97 LSC Sat For Years, Has Some Issues (VCRM Question)

[Tamaqua03]

I Recently bought a 97 LSC off an older gentelman near my house that he had had sitting in his driveway for years. (3+) I previously had a 97 Base, and loved it and figured I would get this one to drive in the snow, and when I dont feel like having the srt4 out. Well I thought I got a good deal ($800) the strutmasters kit has aready been installed a month before it was parked, it has a sunroof, heated seats, 110k miles, and its an LSC which makes me happy because me previous has none of that. Im having a couple problems though. He says he parked it because the fans stoped working, and he was told to replace the vcrm. I found two used ones in the trunk that he said he purchased, but he said he never had them put in. Once that happend the driver headlight stoped working, and the front brakes pulsated. (I also found new front pads and rotors in the trunk) With these problems he took it off the road and bought another lincoln. It had sat ever since. He claimed he started it ever few monthes, but im not to sure of it. Anyway I put a new battery in it, changed the oil (Oil pan leaks pretty good I found out) and checked everything out. With some new gas it was running fine but no fans. I let it get one notch from the top of the temp gauge before i shut it down. It also has no fan when the ac is on. So I put in one of the vcrms that were in the truck, and it seemed to do nothing. But My question is, when I plugged it in I didnt actually bolt it back to the car just plugged it in and checked to see if it did anything. Could it be that the vcrm's ground is ran through the bolt once its mounted? if so thats prolly my problem. If anyone could help me out I would appriciate it.

Also the seats are slow and barely move, I cant get any heat out of it, (even when i turn blend door manually to heat), the driver headlight is out but from here I found the solution to that, And now it has a pretty good missfire but no check engine...

 

[UltimateSVT]

Dude I had the same exact issue in my 93. No the VCRM's are not grounded so you are cool there. However a VCRM from some random car won't work. You need one from a Mark VIII (someone correct me if I'm wrong). One thing's for sure, in my case my ECU was the one with the issue. It stopped sending the signal to the VCRM. I was hooked up with a used one & VOILA! Problem solved!

 

[marked8]

Misfire is most likely one or more bad coil boots. Try lubing the seat tracks and see if it gets better. If not, there was a recent post about rebuilding the motors on the seats and replacing the seat module here:

http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=69254

The VCRM might not be bad, it might be the fan. I would test the fan motor before deciding its the VCRM or computer. As for the blend door, it could be broken badly enough that the temp method just will not work, but you will not know before digging into it. The job is not that bad (I have done it 3 times). For the headlights I would get the adapters from DLF (a member here) and get any aftermarket HID kit that you choose. You can sell the remaining good bulb and get your money back.

 

[Tamaqua03]

The VCRMs are for a 97 Mark VIII I beleive. They have a nov 1996 build date on them so I presume they are for a 97 correct? I have yet to test the fan but when I turn on the cruise on the wheel I get no light to tell me its on so Im taking it that dosnt work either. Also wouldnt the AC still come on and work just not have a fan? And the blend door still moves and i can hear it changing when I move it by hand, aswell as feeling the air flow out of the vents change. Im thinking no coolants getting through the heater core or something...I hope I can get this car together soon.

 

[marked8]

The VCRMs are for a 97 Mark VIII I beleive. They have a nov 1996 build date on them so I presume they are for a 97 correct? I have yet to test the fan but when I turn on the cruise on the wheel I get no light to tell me its on so Im taking it that dosnt work either. Also wouldnt the AC still come on and work just not have a fan? And the blend door still moves and i can hear it changing when I move it by hand, aswell as feeling the air flow out of the vents change. Im thinking no coolants getting through the heater core or something...I hope I can get this car together soon.

The cruise might have been deactivated for the fire recall. Check with your dealer to see if it has been done. AC could be low on freon. Again, it needs to be checked, especially after sitting for 3 years. If you are confident your blend door motor is not broken you could have something as simple as air in the system or a stuck open t-stat. Without seeing the car it is hard to diagnose.
Speaking of which, do you have any pics of it

 

[Tamaqua03]

I checked fords website, and it says that I still need the recall done. I was just stating that because the guy I got the car from said that the VCRM also controlled the cruise so I wasnt sure if that had something to do with it. I dont think it does. Im working untill 11 tonight, I will try to take a few and get the pictures up. I was thinking of taking some and posting them earlier when I started the thread just so you guys could take a look at my $800 project lol.

