Help! Will bad EGR pres. sensor affect gas mileage?

[LazyDay]

Here's the problem. I'm traveling from Michicgan back to Utah for Christmas and I'm leaving Thursday(today's monday.) The dreaded 'check engine' light just came on and went off last weekend. I checked the codes with a scanner and it said My Pressure feedback EGR sensor/solenoid is bad. I've checked all of the local part stores and they can't get this for me until Friday.

My question is: how will this bad sensor affect freeway driving and my gas mileage(the trip is 1500 miles one way)? It's going to kill my wallet if my gas mileage drops anymore!

 

[mrboyle]

You are going to loose at least 3-4 mpg minimum. It may not be as drastic at freeway speeds, but idle and acceleration will proably be affected.

 

[LazyDay]

So its more of an idle problem rather than a high speed problem then?

 

[AgExplorer]

It's both. Your highway performance at constant speed will not be affected much. The EGR controls combustion temps and will cause some loss of fuel mileage. It will also cause your oil to degrade more rapidly than normal because of the unregulated combustion temps. You may want to consider changing it after replacing the EGR.

You should be able to get the EGR from a local dealer for about $60 if you want to replace it before your trip. One additional thing to consider is the EGR sensor. It may damaged or impaired. Also, be sure to check the tubing that runs from the EGR sensor for cracks. It would be a good time to replace them. The ones on mine were cracked and probably contributed to the EGR's demise. There was a noticeable increase in performance and idle smoothness after everything was replaced.

 

[Beertime9]

Check the high temp hoses that run from the FPE to the EGR tube, sometimes they get cracked or plugged, mine did the same thing, I bet that the hoses are plugged. Also you can clean the egr, they get built up with carbon.
Don

 

[LazyDay]

I talked to a Ford Parts Dealer and he needed the number off my EGR valve so he could get the right one, something to do about getting the right calibration. Anyone know what thats all about?

 

[AgExplorer]

On the driver's side door frame on the right, there's a little white sticker with the calibration code. Give him that number and he can get you the correct part. Apparently, Ford uses different computer coding (or something like that) for different parts of the country.

 

[nyisles_99]

CHECK ENGINE

I had the light go on my 94 and it was the air mass sensor. I drove with it on for a few days but it ran like doo doo. I suggest order the part at a destination where you will be then replace it when you get there. The best bet is replace it now before you cause any other problems. Gas burns more therefore you will defintely use more gas.

Did you try NAPA,Dealers,PepBoys,Autobahn, car parts. com may be able to overnight it to you. Performance products.com?

dan

 

[LazyDay]

I finally found a dealer who could get it for me and it should be in today. Just in time to change it by tommorrow when I leave. I had them bring in both the FPE sensor and EGR valve since I didn't know which one of them was the problem and didn't want to find out I got the wrong part. Anyway of knowing which one of the two is the culprit? The error code I read off the scanner during a KOEO test was '335 (O) EGR feedback signal is/was out of range - EVR or PFE'. Boy do I love working on my Explorer when it's 15*F outside and my garage isn't heated.

[Edited by LazyDay on 12-20-2000 at 04:56 AM]

 

[Beertime9]

FPE is your problem, if the egr is out the code would be 33, egr not closing, make sure you check the high temp hoses to the FPE, if they are clogged or burnt in two, it will read the same, and yes they are expensive, about $20. They are special high temp silicone, of coarse only sold at Ford.
Don

 

[AgExplorer]

You can find high temp silicone hose at the local parts store. That's what I used to replace the cracked OEM ones. I can't remember what it costs but about $10 for 20 ft. sounds about right.

 

[LazyDay]

Well, I learned a very important lesson last night - don't try and manuever cold, brittle, hard vacuum lines too much in a freezing garage - snap! like a toothpick. I didn't even know I broke the first one, but it was while trying to figure out how to fix the first one that I broke the second one. The dealership couldn't get the replacment lines until Friday but as I said above I'm leaving tonight so I had no choice but to find a fix for it. I took a soft but thick rubber hose with a ID slightly smaller than the vacuum line OD and slid it over the break with the ends of the broken hard vacuum line butted up to each other. That way no amount of vacuum could collapse the soft tube wall. I then took some silicone sealer and sealed up the ends of the soft tube. Just like new! Well, maybe not but it has worked so far. I replaced the solenoid to the EGR valve and so far no check engine light has come on. SO wish me luck for the next 1500 miles.