| Advertisement |
| Failed your emission smog test Can you afford to pay the repairs |
by Richard Trent
Everybody knows for a fact that one of the requirements of driving in city streets is passing the emission smog test. We do this so as not to pollute our atmosphere besides helping us to conserve fuel. However, one of the nightmares that drivers have is the cost involved in passing such test. When this problem occurs, our vehicle must be either brought to a garage or you can try to fix it yourself. The first one is not a problem if you have money set aside for this situation but what happen if you decide to do this yourself? How do you begin? What tools do you need? Where do you get the info to fix this problem?
If you have not done any repairs in your vehicle, this is scary situation but if you bring your vehicle to a shop, here is what you are up against: (1). Cost of scanning for codes including one hour diagnosis to find the problem...$100-$150 (depending on the type of vehicle you have). (2).another $100 per hour as soon as the mechanic starts working on your vehicle. The final cost can easily run you from $300-$800 just to fix just one problem. And assuming the mechanic finds another code or sensor that can cause another smog failure, which will be extra.
So why not try to do it yourself? An example is shown below on how a smart driver will fix his own smog problem using the check engine light from the dash panel: “My 2001 Ford F150 Pick up truck has flunked the smog test and this code P0402 (EGR flow high) is now stored on my engine computer. I tried fixing this myself and when I checked vacuum to the egr valve port at idle, the engine stopped which confirms to me that the egr valve is OK. The engine is running properly except this check engine light comes on all the time which will fail my smog test. Is there a common solution for this code so I can pass this smog test”?
Looking at my files about this vehicle, this problem is indeed common and here is what I told him: “There is a common repair for this and all the the time it needs the changing of the DPFE sensor. This sensor appears like a small box with 2 ports coming from the exhaust. The sensor’s location is found between the valve cover and throttle body with tubes running from it. This sensor calculates the exhaust back pressure when the EGR valve is activated. The passages (tubes) for this sensor can get broken and leak to trip the code but there are lots of failures on the sensor itself. Also, if the tube is blocked with carbon and restrict the flow; the code can be set too. To check, measure the signal voltage of the sensor as shown in the wiring diagram. Max reading should not exceed 0.9 volt or it means the sensor is defective”.
Because he is one of my subscribers, his initial expenses are: cost of getting the code which is free using my blog info (see below) and the vacuum pump is about $20. The final fix for this was the replacement of DPFE sensor which can be bought from any parts store or Ford dealer. A digital voltmeter was also used which can be bought for around $50-$100. If you add the cost of other common hand tools, he might end up spending the same amount of money if he brought it to a garage. However, this is the biggest difference: he kept the tools and gained his confidence, self worth and next time a code comes around he's ready for it! Does this approach make sense to you? If you do, then welcome to the 21st century! For more info about checking your engine using check engine lights codes, please read my blog at:
"http://www.check-engine-light-codes.blogspot.com"
Mr. Richard Trent is an avid automotive publisher with a dozen websites and blogs to his credit since 2000. His main focus is creating self help automotive articles designed to give practical solutions to car owners so they can do it without the complications. His background includes BS.Mech Engr. and over 30 years as a licensed automotive technician. You can view his blog at: check engine light codes
|
|
|
Main Categories |
