jumper5836

you still have an IMS, doesn't matter if its an auto or manual

kj217

i meant that i don't have a clutch to replace the IMS bearing every time it goes,,
in other words, how often should i replace the IMS bearing?
which replacement bearing is best?

Pac996

Tiptronics seldom have ims issues.

Gads, now theres an account called ims

Try going to church introducing yourself as the devil

Macster

Depends. If you buy an M96 or even M97 engine no. These engines have an IMS and the bearing and while Porsche has improved the hardware failure is a possibility. But a very slim one.

The new 9A1 engines come sans any IMS. The cams are driven by chain directly by the crankshaft. The crank also drives the oil pumps (high pressure and scavage).

Sincerely,

Macster.

Macster

What Pac996 said. IMS failures in Tip equipped cars rare.

Best thing you can do is run a name brand synthetic oil of the proper viscosity grade for your location, an oil that meets the requirements spelled out in the owners manual, and change the oil more often.

How often is a big question mark. Let me just point out my 02 Boxster has over 231K miles and is on its orignal engine and IMS and I change the engine oil every 5K miles. I've run Mobil 1 15w-50, Mobil 1 0W-40, Mobil 1 10w-40 High Mileage oil and most recently -- last oil/filter service -- switched to using Castrol Syntec 5w-50 oil. This is the same oil I run in my 03 Turbo and it gets its oil changed every 5K miles too. I bought it used a year ago with 9500 miles and have over 33K miles on the car now.

Added: AFAIK, there is only one aftermarket replacement bearing offered in the USA. Search flat6engineering (and Jake Raby) and LN Engineering and you'll find links and info on the replacement bearing.

In the UK AutoFarm offers a solution that is supposed to address the IMS bearing weakness.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Shark Attack

Thanks great thread., I had no idea what this IMS was either!

Pac996

It worked. I laughed trying to think of a reply.

I'd imagine starting an insurance company to take just ims failure accounts would make a lot of money. My money goes on guys crashing and totalling their cars or blowing them up while sitting in their driveway revving the heck out of the car to get the ims to fail so that they can get a new engine. Odds are the ims wont fail and they'll be spending lots of time in jail and with out a license trying to get the most out of the car and a new engine if possible. At a one time pop of $1000 you could have a warehouse full of rebuilt engines.

I think Ed would even buy the insurance and he doesn't have his 996 anymore.

Ray S

33k, says who?

I replaced my IMS bearing at 50,000 miles. It's hard to tell from this picture, but the part from my '02 (updated single row) had zero wear. Absolutely no discernable wear or play.

The only reason I bothered to still replace it was because at that point I had spent the money to have it removed so it seemed reasonable to install the LN update after all of that effort.



http://www.lnengineering.com/ims.html#retrofit

LN put a ton of thought and design into the replacement part (for example the bearings are made of Timkin silicone nitride that they estimate will have 3 to 5 times the life of the O.E. steel bearings). They seriously beefed it up. I doubt I'll ever change mine again.

Graufuchs

Well I have a TIP and it sees redline everytime I drive it...So I am ok, right? LOL

Kyle an I.M.S. bearing is a Irritating Mouthy Spouse bearing down on you.....when your replacing the IMS bearing. But you know about that....

kj217

how come?

Pac996

Ask a knowledgeable mechanic. An automatic adds more dampening to the drive train. Torque converters also double as a balancer with dampening effects.

Tippy

Where did you hear that from may I ask?

ivangene

Timken Engineers

Eharrison

I did the same thing you did and had the same results, 55K no noticeable wear on the bearing.

We should start a poll about worn vs. not and have everyone rip it to shreds for its methodology. Figured we haven't had one in a while.

ivangene

Ed, many have asked and I have stated the aprox number of "bad bearing found" will be close to zero %

life expecancy and how long something lasts are two very differant things.

wear for the most part is microscopic

failure is hard to predict, harder to catch, and preventable... that said, replacement is almost 100% of the time replacing a seamingly perfect part with a $600 part
why do it?

one word - prevention