Ford Repair: driving cycle for 1998 ford contour se, good luck man, ford contour

Question
What is the driving cycle for the 98  Contour.  I had the EGR valve replaced and went to have emissions done and it stated not ready.  What do I need to do?

Answer
Hello Kevin,
    It shouldn't take much more than 10-15 miles to perform a drive cycle enough to meet emissions criteria.  
    If there is still a pending problem, the EGR "monitor" will take a long time to set, and when it does, the light kicks on.
    Is the code that you are fighting a P0401?
    Is the engine a 2.5 V6?
    If so, it is very possible it didn't need the EGR valve itself. The passages get clogged and don't allow full EGR flow (they are accessible for cleaning by removing the throttle body). You can check for this by applying vacuum to the valve while idling. It should kill the engine instantly. If you can't kill the engine with EGR flow, then the passages are clogged. Good luck man!
     Shaun.