The dreaded P0401 code help

[stivine6]

Hey guys,

my protege threw a check engine light on sunday with the dreaded code p0401 "Exhaust gas re-circulation flow insufficient detected" which means it is directly related to the EGR valve?

On the same day i decided to seafoam the car, the check engine light went away for about 3 days and came back. But the car idles pretty smoothly, rpms fluctuate maybe 100-200rpm at times but the car does not stall or hesitate. So what else could it be??

I'll probably take off the EGR valve soon and give it a good clean but i'm afraid the code will just appear again soon after, any suggestion on other causes?

 

[hotcracker69]

better yet, replace it with Canadian model

 

[stivine6]

Sure but I want to find out if it can be something else related before I go spend the money on a new egr valve.

Anyone know if the map sensor can cause the code as well?

 

[pkane]

Your intake could be clogged, you could check and clean it too.

 

[stivine6]

Yeah I will do all that tomorrow. I'll start off by installing a short ram intake and clean the map sensor and see if that does anything. I haven't gotten an EGR gasket yet so don't want to take it off yet.

My idle really doesn't even fluctuates, at most +\- 100 now that I've taken a closer look

 

[diss3ntienc]

I've got an egr gasket if youd like that im not going to be using. I'm in mississauga. pm me if you want to grab it!

 

[lowlevel]

Take the old EGR off and see if it's stuck closed. You can just grab the valves push rod (or whatever you call it) with a pair of needle nose and move it.. see if the spring can return it to the closed position smoothly...or if it gets stuck, or is difficult to move. Mine was jammed open pretty good... and after cleaning it, it would still stick 1 time out of 50 times... if yours is stuck just go buy the new one..

 

[pcb]

my protege threw a check engine light on sunday with the dreaded code p0401 "Exhaust gas re-circulation flow insufficient detected" which means it is directly related to the EGR valve?

any suggestion on other causes?

A bad or sticking EGR valve is pretty much the only thing that will throw that code (except for the small possibility of an electrical problem,... (bad connection))

EGR's are real problem with our cars.
Here's a link about it.

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123825952-EGR-question-MP5

A new "Canadian" version EGR valve is $120 at Rockauto. (you have to search under a regular Protege to get the listing of the EGR with the coolant lines.)

http://www.rockauto.com/m/mobilecatalog.php?a=G-mazda

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=1515368&cc=1430264