SES Light

[BodylessSHO]

Got the code from Auto Zone, it's a P1518. I checked V8SHO.com, and this is a problem with the IMRC box: either the cable is frayed, the wheel is broken inside, or the butterflies are gummed up.


Well, I can tell you that the cable is frayed, I can see it without turning on the car at all, it looks like it's hanging on for it's life. Now the question is "how do I fix it?".

 

[ES96SHO]

There have been a few cases of folks that just replaced the cable, but you will need to have one fabricated...which is hardly worth the cost. The best thing is to replace the entire IMRC box which comes with the cable attached.

Dealer cost is around $190, but they can be had for closer to $150 through the online parts houses such as 1stFordParts...just make sure not to get the SLO part...

This is a relatively easy process and will have your secondaries opening again...for a while.

The real root of the problem is the gummed up intakes which unless cleaned with copious quantities of Chemtool, will break the new cable within a fairly short period of time.

Search V8SHO.com for details concerning this and plan on having the intakes cleaned or doing it yourself if you have the ability and patience to do so.

This is one of the big extra steps that Kirk does when welding cams.... Yours are welded aren't they?? If not, then I suggest having all of this done asap.

George

 

[BodylessSHO]

I would also recommend it, but as of now I can't afford it, maybe once I get a job. If I J-B Weld the cable together, will that work for at least the time being?

 

[ES96SHO]

Not to sound negative but I suggest you beg borrow or steal to get them welded ASAP

As for the JB Weld It might hold for a day or 2

If you're looking for a cheap solution see if you can have a replacement cable fabricated at a shop that does custom motorcycle work

I did that and it worked for a few months

good luck!

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Realistically, you need to replace the IMRC and have the butterflies cleaned in order to prevent the new one from breaking. There are occasionally used IMRC's on eBay. People have been able to get the Duratec version to work, although I haven't personally tried it. Again, without correcting the condition (sticky butterflies) that caused your current IMRC to fail, the new one will fail in short order.

As to being able to afford getting the cams welded, one thing you need to consider is the costs associated with being without transportation when the cams fail, another is the cost of replacing the motor (probably around $2500-$3000).

 

[BodylessSHO]

Oh I realize. The fact is I don't have anywhere near 500 dollars to my name right now. I'm a poor college student. If anyone wants to donate the money for me to get it done, I'd be happy to take your money

As for the parts, my mom can get me the whole IMRC for cost (no idea how..but I don't ask questions), so all I have to do is install it. I'll clean the butterflies while I'm off for winter break, I just need something to get me home for now . And I promise to get my cams welded as soon as possible.

The truth is, the cams might already be welded. The dealer I bought it from didn't know one way or the other, but I do know that it is a restored car after an accident, from the carfax I did. Therefore it's possible that the restorer welded it while he was restoring the car.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

The dealer I bought it from didn't know one way or the other, but I do know that it is a restored car after an accident, from the carfax I did. Therefore it's possible that the restorer welded it while he was restoring the car.

Do you still believe in Santa too???



Sorry, I just couldn't resist!

 

[BodylessSHO]

Don't make fun of the big guy..

I realize it's farfetched, but I'd like to think it's possible. I'll check over winter break, I have a lot of car work to do..

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Don't make fun of the big guy..

I realize it's farfetched, but I'd like to think it's possible. I'll check over winter break, I have a lot of car work to do..

I bet there's still a tooth under your pillow too! :laugh_ti:

FWIW, in 450+ cars that Kirk and I have welded, we have only found two which had already been welded.

 

[SHOZ123]

It doesn't take all that much top pull the front valve cover off to see if the cams are welded.

You can also just disconnect the IRMC electrical connector and jam the butterflies open with a rod or screwdriver. It is better than driving around with them closed.

 

[SHOWHAT9]

Sadly I'm still slightly ahead of Kirks valiant efforts. Have 485 posted as of today of people who for whatever reason didn't weld their cams.
Chris and Paul, shoot even I can tell you that to inspect the front cams can't take more than 15 minutes of work to expose them.
With regard to the IMRC, there is this site called www.v8sho.com that I'm kinda familar with. Lookie what I found using the google search feature when I typed in IMRC
IMRC FIXES
Darn convient having that site around, eh??

