pmot said:
I took it into ford and they said it failed. That weekend the check engine light went off and hasn't came on since. The dealer could not find the part so does anyone know where I can get one?
Bad news is you cant get them anymore. Ford doesn't make them...and being an SVT product there was a limited number of them made anyway. The joy of having a special issue car. lol The IMRC control valve opening at 3250 rpm was a bad design and idea by Ford. Plain and simple. SVT soon solved the problem with a different design on subsequent models, but 96 to 98 this is what we have. Even if the module is late opening the secondary values even a fraction of a mili second it will trip the check engine light error codes your getting. Sucks I have been there.
There is a solution though. Two options. 1. You can try and find a used IMRC control module somewhere......I ocasionally see one on ebay or some times if a auto dismantler has a 4.6 32v Cobra core motor then you can have them pull one out of there. Problem is you don't know for sure if THAT one is working or how many miles the one on ebay has left in it before it fails and your right back in the same boat. 2. Second option is to install the IMRC delete plates which elimiates the need to have the servo based control module that flips open the secondary values above 3250rpm...thus elimiateing the need to find and part that is just going to go out again and again. Technically you will loose a little ... very lil low end and your check engine light will remain on....unless you then pay and have a cutom tune done by a quality tuner in your area to make up for the fact that all four valves will be open all the time. The tune will permanately turn off the error code (so you don't have to worry about smog) and also will get you back the lil bit of torque you lost. Some say you need to put in gears to make up for the low end.....I don't agree with this. If you get a quality tune.....you don't need gears. The tuner I went to actually netted me more torque and HP about 10 each to the rear wheels after the IMRC delete.....just find a good tuner and you will be ok. The torque counter in the seat of your pants will be more then happy.
The second option is not a cheap fix.....but when you look at the cost of time and money in searching and tearing down your engine over and over again to replace the soon to be faulty IMRC Control module....it makes sense to do it right and do it right the first time.
I guess third option would be to zip tie open the secondary valves and then get a tune...that would save you some cash?
