obdII meter code questions - egr sensor

[Soundguy]

i hear many auto parts stores will scan codes for free..

hf has a cheap reader on sale fro 60$ this week.. lil looking one the size of a cell phone.. no batteries.. uses car power.. etc..

soundguy

 

[Redneck in training]

O'Reilly auto parts lends scanners for free. They want 250 USD "bail" they refund when you return the scanner.

 

[WilliamBos]

Last time I looked, for around $700 you can get one from Matco that is very close to a GM Tech II in what you can do with it. That is the way I plan on going.

 

[Monster5601]

and had a EGR sensor range high error.

only that 1 stored code, no pending codes, no codes on other modules either.

I take it this is a sensor fault as in it returned an out of range reading, IE.. something on the high side?

soundguy

Many DTCs are aged, when the controller detects a sensor reporting an out of range value it sets a DTC. The DTC will remain static for x number of ignition cycles and if the out of range reading does not occur again the controller will clear the DTC.

 

[Car Doc]

no vacuum supplied to 04 or 05 Caravan egr valves. These are tested by commanding egr operation with scan tool and monitoring the position sensor signal. Most of the time the sensor is bad when you see a high or low signal code. It is part of the valve. The valve is expensive so you should walk through the step by step diag.

Here ya go Soundguy this man knows Chrysler corp cars he can probably tell you off the top of his head what to do next! :thumbsup:

I work on Asian cars these days so I dont know a lot off hand on US models w/o looking it up.

As he said if there isn't vacuum then the egrs are run by a motor (or several) so thats one reason you would need data stream on a scan tool to do the actuator tests if it will the cheaper ones may not? good luck!

edit: I did a bit of looking just now and if it is an egr sensor high code that is a PO406. I looked on iATN and it is not uncommon to replace the egr on them and the control solenoid also apparently its probably common knowledge among Dodge techs, one reply said his shop had replaced 37 of them that year hth.

 

[Soundguy]

yep, that was the code. i had scratched it down but forgotton the actual number!

thanks

 

[Car Doc]

i hear many auto parts stores will scan codes for free.. soundguy

Yes thats correct and I have said this on here many times real technicians and shops hate that!

Granted it can help a diy guy 1 in 10 times figuring which part to throw at it you simply cant believe how many people came in our shops and say ".......checked my codes and I want to know how much to replace this part" that is just not how cars are fixed now.

I admit I used the zone to check codes for me once in another town where my daughter was going to college. I needed to be able to tell her whether she could drive it home or get it fixed there so its not all bad its a matter how you use the info. :thumbsup:

 

[Soundguy]

yep.. info by itself isn't bad.

it's the application of that info...

soundguy

 

[Car Doc]

yep, that was the code. i had scratched it down but forgotton the actual number!

thanks

Welcome! You ever need more detailed info on something and I have it available to me I can scan a flow chart and email it just fyi pm me.

 

[Short Game]

I have go to town today. I'll try the NAPA store for a scan. I'm sure I can't afford to go to a Honda dealer.

 

[Short Game]

NAPA wouldn't do it. A new AutoZone opened and they do free scans.

The readout says:

Troubleshooting P0141

Definition
Secondary H02S12 (Heated oxygen sensor - Bank 1 Sensor 2) circuit heater malfunction

Probable cause
1. - Open or short circuit condition
2. - Poor Electrical Connection
3. - Faulty H02S2 (Bank 1 Sensor 2)

 

[Car Doc]

Short Game,

That is the o2 sensor behind the cat the heater circuit in it is probably bad this will not cause any loss of driveability or performance however the lite will stay on..

Is there simply so the ecu can watch the cat and make sure the cat is viable that is one of the main aspects of OBD2 strategy.

You can ohm it and prove its bad is what I do real simple. It is a 4 wire sensor and 2 wires will have 6-10 ohms resistance just try all in sequence and if none read put a sensor in it.

I recommend an oem sensor but do what you can afford to do usually the oem are not that much higher and they work. hth

 

[Short Game]

I'm guessing that "cat" means the catalytic converter? That's under the car, right? By "behind," do you mean, "after it, in the exhaust," or, "on top of it," where it's hard to get?

Dang, with the rains here, I sure wish I had a garage or shop. For me, it will mean sliding under the car on a tarp. I'm too old for this stuff. Too poor to do otherwise.

Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it.

 

[boatyard]

I bought a simple scanner and have found that resetting the check engine light will make the problem go away 4 out of 5 times. Before I owned a simple scanner, $60-75, and brought the car in to the shop with the light on, the mechanic would say, hmm looks like you need, fill in the blank. Buy a scanner, even a simple one. It will not give you the answers to all questions, but will save you money.
Having said that, my newer car, a 2002 Volvo has codes that are proprietary. As an example the air bag light, urgent service needed, is not accessible with my scanner. It was on recently and the dealer said that it appears to have come on because of a dead battery. They had to reset it. No one else owns the software in this area. They could own it, but Volvo has made it very expensive. They charged me $49.95 to reset the light.

 

[Soundguy]

if you have a car hauler trailer.. the u-haul type with to wheel rails and an open center, you could pull it up on that and then have easier access to under it via the trailer.

soundguy

 

[Car Doc]

I'm guessing that "cat" means the catalytic converter? That's under the car, right? By "behind," do you mean, "after it, in the exhaust," or, "on top of it," where it's hard to get?

Dang, with the rains here, I sure wish I had a garage or shop. For me, it will mean sliding under the car on a tarp. I'm too old for this stuff. Too poor to do otherwise.

Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it.

You are correct on all accounts sir the cat is in the exhaust and before the muffler it can even be in the exhaust manifold on certain Honda's. Also the Honda's the rear o2 wiring will usually go thru the floor board under the drivers seat and have a rubber grommet in the wiring to the sensor that once you pull it out there will be enough wire that you can pull it out far enough to unlatch it from the cars harness. hth

The sensor you are looking for will be right after the cat and fwtw the B1S1 and B2S1 (on v6-8's) o2 sensors will be ahead of it and usually closer to the engine.

 

[Short Game]

My trailer has a solid deck. It's also been under my neighbor's lumber stack for a few years. I wish he'd get around to that, but these days he can't afford to get the job done that he had it sawed for.

 

[Short Game]

It looks like I'm in luck, and the cat is right at the outlet of the exhaust manifold. There is one sensor at the top and one the bottom. It looks like they can be taken out with a spark plug socket if the wires unplug at that sensor. There are, in fact, four wires to the lower sensor (green, white, and two blacks). If the wires do not detach at the sensor, it looks like a special wrench might be needed. Maybe a box end could get it, but maybe not.

 

[Soundguy]

they make an o2 socket that is essentially a spark plug socket with a relief cut / cast in it for the wire up the side. got the right size deep well or spark plug socket? is it a spare chinese /pakistani one? take yer angle grinder to it.. then wala... o2 sensor socket.

( harbor freight sells those by the way.. )

soundguy

 

[Car Doc]

Short Game,

Like soundguy said they make cheap sockets and btw the sensors are 7/8 so a plug socket wont work fyi. And yes its the one at the bottom if I read you right...and its the 2 black ones that will be the heater should read 6-15 ohms just guessing but as long as it is open you know its bad.

I have cut wires and used a box end wrench often enough if it will clear everything else.

You need to unplug the sensor anyway so to ohm it or at least its easier to do it inside the connection I will put it that way to prove its bad.