PT Cruiser

[cleanspeed1]

You didn't specify where you live in your profile, but the parts are not that expensive. You are talking about 4 spark plugs, a set of wires, air filter, fuel filter, one O2 sensor ( maybe 2, have to check your particular vehicle ) plus labor. The EGR passage should have been cleaned out before it was replaced. A muffler shop can check the cat for a small fee.

I live by the "stay ahead of everything" rule and deal with things before they fail so that it doesn't hurt as much.

Oh, if you haven't done so, the timing belt service needs to be done also, if it hasn't been done within the last 100k miles.

[Wonderjava]

ok all belts have been replaced within the last month. i live by that rule too, except when you buy a used car, you tend to not be able to live by that rule when you first buy it. i live in omaha, nebraska. can i google how many o2 sensors the vehicle has or do i need to call a shop for that? yes i realize it should have been cleaned out when the valve was replaced, but unfortunately it wasnt and i didnt know anything about egr until this situation arose.

[Wonderjava]

i went to do the self test on the pt, and it gave me this code again.
according to the pt cruiser forum the error code is this and means:

P0401 Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Flow Insufficient

so now what? shop time?

[cfg83]

Wonderjava -

For general maintanance stuff I go to a forum dedicated to my car. Here are some for the PT Cruiser :

PT Cruiser Forum
PT Cruiser - Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Plymouth, and related cars and trucks
ptdoityourself.net - PT DIY Search Form
PT Cruiser World - View Forums

Normally you don't have to join to use their forum search function.

CarloSW2

[Wonderjava]

yes sir, ive looked at various sites already trying to figure out the problem, the error code i looked up on ptcruiser forum.

[cleanspeed1]

Originally Posted by Wonderjava

ok all belts have been replaced within the last month. i live by that rule too, except when you buy a used car, you tend to not be able to live by that rule when you first buy it. i live in omaha, nebraska. can i google how many o2 sensors the vehicle has or do i need to call a shop for that? yes i realize it should have been cleaned out when the valve was replaced, but unfortunately it wasnt and i didnt know anything about egr until this situation arose.

Yep, if it's out of your skill set and you don't have the tools to fix it.

Anything you want to know about your vehicle is online somewhere, but as cfg83 said, you could hit the PTCruiser sites and find out about it. Or just go by a local Chrysler dealership and ask one of the techs.

[Wonderjava]

i will look it up some more, and i will go to the chrysler dealer as well.

[Frank Lee]

I now live by the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" rule, and no longer throw away perfectly good spark plug wires and such. AFTER they prove themselves bad, they get replaced, but not before. I'm not on a first name basis with every auto parts clerk in town anymore.

[cleanspeed1]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

I now live by the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" rule, and no longer throw away perfectly good spark plug wires and such. AFTER they prove themselves bad, they get replaced, but not before. I'm not on a first name basis with every auto parts clerk in town anymore.

But Frank, you know your equipment really well. That and the fact yer cheap

[Frank Lee]

Cheap and proud of it! There is damn little that gets past me and into the landfill.

But Frank, you know your equipment really well.

Ummm... what are you really saying about me???