what causes P0410 CEL code on a 98 C230?

[alpine951]

My wifes 1998 normally aspirated C230 has had a CEL for at least two years. It used to be P0400 which I believed to be the egr valve/egr clogged tube issue. I had not yet taken care of this. Yesterday the car failed emmissions testing. The only code that is scanned now is P0410 which has to do with secondary air injection malfunction. The P0400code does not even come up anymore. Anyone know what causes the P0410 code. I have done some search online and it seemes it may have something to do with the air injection system. I have noticed when the car is started there is a whinning noise in the front lower part of the engine that sounds like a vacum cleaner. i am assuming this is the air injection pump. I have also noticed it sometimes comes on at stop lights. My car got a rejection sticker and I have 60 days to get this fixed. Any ideas are appreciated.

[matt09]

I had the CEL with P0411 and after checking the vacuum hoses that come from the EGR valve to the front of the engine I noticed one was broken and the other one unplugged. Replaced the broken one, plugged the other one in, cleared the codes and the CEL never came on again.
My point is, check the vacuum hoses around your engine as they can crack or disconnect. Oh and BTW, that blow drier sound is from your air pump. It coems on when the car is cold to help with emissions.

[alpine951]

Matt,

Where exactly would the egr valve be on my car. I think it is in the back corner of the motor on the drivers side buried under the injector tubing. Does this sound like the correct location?

[xvvvz]

I don't believe the 2.3L normally aspirated engine has an EGR valve (I don't the the restrictor valve is actually classified as an "EGR" valve, but I may be wrong).. From the Haynes manual (which would be a good investment for you):

1. The crankcase emission control system consists of a hose that connects the crankcase vent to the inlet ports of the cylinder head, a hose connecting the camshaft cover to the inlet air duct, a restrictor valve and an oil separator unit (see illustrations). When the engine is operating in the idle speed to mid part-load speed, the blow-by gases in the crankcase are drawn through an oil separator and hose with a restrictor to the inlet ports of the cylinder head, where it is mixed with fresh air entering the engine through the inlet manifold. When the engine is operating at mid part-load to full load speed, the blow-by gases are drawn through the camshaft cover through a hose into the inlet air duct leading to the throttle body.
2. The components of this system require no attention other than to check at regular intervals that the hoses are free of blockages and undamaged (see illustrations).

[alpine951]

My car failed its annual inspection a few days ago due to a CEL and P0410 code. I know the code is secondary air injection malfunction which relates to the air pump system that pumps fresh air into the exhaust durind cold start ups to mixed some of the unburnt stuff with oxygen to make some nicer chemicals for the environment. I looked at the air pump and vacum lines this morning. In the attached pic there is a valve about the size of a small fist that the air pump is connected to. There is tubing coming off this valve that runs to the exhaust. The valve also has a vacum line running to a black box that is in the front of the motor. This area usually has a black cover over it. I removed the cover.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p267/alpine951/airinj1.jpg

You can see the vacum line running from the valve to the box. At the right side of the box there is a rubber y with a brown vacum line.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p267/alpine951/airinj2.jpg

That brown line runs to the black intake runners on the drivers side of the motor. It was disconnected here.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p267/alpine951/airinj3.jpg

I reconnected it and now I want to clear the code to see if it comes back. Can I just disconnect both terminals on the battery to clear the code. I have to replace a ball joint and a wheel bearing some by the time I replace those should give me plenty of driving time to see if the code comes back. I am going to call the shop before I do this to see if this will be OK with them or wether I have to do something stupid to pay some shop to connect the line I pay them for something so stupid clear the code and now I pass!

By the way I pulled that valve off during the summer because I had a P0400 code which is EGR related. i thought that valve was an egr valve and I sprayed it with some cleaner thinking it might be stuck. spraying it mighjt be why i got the P0410 code.

[alpine951]

This is where and what I think is the egr valve on my car



http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p267/alpine951/airinj5.jpg

Its the one with the vacum line on top of it.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p267/alpine951/airinj4.jpg

[iwhocorrupts]

You clear the codes with the OBDII tool

[Denlasoul]

Threads merged.

[xvvvz]

You can usually clear the codes by disconnecting the battery. 10 minutes will do it if it is going to do it at all (probably less but 10 will do it for sure). You may have to reset your windows and sunroof (in your owner's manual).

You will probably have to drive your car 100 miles after you clear your codes before you can pass an emissions check. I found this to be true when I disconnected the battery a few days before I went for an emissions check. They would not pass it until 100 miles had passed even though there weren't any problems. This is to keep people from doing a quick code clearing right before they drive to the test.