CEL-EGR Insuffecient Flow??

[Cougar1146]

Hi, Ok, this is a long story, but i will make it short. My CEL has been on for a while now and Now it is Emission Testing and Tag time.

I took my car to Auto Zone to have the CEL checkd and they told me that it was "EGR Insuffecient flow" So I replace the EGR Valve, DPFE sensor and the EVR soleniod, unhooked the battery for 5 minutes to reset the Computer, after 2 days the CEL light did not come on. I then take it to have emissions done (in state of Georgia) and I get a Failed test with a "Failed on Readiness". Right after I leave the testing place my CEL light comes back on. So yesterday I took it to Ford for a Diagnostic and I told them what I replaced, So today they call me and say the IMRC is bad, The Upper Intake Manifold is glogged with Carbon and need to be cleaned along with the Fuel injectors and The computer needs to be Reprogramed after they do all that so that It will pass emissions, all for $767.00!!! Wow!! I told them i can't afford that and would do it myself.

Now, Does anyone know of a simple solution?

Thanks alot.

[B3NN3TT]

Rip that UIM off of there and CLEAN THE SUCKER LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW. The EGR passages are small, and if neglected, can easily get stopped up entirely with carbon and gunk. Ford is on the right track, but you can do it yourself with a few hours, a small screwdriver, a ton of rags, and a can of carb cleaner.

The IMRC may be fine, maybe not, but you would have pretty significant drivability problems if it was bad.

The computer doesn't need to be reprogrammed, you just need to reset it. That's as hard as unhooking the battery for a few minutes.

[Cougar1146]

What is the UIM? :)

[Cougar1146]

I got a can of "Electric Motor Cleaner" from the Hoppy Shop and I was gonna Clean the IMRC and see if that helps. I also bought some Upper Intake manifold gaskets so I can rip it off and clean everything...

[Cougar1146]

BTW, my tag Expires at the end of April so I got to get on the ball and make this baby pass emission.. ;-) Any and all help is Greatly appreciated..

[Cougar1146]

One more thing, How is the best way to clean all those hoses going to the EGR Valve, DPFE sensor and EVR soleniod?

Thanks alot.

[Cougar1146]

Anybody else have any sugestions?

[FastCougar]

Could you define "Failed on Readiness"?

[Cougar1146]

Yes, "Failed on Readiness" means that the Computer is not ready. meaning you have to let it go through a drive cycle before the computer is ready to be checked. The dealer said after i disconnect the battery that I must drive it at least 150 miles before the computer will be ready to check again.

[topgunz1]

I get an EGR Excessive Flow code...any ideas for that? its intermittent, I just ignore it pretty much.

[Cougar1146]

I have heard that "EGR Excessive flow" is because your DPFE sensor has went bad.

[jec215]

That is what I have heard from any number of people. One of the girls that I used to work with had a saturn that was a POS to say the least. Her dad is a mechanic, has the ODBII scanner. She had all kinds of issues with CEL lights coming on. When she went for Emissions and reset the computer in their parking lot and they failed her too. Her dad told her the same thing. Basically the computer wants to take a kind of "average" to make sure everything is fine or truly messed up. that is why it takes some time for the CEL to turn back on after resetting it if it isn't something really wrong. Like it isn't seeing a sensor due to it is unplugged.

[LostRacer]

That is why you clear your codes with a scanner instead of pulling the battery cables. Unless you drive 150 miles frequently. I was getting cels for my cat going bad, cleared the codes with a scanner(not the battery cable), and smog checked the next day and passed no problem.:thumbsup:

[jec215]

Did they hook up to your computer...the girl that I know used a computer to clear her codes and the computer failed her test. Maybe they didn't check for the codes like they are supposed to....:shrug:

[LostRacer]

In California it is MANDATORY they are hooked in to your computer for smogging(legally). :(

[Cougar1146]

OK. here is a quick update of my Progress. I removed the UIM along with all hoses and cleaned them like crazy! I went through 5 cans of Carb cleaner and about 35 rags, along with some pipe cleaners. :) The small tube going into the EGR Valve was completly glogged up. Had huge chunks of hard carbon in there. It took us about 8 hours ( w/ breaks and stuff) to tear everything down and then put back together. I also cleaned the motor to the IMRC and put some grease in the gears. After we put everything back together we crossed our fingers and fired her up. Huge clouds of black smoke came out the Tailpipe along with gunk and Carb cleaner and after that, she was purring like a kitten. The engine is quiter now and the CEL is not on and it's been 3 days now and it is running like a CHAMP! I hope it doesn't come back on cause the emission place won't check it with the CEL on. So this Friday I will be taking it and having it checked and see if it passes emission. Wish me luck and I will post the results.

[B3NN3TT]

AWESOME, good to hear. I figured the EGR runners were stopped up.

Let us know how the test goes.