Got half my engine apart, Question about the IMRC!!!

[tmoneyballin]

I posted in recent thread that my check engine light was turning on because of my IMRC, the advice I got was to clean it and we did both of them, but what I am wondering is does the imrc box itself necessarily have to be replaced to fix the problem(the small box connected to the lower intake)? I know a bad 02 sensor can throw the code as well so I can't rule that out at this time either. But I am wondering if we just cleaned everything and put the engine back together if it will solve the problem, or do I wait and just purchase a new module and install it the middle of the week? In other words does cleaning commonly solve the problem?

Any advice and or scenarios is GREATLY appreciated, I assure you my upper and lower intake are sitting on the garage floor!

 

[wythors]

Yes, cleaning should take care of it. Unless the box is not functioning, there's no need to replace it.

 

[TheCrazy1]

I've heard that cleaning usually takes care of the problem, also since you have it all apart, it's a good idea to replace the actuator. It would really suck to put it all back together only to find that it's still not working right. I don't know if there's any way to test the functioning of the box; most likely there is, as with most of the electronic parts. Don't quote me on this, but I don't think the actuator unit is terribly expensive, like in the 100 dollar range.

 

[tmoneyballin]

Thanks for the advice guys,

I actually went ahead and drove an extra 2 hours to a remote ford dealership and purchase the actuator ($300) on Saturday. We installed it to the lower intake manifold and put the car back together Monday - only to hear a bad fuel injector. Replaced the fuel injector last night and cranked - heard a vaccum leak - replaced the guilty lines - car runs STOUT now! I wouldn't know how it "drives" because the drivetrain is all in shambles - hence the post about putting 4:30 geas in - once I get the gear installed, hook up the new aluminum driveshaft, put the drag suspension on this baby will be BUMPIN up and down when I bang gears! Any advice on my gear post is appreciated -

Moral of the story on this project, I think the actuator WAS messed up because the check engine light previously came on and off randomly(hard acceleration seemed to trigger it...) and in the last couple months stayed on permanently which could imply the IMRC'S were stuck open or closed until it would be fixed. They weren't that dirty so I figured might as well replace the obvious solution(**** the car has 113k on it anyways, an electronic part is bound to go bad sooner or later...) before putting the car back together with the same problem.