code egr valve insuficient flow problem
code egr valve insuficient flow problem
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 263
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From: Royal Palm Beach, Fl
Code P0401?
Is it code P0401? I fixed my 98 F150 4.6 L 112,000 Miles with the this code. It turned out to be the EGR Ports were clogged with carbon. Disconnect the vacuum hose from the ERG Valve and cap it. Then apply vacuum (outside source) to the ERG while the engine is idling. If it continues to run smoothly the ports are blocked. The engine should stumble or stall if the ports are clear. To clean them you will have to remove the throat from the manifold. The EGR Valve or the PDFE Switch could also be the problem.
New User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 6
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EGR err msg
I'm dealing with the same problem. Not being engine savy, I'm not sure what you mean by removing the throat from the manifold. I'm willing to learn and try, if you could describe the part and location........thanks
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 299
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From: north carolina
50th ann has got it covered. very common problem on these trucks. mine was the dpfe sensor. ford i believe will cover the sensor up to 5 yrs or 80k miles. i would check with your local dealer.
furrby
furrby
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 53
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From: Florida
I just done mine 2 weeks ago. It took about an hour. But when i got the E.G.R. off the blockage was on the throttle body side. I took the throttle body off a cleaned it reinstalled and truck runs fine now. I also could not believe the throttle response that i gave just by cleaning all the carbon out. Once you repair it you will like the throttle response.
New User
Joined: Nov 2005
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FTE Legend
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 37,887
Likes: 20
From: North Central Rural Sask.
When unbolting your egr valve from the throttle body be carefull. I broke a bolt going into my throttle body and since then I must have a leak there, because my ports are clean and I have a new pdfe sensor, and the code still comes up. Only thing left to try is the egr valve, but Im guessing the broken bolt, when I drilled it out, the hole was a little to large, and it now leaks around there.
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New User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11
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Hey, good post! I've recently purchased a 2001 F-150 4.2L, previous owner told me the SES light is on due to EGR problem. I've read that most problems occur in the lower intake manifold and the fix is to remove the upper manifold to clean the ports. From what I read here maybe it's as simple as removing the EGR valve and cleaning the ports there?
Is the port in the TB the most common problem? How likely is it that the manifold ports are also clogged?
Glad I found this forum....tons of good information for someone who has only owned the General's products.
Thanks
Is the port in the TB the most common problem? How likely is it that the manifold ports are also clogged?
Glad I found this forum....tons of good information for someone who has only owned the General's products.
Thanks
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: Florida
Originally Posted by Atok
Hey, good post! I've recently purchased a 2001 F-150 4.2L, previous owner told me the SES light is on due to EGR problem. I've read that most problems occur in the lower intake manifold and the fix is to remove the upper manifold to clean the ports. From what I read here maybe it's as simple as removing the EGR valve and cleaning the ports there?
Is the port in the TB the most common problem? How likely is it that the manifold ports are also clogged?
Glad I found this forum....tons of good information for someone who has only owned the General's products.
Thanks
Is the port in the TB the most common problem? How likely is it that the manifold ports are also clogged?
Glad I found this forum....tons of good information for someone who has only owned the General's products.
Thanks
New User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
I took a close look at mine today. My EGR is not connected to the TB at all? It bolts to the front of the engine and appears to have a passage running to the lower intake manifold. So it appears cleaning the TB isn't going to help me out with this.
My truck is a 2001. Is this a newer design EGR?
My truck is a 2001. Is this a newer design EGR?
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 181
Likes: 0
I just had mine clean a week ago at tunex, and had to replace the tube from the egr , and the also had to clean the throttle body off the ports were so clog that they had to use pipe cleaner. The total cost of everything was $500.00 including the broken bolt on the egr valve. (Very costly Check Engine Light)
New User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
I must be missing something. You guys are talking about cleaning ports in the throttle body. My EGR goes nowhere near my throttle body, it's output goes directly into the lower intake manifold. What am I missing?
Anyway, today I borrowed my buddies Snap-On scanner. It's a P0401 code. I tried the test 50th Ann mentioned above, which was also recommended by a buddy of mine who works as a Ford mechanic. As soon as I applied a little vacuum to the EGR using a vacuum pump the engine immediately stalled. My buddy tells me this test points to a faulty DPFE sensor which is very common on the 4.2L. So I will be replacing the sensor and hopefully the code will be gone.
Anyway, today I borrowed my buddies Snap-On scanner. It's a P0401 code. I tried the test 50th Ann mentioned above, which was also recommended by a buddy of mine who works as a Ford mechanic. As soon as I applied a little vacuum to the EGR using a vacuum pump the engine immediately stalled. My buddy tells me this test points to a faulty DPFE sensor which is very common on the 4.2L. So I will be replacing the sensor and hopefully the code will be gone.