 

[Tamaqua03]

also even if my freon is low shouldnt the fan still come on when i put it on max ac? If not what is the proper way I can test my VCRM? Im thinking im gonna put a thermostat in it anyway and try to burp the system, because thats really the only thing keeping me from putting it on the road and taking the srt off for winter. Also if the thermostat was bad and stuck closed would the fan still normally come on once it gets hot? Or is the temp sensor for the fan located somewhere off the engine and its not getting heat if the thermostat is stuck closed? Im worried if the fans not working the car will get too hot while im trying to burp it...

 

[marked8]

also even if my freon is low shouldnt the fan still come on when i put it on max ac? If not what is the proper way I can test my VCRM? Im thinking im gonna put a thermostat in it anyway and try to burp the system, because thats really the only thing keeping me from putting it on the road and taking the srt off for winter. Also if the thermostat was bad and stuck closed would the fan still normally come on once it gets hot? Or is the temp sensor for the fan located somewhere off the engine and its not getting heat if the thermostat is stuck closed? Im worried if the fans not working the car will get too hot while im trying to burp it...

The stat can stick both ways. If stuck open you can have little to no heat. If your fan is somehow bad it would not come on with the AC on no matter what. I would jumper wire the fan and see if it works. Again, test these things one at a time and rule them out.

 

[Tamaqua03]

so I put the diagnostic computer on the car and im getting a trouble code for VRCM positive circuit open. I have already changed the VRCM with no luck so does this mean the wire is broke thats giving the VRCM power? I would love a pinout of a 97 VRCM so I could see which wires to start testing if anyone has one

 

[Tamaqua03]

also what does the VRCM all control? Couldnt I just buy an aftermarket fan relay kit, and wire it up that way and get rid of the thing all together?

 

[blacklsc1]

i wonder how many times this car was overheated before the owner got it diagnosed. You better make sure the motor is good before investing anymore money into it. just my 2 cents.

 

[Tamaqua03]

there is no coolant in the oil, and the car only gets hot if its sitting. Theres no air bubbleing in the resevoir, Thats all I can really think of checking for a bad head gasket. The Coolant and oil both look fine. He said It threw the check engine for the VCRM thats how he knew. Thats the code I have when I scanned it was VCRM related

 

[Tamaqua03]

If worse comes to worse I can just part the thing out. But I have good hopes for it. I love the things...

 

[BAD97LSC]

get a vcrm for it, its actually a VLCM on 97-98 i should have a few left.

 

[Tamaqua03]

I have two right now, but neither seems to be doing anything so im pretty sure its something else besides that.

 

[Tamaqua03]

sorry to bring my thread back up, but I got a new thermostat in, bled it and I now have heat. The missfire was just the car needing new coil boots now my only problem is no cooling fan... I have put in two different VCRM's with no luck. The fan works when hot wired, and I get a code B+ Supply To VCRM Fan Circuit Malfunction. I really need some help here sorry to keep nagging. But im almost to the point of buying a fan relay kit and wiring it up like that just so I can drive it. I would really like a pinout of a 97 VCRM if anyone could get that for me please. Thanks, James

 

[ratdog442]

sorry to bring my thread back up, but I got a new thermostat in, bled it and I now have heat. The missfire was just the car needing new coil boots now my only problem is no cooling fan... I have put in two different VCRM's with no luck. The fan works when hot wired, and I get a code B+ Supply To VCRM Fan Circuit Malfunction. I really need some help here sorry to keep nagging. But im almost to the point of buying a fan relay kit and wiring it up like that just so I can drive it. I would really like a pinout of a 97 VCRM if anyone could get that for me please. Thanks, James

I had a similiar problem in a 99 Dodge Caravan and it wound up being some goofy relay switch burried somewhere in the frame of the car wound up taking it to the dealer...as I recall it was a $20 part. Hope that helps.

 

[marked8]

sorry to bring my thread back up, but I got a new thermostat in, bled it and I now have heat. The missfire was just the car needing new coil boots now my only problem is no cooling fan... I have put in two different VCRM's with no luck. The fan works when hot wired, and I get a code B+ Supply To VCRM Fan Circuit Malfunction. I really need some help here sorry to keep nagging. But im almost to the point of buying a fan relay kit and wiring it up like that just so I can drive it. I would really like a pinout of a 97 VCRM if anyone could get that for me please. Thanks, James

Glad my suggestions about the stat and boots worked for you Do you have power at the fan connector at all?