Buick OBD question
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Elder User
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Buick OBD question
Hey folks! My mom's 2000 Buick Century with the 6 cyl is throwing 2 0401 EGR codes, why two I don't know. I know this because I had to pull them. She took it to the shop my folks normally use and the tech said it was "showing older codes their machine didn't recognize." WTF? I have a 5 year old OBDII scanner I got at pep boys and it recognized them. I realize that a professional machine would be able to do more than mine, but come on. So, why 2 at once and what to do? Can I just clean/replace the EGR valve or could there be something else going on? Thanks!
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,512
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From: Cook Forest and Irwin PA
which engine? (if you dont know, 8th digit of VIN)
that is EGR insufficient. It is detected one of 2 places - expected lambda from the OS sensors or an EGR Position sensor
so there are 2 fixes: whatever drives the EGR valve aint driving it, OR the EGR valve is coked up.
That year IIRC on that gen of the 3100 the EGR drive and sensor are encased in 1 - it aint fixable - coking up - well it might be somewhat cleanable. Its gonna run you 60-120 for the part depending (and depending you got shipping)
Clear the code first and see if it repeats - if it does, go for the valve - cheaper than paying a lot of diag time which is usually 1 hr min.
btw - those 3.1s have icky intake gaskets that fail at the coolant ports and the unburnt coolant sucked in corrodes the crap out of the EGR - are you losing coolant at all? (will be a tiny amount, perhaps a pint a month
you are likely to have 1 engine choice, a 3.1L 60* V6 from chevy (highly likely) - code J IIRC
that is EGR insufficient. It is detected one of 2 places - expected lambda from the OS sensors or an EGR Position sensor
so there are 2 fixes: whatever drives the EGR valve aint driving it, OR the EGR valve is coked up.
That year IIRC on that gen of the 3100 the EGR drive and sensor are encased in 1 - it aint fixable - coking up - well it might be somewhat cleanable. Its gonna run you 60-120 for the part depending (and depending you got shipping)
Clear the code first and see if it repeats - if it does, go for the valve - cheaper than paying a lot of diag time which is usually 1 hr min.
btw - those 3.1s have icky intake gaskets that fail at the coolant ports and the unburnt coolant sucked in corrodes the crap out of the EGR - are you losing coolant at all? (will be a tiny amount, perhaps a pint a month
you are likely to have 1 engine choice, a 3.1L 60* V6 from chevy (highly likely) - code J IIRC
Last edited by quaddriver; Nov 15, 2008 at 11:21 AM. Reason: I spel gud
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Thanks for the info quad. I figured it would need replacing. I'll check out the vin the next time I get a chance. The code comes and goes, it's not 100% constant. Yeah, those gaskets are driving my dad nuts. He's had them replaced 4 times since they got the car.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,512
Likes: 8
From: Cook Forest and Irwin PA
I sponsored a fix for the intakes, geesh, darn near a decade ago, but most shop guys ignore it - the fix is to torque down the intake both sides at once using a friend or two wrenches and 'good hands'
The plastic gasket bosses have a nitrile rubber seal around each port and when you torque it side to side following the torque sequence like a good boy, you often tear the seal on the extreme ends - the water ports. $50 of gaskets and 4 hours of your life shot.
do enuf of them tho and you learn how to take apart the 3.1/3.4 in 'chunks' - skipping a lot of steps!
The plastic gasket bosses have a nitrile rubber seal around each port and when you torque it side to side following the torque sequence like a good boy, you often tear the seal on the extreme ends - the water ports. $50 of gaskets and 4 hours of your life shot.
do enuf of them tho and you learn how to take apart the 3.1/3.4 in 'chunks' - skipping a lot of steps!
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