Well I am having issues with the battery now. I had the battery and alternator checked and they were both good. It cleared the codes when the battery died and I Cant keep it running long enough for the check engine light to come back on. I think I have a short somewhere.

 

I am not having much luck either!!! The front bolt that holds the egr valve on is rusted & will not budge have sprayed penetrating oil on it but so far it will not come off!!!

 

Got that bitch of a bolt out, cleaned it & greased it up, now I have to go see the mechanic!!! Bathed it in Pb Blaster.

 

Had trouble with the other bolt so had to bathe it in PB Blaster also. Took it to the mechanic yesterday who got it off etc, cleared the code. Drove home, this morning light came back on within 3 mins of leaving home!!!!! It really sucks!!! The mechanic did say that the "lump of electronics" (my term not his, that sits on top of the rgi) is the cause of many faults but costs about $65 for a new one!!! There is of course still no guarantee that a new one would fix it so any suggestions??? I am not made of money so things that will help keep the cost down will help greatly. Thanks.

 

What codes did it throw this time?

 

The original code was P0401 which was scanned at Autozone. I have not been back as yet. The reason is that the code (according to autozone) covers a variety of causes so I guess it was grasping at straws hoping that cleaning it out would cure it. I kinda doubt if having it re-scanned would be any more specific but then again.......

 

As mentioned before, that P0401 code indicates insufficient flow through the EGR.

If you had the ports cleaned and the valve replaced, probably going to be the DPFE sensor. Not sure if there is a way to check that item before you buy one...

 

The guy took off the egr valve cleaned it & reset the code etc that was it. Nothing else was touched.

 

This is a 4.6L. No need to pull the EGR valve, that's not the issue. When they fail, you usually will get a poppet valve failure (PO402). Besides, all you need to do is "suck test" the valve while the engine is running @ idle.

Don't go by the Auto Zone print out. It's generic and not 4.6L specific.

MOST LIKELY and 4.6L specific (the 5four uses a much larger system), - the two ports under the plenum body are packed tight w/carbon.

Take the EGR pipe nut loose, remove the 4 8mm bolts holding the plenum to the intake, disconnect remainig connectors.

At the bench, -flip it over and ream out those two holes filled w/carbon.

Your better off pulling the valve at this point , IF you can. No solvents or compressed air can be forced into the EGR valve itself. Otherwise you'll smoke the diaphragm. That's very easy to do if you don't know any better.

Purchase a new plenum to intake gasket, if your intake is aluminum.

Automotive pipe cleaners work best for port reaming, after you break it up a bit.

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Clean your IAC while it's out. Use "DeepCreep" and compressed air while working the mechanicals.

 

You still need to go get the codes read again - how do you know for sure it's the same code coming back if you don't?

 

jbrew, could u please be a little more specific on what needs to be done as I am not really sure what parts need to be done to what. Do u think this is going to cure it?

 

Get the codes first.

What he is saying is the EGR ports in the throttle body are probably plugged, and the throttle body has to be removed to clean them out.

https://www.f150online.com/forums/ar...ttle-body.html

 

My question is why doesn't your mechanic have a scanner? And also why didn't he attempt to clean the EGR ports in the throttle body???

 

They won't do that most of the time. That's just the way it is.

 

The 4.6L, specific ~

PO401

Plugged ports, -4.6L EGR passage ports.


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Cleaned -