1998 Ford Windstar IMRC Code 1537 and 1538

Hello, the postings I'm reading have been very usefull. This is an awesome site. But unfrotunately I'm not to mechanically inclined. Please help me understand. I'm displaying code 1537 and 1538, Autozone guy suggested possible vacuum leak. I located the IMRC valves. When I cover the hose on the one closest to the firewall I can see the other one move. When I try and do the same thing for the one closest to the radiator, I feel no vacuum there. This is goin to sound stupid but please bear with me, do you think that is a definite vaccuum leak towards the back of the manifold that I should be locating. The clips are still in place from what I could tell. Please help me out, if you have a PC question email me and I'll help you there. Now I did find the PCV valve out and was able to place back in, but error will not go away. My van is stalling when stopping at lights especially with sudden stops. Very dangerous with kids, please let meknow.

You might try removing and plugging the hose that feeds the two actuators. Mind you, this fixes nothing ... but will allow you to make a short test drive to see if the engine no longer attempts to shut down. If so, you most likely have a leaky actuator or other leak.

A plastic hand pump can be helpful.

We just had one of these at the shop.. it turned out to be lowere intake gaskets were sucked out,,might want to check this,,propane in the hands of the right mechanic should find it,,hope this helps

We just had one of these at the shop.. it turned out to be lowere intake gaskets were sucked out,,might want to check this,,propane in the hands of the right mechanic should find it,,hope this helps

Thanks for replying so quick, I was wondering last thing i did was change the spark plugs and the rear spark plugs nearest to the firewall where a bear. Do you think there might be a possible vaccuum leak. The reason I ask is because one of my IMRC actuators had no vacuum at all. What do yo think?

The IMRC's get their vaccum from the back of the upper intake manifold.....as I recall....there is a vaccum solonoid back there......the constant vaccum from the upper intake manifold goes to the solonoid.....and the solonoid...has an electrical connector on it. The PCM signals the solonoid through it's electrical connector as the weather to be open or closed.

Proper operation of the IMRC.
*They are OPEN when the engine is OFF.....as in no vaccum.
*They are CLOSED when the engine is running.....and below about 2900 RPM...vaccum present at the actuators.
*They are OPEN when the engine is running above about 2900RPM....no vaccum at the actuators.

It takes a vaccum to the IMRC actuators to Close them. Otherwise, they are held open by the springs.
So you should have vaccum to the accutators with the engine at idle.

A common failure with them....from reading this forum.... is that one of the actuators develops a leak..... The one that you remove the hose from.....and put your thumb over the vaccum hose.......and the other one works...... That is the defective one.
In other words.....you seem to be getting vaccum to both of the actuators......but one is leaking.....and loosing the vaccum for both of them. When you pulled and plugged the line for the leaking one....the good one was able to get the vaccum that it needed.

These actuators are pricey......for a good price for a genuine FORD part.... Try Millennium Ford in Seattle....

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