IMRC Fault

Smoke and Mirrors

Smoke and Mirrors

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Hello all. First of all...MERRY CHRISTMAS. Now to get down to the brass tacks. I got a CEL a week ago,and took to autozone for a code. The code was P1537,which was the intake manifold runner control on bank 1. The cars runs like crap now. Ruff idle,studders on acceleration,not to mention it using alot of gas! Where do i start? Do i try and free it through some kind of intake treatment(suggestion please)or is it someplace electrical to look first. The car is a 96 with 165,000 on it
 
You have a 96 with the 96 specific IMRC... so finding a new one is going to be hard.

I would start by verifying if the IMRC is physically opening and and closing or if the potentiometer that tells the computer if it is opening or closing is just shot. I would do a few treatments of seafoam through the brake booster line to try and clean up anything that would be causing the IMRC to stick. If you do have a bad IMRC you can replace it with a 93-95 unit and it will work, but it won't communicate with the computer and you will get a CEL.

What is the condition of the rest of the motor, are the plugs, plug wires, O2 sensors, etc all shot?
 
Well the engine is in good shape,and i had a code than came up about a month ago,p0420. Which was catalyst efficiency bank 1,but i did have a vacuum leak from a bad brake booster. And i do get that funky smell from the tailpipes. I guess my cats are goin bad. I don't get that code anymore since i fixed the booster. The only other thing is that i did see a plug wire or two arching in the dark while reving.
This seafoam...does it go by another name in the parts store,and is it pretty much a simple process? All this is showing up on engine bank 1.
 
seafoam is the name its a red and white can you read the directions as to how much to put in. get the engine warmed up, then unhook the vacuum line that goes to the brake booster and pour it in slowly, then once it is all poured in let it set or 5-10 mins then start it up and drive but make sure not to do this where there are a lot of people around because it will make some wicked smoke clouds :):) but it is fun to watch people's faces when you go by them and your car is just smoking to beat the band. as i remember that is about all you have to do then put the remander either into the gastank or with the oil...your choice
 
Ok,i haven't done the seafoam treatment yet,but i did find a 93 mark with 75,000 on it in the boneyard today. If i do need it i'd rather have the one from a 96. I don't want the CEL staying on. The dufus who was there before me got the injectors out. I call him a dufus cause,the hood was left up,and instead of taking his time to get to them,he cut EVERYTHING!!! Wiring harness vacuum hoses,and all the plug wires!!! Maybe it's just me,but i do have some consideration for the next person who may need something off of that car. I always close the doors and the hood.
 
Like I said those IMRC runners Will work.... but they will cause a CEL.

I would grab three cans of Seafoam and follow the instructions and pull it through the brake booster line, I do it on a cold engine.

If you can SEE arcing at night you NEED new plugwires...
 
WOW! Three cans!!! Is it goin to be that bad? I don't want to even see that check engine light. Besides,if i use the ones from a 93 to 95 mark the light will stay on and i'll never know if another code is there. I'd have to scan it every month. Wasn't there someone on here who deals Mark VIII parts. I think he lives in Tarpon Spring Fl. I had his number but misplaced it. Maybe he can get me the 96 mark specific IMRC
 
I would investigate to see exactly which one is bad, and what is bad. I had the same code on my 96, and it turned out that the drivers side imrc control was bad. Both electonically and vacuum wise. I don't think jamie has any 96 imrc controls. He hasn't dealt with a 96 in a long time.
 
I did two cans on my Crown Vic... it cost me $6 a can, more the merrier... you can never have your intake and combustion chamber too clean.

Jamie is the big Mark parts guy... but I would almost guarantee he doesn't have any of the 96 IMRC's...

I wouldn't care at all about the CEL, I would prolly just pull the bulb. If your car is running :q:q:q:qty pull the codes, if it is running fine I wouldn't worry about any CEL's.
 
Psychostang,where did you get yours from? The code is coming up as bank 1. Is this the drivers side or passenger side. I just want the right one if i need it and i don't wanna see that light unless something is wrong.
 
I bought mine from Max, last year. I paid over $271 for them, plus shipping. They listed for $471 and change at that time. Just before they went obsolete, one of them listed for over $500. You'll just have to call around to junk yards, and see if they will seperate them from the engine. Many will not. First you have to determine if they are actually stuck! Have you done this?

These prices were each, just for your info.
 
No,i haven't reached in and tried to move them. We are talking about the two vacuum operated pieces on the back side of the intake right? Man!:eek: those little pieces cost that much?!! Now...is bank 1 the drivers side or passenger side? I'll see if they are stuck or moving and then try the seafoam.
 
The 96's have a little potentiometer on the little vacuum pot which is what tells the computer whats going on.... that is what makes the 96's special, expensive, and rare.

BTW, until you go out and open the hood on your car and check what going on we really can't help you anymore...
 
Bank 1 is passanger side. Here is pic of the assembly

IMRC_Assembly.jpg
 
Roadboss said:
Bank 1 is passanger side. Here is pic of the assembly
Click to expand...

thats from a second gen, 96's dont have the electrical module and cables, 93-95 imrc actuators look exactly like 96's only difference is they have a 2 wire plug on the top.
your plates look like this at the end
Plates_cleaned.JPG

and your actuators look alot like these..
imrcdfdf.jpg
 
Those Vac/elect IMRC for the 96 are available from me. I have one and a half sets.....1 left @ $333.85LVC and 2 right @ $314.95LVC I purchased them from a discontinued parts house so the price might be higher than it was.
 
at $648.80 for a pair, i wonder if the insurance company would total out the car for IMRC actuators lmao!!!!!!!!! more reason to buy a 93-95 or 97-98!!
 
That price is a big reason why I would slap a 93-95 unit on a 96 and pull the CEL bulb... or get a tune to make it go away...
 
if the car runs good, take the check engine bulb out and use a 110 extention cord with bare wires at the end and plug it in and touch the wires to the contacts on the bulb, burn it out, then reinstall it in its socket!!!


this is a private forum right, no one else can see what i just typed lmao, i didnt give that advice to all of you, just him, put your bad advice glasses on when reading this.
 
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