[QUOTE]Originally posted by einsatz
Hmmmm. Do you think it could be that grit got accumulated around it and it wouldn't open?
Wouldn't that be a TSB or recall to have everyone get this cover to prevent a failure? [/QUOTE

Well the problem is that when it fails or if its disconnected it really doesn't have an impact on the car itself in terms of driveability and stuff. You just lose horsepower ... The car itself works fine, it doesn't even throw a check engine light. The dealer will replace it if its broken but for the most part unless you check it or can feel the loss in power ... you'd never know its broken. So I'm guessing Acura is playing the "most people won't notice" game.

 

When I took it to my dealer (Tischer Acura) I brought along the pics from this site of the actuator open and closed and informed them of how it worked. One advisor, Brandon, had heard of the problem. He used to own a S/C'ed CL-S. The rest of the advisors didn't have a clue as to this rare problem. I let them keep the pictures and they filed them away for their reference.

No check engine lights were thrown when the actuator was broken. In fact, alot of the S/C'ed guys disconnect the actuator after the installation of the S/C to prevent knock.

 

I was wrong. Mine does look the same. For some reason I thought something was different on it.

 

Thanks for the pics!!!

 

Closed:


Open:


Closed:


Open:

 

Great pics Steve, now everyone can see.

 

BTW, it won't work without the cable hooked up

 

I don't think I've heard mine, but I think I can feel it
Is this possible ?

 

I used to check mine every few weeks by manually operating the throttle from under the hood, but I don’t need to do that anymore.
Ever since I took the Bypass Valve off my Xephyr Intake and replaced it with a straight pipe, I can easily hear when the actuator opens.
There’s a nice steep hill by my house with a straight section of road that I love to take in 3rd gear with full throttle.
As the engine revs past 4-Grand I can HEAR the tone change and the slight burst of additional power so I know that it’s working.

Shawn S

 

i check it pretty often now after i drove around for about 6 months w/a bad one. big difference when it works!!

 

Ok, thought I would bring this back up, because:
Before when I would check it, I would stand in front of the car and watch the little switch flip, if you will. Tonight I checked it, and I id not notice it from the front like I usually do. So I got a flashlight and watched it from the side, and I saw it turn.
Now, like I said, I thought I saw something click upward when watching from the front of the car, and now I am not seeing it. Also maybe it is in my head, but it seems like the car may be performing a little less now
Might I have the "Faulty Acuator" problem ?

 

If you saw the actuator move it is working

 

Where exactly do you look?

 

yes

 

I thought it was only me hearing the change around 4000 rpm.

I check mine about once a year. Now that I know what the tone change is I won't have to check it anymore.

 

Mine has been out 4 or 5 times on my 03 so I know when its out...I can hear and feel the difference!

 

I do check mine occasionally.

Last time I checked was about 3 months ago. It was working.

 

01 CL-S White

 

did I read the description correctly? Is this only on the CL-S?

 

Its only on the CL Type S and TL Type S. There is no actuator on the CL-P and TL-P.

 

Thanks LiQiCE!

 

I see the thing turn on the back of it, but the little piece I used to see when watching from the front, I am not seeing any longer.

Also, I notice a change in the sound fro my CAI when it does open.

 

Check out the pics on one of the earlier pages.

 

i am a track whore, i would know if it aint workin

 

Mine's working, had Dad look at it yesterday, said it jumped like crazy, I just reved it up to 5,000 just to be sure.

 

Just to reiterate:
-Turn on car
-Either Rev engine either by manually moving the throttle cable or by having someone in the car step on the gas.
and
-If you see it "click" "move" or whatever..
then its working



right?

 

i'm not seeing a difference between open and close in the pics on an earlier page.

can someone draw an arrow to where i'm supposed to be looking? thanks.

 

in case there wasnt enough confusion.. just bc the actuator is spinning doesnt mean the teeth are catching, it can be spinning but not catching... the teeth inside are crap plastic and they chip away.

 

go back before that and there is a link to a real player video of it, i just looked at it and everything makes sense.