 

[BodylessSHO]

Where do you think I looked up the SES code, and figured out what to look at?

 

[SHOWHAT9]

Where do you think I looked up the SES code, and figured out what to look at?

Keep going and you'll find several variations on repair. Many knuckles have shed blood to keep the site current.

 

[Mr. SHO]

If your "connection" falls through to get the part for free, get the IMRC box from a junkyard Duratec and it will mount right up and work identical to the SHO unit. Or you can just wire your secondaries open as suggested. I was able to do this by prying them open and lashing the lever arm to the bracket that holds the IMRC cable sheath. Then unplug the electrical connection at the IMRC box, reset the PCM, and bingo--no more annoying orange light.

 

[dugdog99]

i refused to pay $150 for a new imrc box, so i messed around with using different things as a replacement cable. i think i've finally found something that works. for a few bucks you can pick up some nylon picture wire. remove the old cable (you'll have to open up the box, which is a *****). wrap the nylon wire around the plastic wheel most of the way and use super glue to hold it in place. thread the wire through the line and through the clip that attaches to the valves. you can use some sort of crimp on stop or something i guess, but i just tied a knot in the end of mine. i've been using this for a while now and its worked just fine so far, i tried different kinds of metal wiring, but they all broke. i'd probably just drive around with the secondaries closed until you get a chance to clean the intake. before you clean the intake it'd probably be best to get a new gasket for the lower intake manifold. it'll be easier to clean the secondary valves if you can take the lower intake manifold off.

 

[BodylessSHO]

Well, it did fall through, so I am looking through junkyards for the part. The problem is you can't call ahead, because no one knows what the **** this thing is...

 

[Petersho1]

I bought mine IMRC box on Ebay for 25$ with broken cable, but in mine, old one,plastic wheel was broken, so I just made one good from 2 broken for cheap (25+shipping). But I think, cable form SLO 24V 96-98 should be just fine. Anyone?? If the whole box can fit? I talked to Eric from Lombard IL who welded my cams and he sad all you need is custom mounting plate.

 

[Mr. SHO]

Yes, the entire part (box, cable, etc.) from a Duratec with secondaries will fit. No, you don't need a custom mounting plate or any modifications to the cable or box--it bolts right on. Two of the bolt locations are identical, and that's all you need. However, you will need to swap the longer appearance cover bolts to the IMRC because the regular IMRC bolts won't reach the threads on the valve cover. This works out fine because you don't really need 1-1/4" long bolts to hold the appearance cover on--the 3/4" IMRC bolts work just fine for that purpose.

This is what I did when my IMRC cable frayed and broke. I ended up paying a whopping $8.22 for the IMRC box & cable from a '98(?) SLO (Duratec) shipped to my door (a friend at TCCA had a spare junkyard unit.) Then I coughed up about $12 (highway robbery) for the plastic clip at the end (available at NAPA) and swapped that, since the old one on the Duratec was cracked. To affix the new clip, I first cut the old cable stop off with diagonal cutters, then threaded the new cable clip on, then I used a Help! brand cable stop ($3 for an assortment) to terminate the cable and hold the clip in place.

So all in all, I payed about $24 for everything. I would imagine that a junkyard would want about $10 for the IMRC box/cable assembly from a Duratec SLO.

 

[BodylessSHO]

That was very helpful. One question: Where is the IMRC box on the duratec? Is it right on front just like the SHO? I'm going to a U-PULL-IT place later today.

 

[Mr. SHO]

I would suspect it has to be somewhere near the location used on the V8SHO, since the cable is the same length.

BTW, I just got back from my lunch break, and I noticed on the last WOT run before I pulled into the parking lot that I lost some top end. BING! The light comes on, code 1519 (IMRC). I peeked in the end of the appearance cover and saw a nasty frayed cable. Serves me right for talking about it.