Hi,

This is happening on honda accord 2000, EX V6, 157000 miles.

So, I have this check engine light came on since last week a few minutes after passing emission test successfully. I am taking that as mere coincidence.

I went to autozone, got this code P0401.

I had whole Tranny replaced some 4-5 months ago and I have been getting a noise intermittently which I went to show to mechanic but unfortunately the noise didn't come on the test rides. There was another sound which the mechanic said is from suspension. I was unsuccessful in making them hear the sound that I keep getting. I finally decided to record it using a cell phone. So here it is, starting the car and opening the hood, this is what I hear - http://vocaroo.com/i/s1fTaF34trVK . This comes while driving too.. Now a days it is more frequent.

I feel I have to apple lot more pressure on gas pedal and prolly on brake pedal too. It seems like there is power loss.

Now the code may indicate clogging/fauly valve or sensors. Could the main cause be vacuum leak and thus insufficient pressure the root cause? Please do listen to audio recording and let me know what you feel. The cellphone was held between engine and battery.

Thank you.
UG

 

p0401 is egr insufficient flow detected.

I had a j30a1 in a 98 accord once and had same issue. there is actually a video on this on the tube.

clean out egr ports, and egr valve.


and just one question.
have you noticed higher idle rpms or hissing sounds? I couldn't really make out the sound clip.

anyway when you pull the intake manifold it would be a good idea to replace the gasket too. might as well grab a egr valve gasket as well.
hope this helps.

 

hello thank you. I am not a mechanic so i am going to have to search someone in chicago who can do it. I am done spending so much at honda dealer that i am going to search carefully for someone who knows the stuff as well as less $$

At park position the rpms jump to abou 1500 and come back to 800-900 or so and stay there.

 

 

Thanks. I think I don't have right kind of tools needed for this. I tried with what I have, but there were obstructions, so couldn't reove nuts on the valve and left the task immediately.

Could you recommend the tool set/tools required to take things apart that will work in this situation?

 

Look for a harbor freight near you and go and pick up the tools you need. You will probably need a breaker bar for the exhaust components and some offset wrenches to remove bolts that are hard to get to and some PB Blaster penetrating lubricant. You can use other open end wrenches and put them against another one to remove bolts where you can only get an open end wrench on and unable to fit a ratchet onto because of clearance issues. This helps me a lot. You just put the open end into the open end of the wrench you're using.

You'll probably need a breaker bar and assuming you're pulling exhaust components more times than none you will need new exhaust gaskets when you remove exhaust components. Mechanics just reuse old gaskets but exhaust gaskets are actually designed to use once and tossed. If the gasket is before an oxygen sensor and you wind up with an exhaust leak after trying to reuse a crush type exhaust gasket it will kill your oxygen sensor in no time. In addition to a breaker bar, it helps to have a piece of metal pipe that you can fit over the breaker bar for added strength to remove the exhaust bolts since they will be caked on tight.

You just need to go over that video and see exactly what he takes off and see what you need.