98triton

ok, where i live, i have to have an emmisions test on my truck b4 i get tags renewed. My truck is showing insufficient EGR flow, and bank 1 &2 too lean. I know its not my 02 cuz they arent that old. I Put a new EGR valve and sensor on it, cleared the codes, and now they popped back up. If i took my intake off, put the stock one back on, and took that gay throttle body spacer off, would it make the system too lean code go away? Cuz too lean means too much air right? Idk what to do about the EGR code. I seafoamed it a while back too if that has anything to do with it.

jcarp2k9

I'm certainly not an expert, but check your throttle-body for carbon build-up. That was a problem for me about 4 years ago for egr flow. As for the too lean code, try replacing the hoses coming out of the throttle-body. You will have to go to the dealership for that. Do the throttle-body first, and then see how it goes. Too lean can also mean fuel restriction. Let us know the resoultion.

98triton

yeah those lines coming out of the back of the throttle body look pretty rough. I cleaned the whole intake manifold when i had to replace the tube coming out of the back of it.

Also, i might have the lines crossed on my heater core causing my heater not to work. Could someone tell me where the lines go once they come out of the firewall?

98triton

I cleaned that sensor that tells the EGR flow. I need to get new lines because the sensor was full of orange stuff

Good old Bill

Heater hose routing, typically the hose from the top or intake manifold goes to the lower heater tube, water then fills the heater core and flows back to the water pump to be recirculated. If the heater core has its tubes side by side, its a coin toss.

Lean codes, check and double check for intake leaks to include the PCV valve hoses. We need a good tight intake system for the sensors to work in their operating windows. How long did the engine run with out codes after the spacer was put on? If it was quite a while then its probably not the problem, if it threw codes right away, well, what does that tell you?

Good old Bill

Forgot the EGR problem, back when I was smog certified in California in the early eighties, EGR was to control NOX. Nitrous oxides when combined with the sunlight produced our visible SMOG. Only test was to do a functional test on each valve, engine would stall at idle if it worked. Then came the next generation of testing where a dyno was used to work the engine to see it the EGR valve opened as designed by the engineers. So now, we come to testing in Nevada, no dynos, no functional tests of egr, if lite is out, and HC and CO are with in limits, PASS.

To lengthon out this story, HAD an issue with my EGR on wifes 96 5.0 Explorer, erased code and had tested, PASS. Acted normal (dumb) with the guy testing the vehicle as the sheet didn't even give number values of results, I asked for a run down on what the stuff meant. Bla, Bla Bla, and EGR controls fuel mixture. Times are changing, and guess who is going to test my 02 F150. Yep the same clueless dumbing.

If you are still there and haven't fallen asleep, what fixed wifes Explorer
was the EGR valve itself, it was sticking either open (excessive) or closed (insufficient) flow of EGR. The manual test of EGR flow with a vacuum pump (remember, engine has to stall out) showed system working but very stubborn, almost 4" of vacuum before valve snapped open. $170.00 later and good to go.

Wife asked, if truck passed then why spend the money (am retired), because we can't loose the integrity of the system by ignoring the lite. If its on, then how do we know if anything else is going wrong.

In ending, pull vacuum on EGR valve at idle, if engine stalls, all hoses, ports or tubes are open and need to look elsewhere for your problem.

98triton

OK, My 4x4 front axle actuator is busted. The part where the two vacuum lines go hook up to the front axle..yeah its busted. Could this be my vacuum leak causing my codes to show up? or with it just being part of the 4x4 system would it not have anything to do with it?

Good old Bill

Not familiar with the vacuum actuators. If they are spring loaded to the 4 WD lock position, yes then the vacuum is applied to them all the time and could be a source of leak. If vacuum is applied to them only in 4 WD, then I would tend to pass on this being the cause of the lean codes. I would assume the control for the wheels is before the broken lines and hence no vacuum should be there unless selected.

98triton

The engine didnt stall...

Good old Bill

To repeat, with engine at idle, using a vacuum pump or hose from engine vacuum connected to EGR, the valve should open and engine will die. If engine doesn't quit and you can see EGR valve open then no flow or an obstruction is in EGR lines or ports.