Exhaust Code 31

[fredfifty]

driving around today for awhile, came home and CEL starts flashing...checked codes, its a 31 (and 67 due to NSS-thats another issue). Looked up the code via a web search, its a EGR/VPS issue apparently. Checked my VPS and sure enough there was something wrong..it wasn't seated properly on the EGR because the 3 mounting bolts were not tightened down all the way. Tightened them up, disconnected the battery, no more code 31. By the way the EGR and VPS are motorcraft and are new (few hundred miles on them) and them bitches aren't cheap sheesh.

so how does the bolts come loose? engine vibrations or? I know I tightened them fairly good when I installed them initially...atleast I thought I did.

I'm just glad this was an easy fix...

 

[Mustang5L5]

I thought the oem nuts used to secure it were the nylon insert type nuts to prevent loosening? Is this what you have?

 

[fredfifty]

Yes nylon locking nut atleast thats what they look like

 

[Mustang5L5]

Very odd. Those should back oyt

 

[General karthief]

Throw a dab of lock lite on 'em

 

[jrichker]

Nylock inserts are only good up to 250° F. Above that the nylon insert tends to soften and loses its ability to insure that the nuts stay tight. Some of the Chinese manufactured hardware that is so common these days may have inserts that aren't even heat resistant to 250° F.

Google all metal self locking nuts to find a supplier near you. The size is either 8-32 or 10-32.