Chevy S10 P0410 “Secondary Injection System Malfunction.”

[Peter]

To all;

I learned this lesson the hard way; as some may tell by now that I am the S-10 enthusiast. Anyway, if your still driving one of these around Chevy in the late 90’s through the end of production for the S-10 models has the EGR system, commonly known as Secondary Air. To keep it simplistic in nature; this side of the emissions system deals with start up emissions, in which when the vehicle starts cold, the secondary air pump kicks in dumping oxygen into the exhaust system in an effort to help heat up the cat converter to start reducing exhaust emissions. Often times you will kick a DTC P0410 “Secondary Air Injection System Malfunction.” when this side of the system incurs failure or problems.

What happens is the DIY’er aka me, does the research talks to the Dealer and they give you a line of crap telling you that you need a new air pump. Chevy did put out a bulletin for this problem. Forgive me as I don’t have the bulletin notice number off hand. It’s in a folder I keep for each and every one of my vehicles, Florence messed everything up. The short story is Chevy blamed the recurrent code on… to short of an ambient air induction tube/ hose on the pump. Conveying that moisture collects in the tube, which in turn runs down to the pump and over time oxidizes it (rusts) and seizes it up. So for a mere four hundred bucks you get a longer hose and a new pump.

Talking with my uncle who was a line foremen at the Chevy manufacture plant years back before retiring and, it closing shortly there after, solved this problem for me. Chevy changed the design a year or two before the S-10 was discontinued. The main problem is the is EGR valve control switch. It was of poor design and not intended for long term exposure to the elements. I know right? Why put it under the front bumper where road grime, water and everything else hits it. The service life on this part was not intended to be long term. The signs/ symptoms of this control valve/ solenoid getting ready to quit is intermittent activation of the air pump. You will notice the pump kick on/ off when decelerating or clutching (manual transmissions). As well you will hear it when A/C use is on and you decelerate. The whole trick to leading you to this fault is (1) P0410 DTC recurrent, Intermittent air pump operation.

So before you spend the hundreds of bucks on simply buying an air pump; do your home work first (1) check the fuze, (2) check the relay, (3) check power to the EGR valve control switch/ solenoid, (4) Check Secondary air pump. If the fuse shows no signs of damage or is not blown, if you hear the relay kick on and off, if you have power at the solenoid but no pump motor activation, bypass the solenoid and see if the pump powers on. If the pump spins up, then presto you just saved a couple hundred bucks and now only have to spend about 20 to 30 bucks on a EGR valve control switch. I found this out way to late and three air pumps, one of which was the Dealer telling me about the directed corrective repair; pumps later I found my answer in my uncle who made my truck at the plant.

FYI the part number for the control switch is this… ACDelco 01997225 or simply web search….EGR Valve Control Switch for Chevy S10

BE ADVISED !!!
I am not a Mechanic by trade, I hold no certification or license and or any endorsements for mechanical repair. This post is for informational purposes only and proper repairs should be made by a qualified, certified or licensed official.

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