 

just to clearify the end result will be there there will be no sign of movememt from the IMRC or at the manifold ...im failr certain in every case of failure it isnt that the motor isnt firing it is that the gear has broken and no longer can move the plenum valve

 

My car has 63k hard miles, and I haven't had the actuator fail. I guess I'm just lucky. *knock on wood*

The surest way to check is to remove the engine cover and inspect the plenum valve assembly on the left side of the intake manifold. When the actuator is activated, you will see the cable flipping the plenum valve assembly. That means it's working, provided the plate inside hasn't broken off or anything.

You can't actually see the actuator unit work, because everything is inside the casing. That's why you need to inspect it at the other end, at the plenum valve assembly.

 

my fing IMRC quit after or sometime when I installed my thermoblock spacer. I am going to check make sure it is getting a signal tonight and if it is I will order a new one. so fing pissed. rev it to 6000 and get nothing. I can turn it over by hand so I know it isnt jammed. enigne cover is off and i know what I am looking for. any ideas how to check where the prob is. I was going to use a volt meter at the IMRC plug and look for 12-13 volts when it should come on.
jim

 

your thermoblok install had nothing to do wit it not working(not directly)..are you sure you plugged the harness back in? are you sure you reconnected the cable from the IMRC to the plenum valve? 3800 rpm is when it fires

 

yes I am sure the all the plugs are back on correctly. the cable is connected correctly to the plenum as well. I tried to check for a volt signal from the plug but got nothing. i have no check engine light either. clearly when reving to 5000 i get no actoin whatsoever. is this thing not grounded from the plug? I may have not got a signal because of that. how can I do a signal test? I have lots of electric tools.

 

i guess you could pull the harness and check it before the IMRC but youd have to do it while reving to 3800+

 

I had one of my buddies hit the gas while i held the connections. nothing. what the hell?

 

blown fuse?

 

Greetings jproy, typeR and others,

Page #6 of Helm's Electrical Troubleshooting 01-03 for 3...2CL ---- Driver's Under- dash Fuse/Relay Box, page 6 Fuse #6 Component or Circuit Protected is IMRC unit (type S).

Hope this helps.

Regards, sq.

 

squarecircle, (what a name)
Thanks for the help! I had no idea about that fuse. I checked it and of course it is just fine.

Rewind: so I went to the Acura dealer I bought my car from on Sat. In Baton Rouge and first off the mechanic didn’t even know what the IMRC was. Second, he said it was for emissions anyway and wasn’t relevant for performance of the engine. Third, he told me they could check it using a battery of tests such as; resistance of the actuator motor, said it should be 2.5 ohms, signal voltage, and a bunch of other stuff. I had quit listening by this time as my brain and blood were boiling over. I left and came to the board for more help as my IMRC was clearly not working. I put a glob of grease on the cable and drove to redline through third, popped the hood and the grease was exactly where I put it on the cable. The mechanic also told me the car had to be in gear for it to work. well we know the facts and this is bullshit. I have a 6mt 2003 just to clarify. Today is Sunday and I tried the signal test again from the IMRC plug and at about 4100 the meter would start to do a little dance but really no measurable movement, no steady notable current in one direction. It did move a little though. I decided its an 90 dollar part so what the hell are the odds the pcm failed over IMRC, so I ordered another one, pulled the one on my car, undid the bolts holding it together and used a flat head to undo the stamped steal that also holds it together and sure enough the gear teeth inside are shattered. I can’t believe that damn thing is made of plastic, I knew it was because of the board. even the axle shaft it turns on is supported by high grade ball bearings. everything in there is nice except that fing plastic gear. I am glad I bought another one because the thing exploded when I took it apart and I have no idea how to put it back together. I have also been driving around without the IMRC on my car and there is no check engine light as the Acura mechanic said there should be. I really hope my new IMRC will fix this as I do not want to spend a fortune trouble shooting with Acura. I will let you guys know what happens. Do you think heat from aftermarket headers directly below the IMRC could have contributed to this problem?

Jim

 

emissions...thats funny ..find a new mechanic...anyway i was thinking you would be checking the power going to the IMRC at the harness with it dissconnected...long and short you needed a new one... you got it and enjoy the new power...im sure it'll plug in and work fine...if it were me, after you fix it, id go show the jack ass his emmission control device work in neutral, and then show him the passage describing the dual stage intake as key to the power advantage of the type S