 

I have a 1999 F-150 4x4 w/5.4. I was also pulling the P0104 as well as P0103 codes. I found a sight about all the OBD codes. OBD-II Trouble Code Information and Diagnosis | Engine-Codes.com. This says nothing about the EGR VALVE or SENSOR. It is do to a dirty or bad MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR. I have cleaned mine and the light has not come back on. Before it would come on before I got backed out of the driveway. Still crossing my fingers but so far so good.

 

This thread has been about the P0401 codes, not about P0104 or P0103.
Check this link for the breakdown of possible causes of P0401.

 

Sorry I put the numbers backwards. The P0401 & P0301 codes is what pulled. I typed in the wrong codes on the website. Sorry if any confusion.

 

The 401 and 301 codes are completly different and indicate two seperate issues.
The 301 is cylinder 1 missfire.
.
The 401 is low/noflow detected on a system test.
The 401 is tested right away after a cold start.
The 401 test is done two times during a drive cycle to be sure it is a hard failure and not due to an ice freeze in one of the lines that melts as soon as the heat comes up in the engine bay.
Neither fault is associated with the mass airflow meter.
Good luck.