HoustonCgrBkr

DBJoe996

Basically you will see oil dripping where the transmission and engine mate. Oil spots on the garage floor tell a lot. If the drips are dead center, just ahead of the engine, probably your RMS.

808Bill

And just hope it's not your IMSB flange/bolts which should be addressed at the same time.

NuttyProfessor

Mind posting the details/service history on the car? Has the RMS been replaced before? IMS?

dporto

The RMS and the IMS leak from essentially the same place when the transmission is attached to the engine. Without removing the transmission there's no way to tell which one is leaking (it's possible they're both leaking) unless you can figure out a way to get a bore-scope in there.

HoustonCgrBkr

dporto

Is this a 1 owner car (previous to you)? If not, how many previous owners were there? The fact that (you think) it's a dual row bearing doesn't really make a difference. Is there any possibility the the engine isn't original? If so, you can't be sure of the bearing type until you identify the engine - even then it's not a slam dunk until you've actually looked at the flange (some early 2000-2001 M96-04's still used the dual row bearing). We all wish there were some hard and fast rules with these things but...there are not! Of course none of this means your engine is about to explode, but you should definitely do some digging and find out exactly what you're dealing with before you make any assumptions. Good luck

HoustonCgrBkr

NuttyProfessor

Just because it's a dual row car, doesn't mean it wasn't swapped out by one of the previous owners without it being reported. And, if it does still has the original OEM dual row bearing, that doesn't mean it won't fail. It's a more robust design over the single row bearing successor, but still, it will wear out in time and as Raby has wisely pointed out, it will shed twice the amount of metal. Think about it. However, the RMS have been well documented to be the source of oil leaks and so my bet it's time to get a new RMS replacement and since you must drop the transmission, you might as well spend the money and have the clutch and AOS replaced to save labor down the road.

HoustonCgrBkr

It makes sense to do that. I did not know that about the dual row. From what I had read I was more secure about it than the well known ims. Yeah, it makes sense to do the bearing, AOS, RMS and clutch all while in there. It would give me some piece of mind.

not sure what I dread more...a failed engine or my wife saying...I told you so about buying an old car...ugh.

dporto

Ha! As you know by now, it's not just "any old car" - they grow on you very quickly! The key to keeping these things "affordable" (which in itself is highly subjective) is doing your homework and prioritizing jobs according to mechanical importance! In other words, take care of the engine and drive-train first, safety issues (brakes, steering, suspension) a close second and "shiny bits" (i.e. show stuff) last. Do as much as possible yourself and you'll save 35-50% (or more) in labor and parts cost. Your first best investments will be "101 Projects for your 996", Bentley's 996 Maintenance Manual, and The Knowledge Gruupe Torque guide. Obviously, there are some specialty tools that you'll need for specific jobs but a good basic tool chest (Metric) will get you through most jobs. In lieu of tools and a decent work-space a healthy bank account is in order! Good Luck

808Bill

Consistent service history is the key.
Change the oil, cut open the filter and drop the sump to inspect. Send in an oil sample and start tracking it to see what wearing.
Then drive the hell out of it!