My truck has been starting rough and runs hard for a few minutes, the Check Engine Light is also on. I took it to a local mechanic and had them check it out. They said the EGR ports were dirty and it needed a new DPFE sensor. They also quoted me $700+ to fix it. That seems high to me. Is it? And I have some mechanical aptitude (changed radiators, alternators, brakes, exhaust, etc…) is this something I could do myself in an afternoon?
Good info about Ford EGR & DPFE here:
http://free-auto-repair-advice.blogspot.com/2007/08/understanding-ford-dpfe-and-egr-system.html
Seems like a daft way for Ford to do it. They measure EGR flow through a restriction, which is likely the first place the system would clog up.
While I have never looked specifically at the F150, this is something you could easily do in the space of a couple of hours. The only hard part will be that the areas under question are up against the fire wall, so the only real issue is access. The DPFE sensors are a common failure but you do want to be sure that the mechanic did all of the requisite testing - there is also a solenoid in that system.
I have no idea why it would cost as much as $700 unless there is some need to pull the whole intake or something. I would be skeptical of that. The DPFE sensor just sits mounted on the firewall with a couple of vacuum hoses & an electrical connector on it. Pick up a repair manual for $20 and look over the system yourself. You can probably do this in about 2 hours for about $100
Thank you, your advice helps me a great deal. I think I can get it done. If there is any additional recommendations they would be much appreciated.