Emission failed, codes provided, need info?

My 2000 Ford Windstar just failed emissions (passed inspection with flying colors) The following codes were given as reason why:





P0401: Exhaust Gas Recirculation Flow Insufficient Detected


P0171: System too lean: (Bank 1)


P0174: System too lean: (Bank 2)





I have three questions:





1) What to do the codes mean in layman's terms?


2) How expensive are the fixes and what do they involve?


3) Are there any ways around this, to get it to pass emissions without spending too much money?





Thanks,





Ashley|||You probably have a vacuum leak somewhere on the engine. Check the vacuum line going to the EGR valve and gaskets. Find the leak and repair it. That should take care of all of these codes.





A frequently used method by professional mechanics is the use of starting fluid or brake wash. Simply spray around the engine with it running ( not on the exhaust ) and listen for a change in engine noise. Once You have found the area, turn the engine off and check for cracked vacuum hoses or leaky gaskets.|||The diag for these codes is a pain in the bum. You have a vacuum leak caused by the EGR being in the open position. The EGR code can be caused by a number of things: 1) the EGR is stuck open 2) the PFE has failed to give the correct signal to the EGR 3) the DPFE has failed to give the correct signal to the PFE causing it give the wrong signal for the EGR.





Start with the EGR and see if you can get a scanner to make it work. This is probably the problem and a new EGR is not that much. If it is not the problem you need to go into the PFE diag.





There is a procedure for this diagnosis and it is in All-Data or a Ford manual which I don't have with me. It could take as much as an hour labour to diagnose and maybe an hour or less to repair.


It would be difficult to beat this part of the emissions system on this vehicle unless you can get the EGR closed and run it through that way.





Hope this helps