Electric Lizard

But what about those moments when I actually kept it on the paved part of the track?

mglobe

I forgot about that time.

Thank God for CPO. Hopefully you'll have your car back with a brand new engine in it, and with enough time to break it in before Feb!

Jake Raby

I'd like to hear the details of this failure....

We now have an IMS retrofit (not to be confused with our update applied to ndisassembled engines) that can be applied with the engine assembled, its a development that we have been working with for a while and are still testing. This might be your toicket as it sounds like the IMS hasn't failed totally yet.

bk12

Jake,

Can you share info on the IMS retrofit? Just curious.

Jake Raby

This is a new product... Its available for the later engines that incorporate the removeable IMS bearing revision from the factory. These are all 3.2 and larger engines, even the early 3.2 engines don't have this as they share the generation 1 IMS from the factory, like the 2.5 and 2.7.

When the factory changed the IMS so it could be more easily replaced, they actually weakened it further and thats why the 3.2 and later engines have the worst IMS failures.

The retrofit that we have worked with LN Engineering to create is capable of being added with the engine in the car, and fully assembled. The unit is grossly overbuilt and utilizes the latest bearing technology. We are currently testing a version of this that utilizes a ceramic bearing, but many miles will have to be implemented before its released.

Once again, the retrofit is developed as a preventive measure to assembled engines, not to be confused with our IMS update the encompasses the entire IMS shaft and utilizes the most developed technology that we have and can only be applied with complete engine disassembly and IMS shaft modifications.

Both the update and retrofit versions of the IMS arrangement are cryogenically enhanced...

The units don't share the same components because of the design differences required to make them both the most effective in their intended applications.

It'll take a lot more testing before the retrofit is able to be sold.

juankimalo

Jake , Do you have a calculation of the cost of this retrofit aprox.?

I mean the piece + work


TIA

Electric Lizard

Jake, as for the failure itself, I basically heard a rattling noise just prior to turning into the local hotel after a running an uneventful, but fast DE at TWS. As I was unloading the car, I noticed the oil pouring from the bell housing/block interface. I had it towed back to my local dealer here in Houston. All he has told me is that the IM shaft has failed and that they await word from PCNA.

Your well thought out products look like they would really help this "common" defect. However, as I am (supposedly) having this work done under a CPO warranty, I have little doubt that I won't be able to specify the use of anything but Porsche parts. I will alert you if my situation changes. In the meantime, let me know if there is anything I can do to help your program.

smshirk

I have been to Jake's and seen his new IMS, the shop, and his lab myself. The differences of the IMS would be obvious to anyone. I had forgotten the cryogenics Jake told me about. I need to research the process, but from what I understand it significantly increases the strength of the parts, in addition to the seriously upgraded design. I've been posting on the Boxster forums since I am having my 3.2 upgraded to the full 3.6 performance motor first. I saw an x51 he was working on while there. I didn't realize just how much different they are from the regular Carreras. I'm happy for you that you're still under warranty, but I would be tempted to get Jake to fix it anyway. That would be a hard decision to make though, when Porsche will likely fix it free, unless they use the racing issue against you. I don't know whether porsche does that or not.

On an OT note, I did hear that Nissan is using the GPS in the GTR's, automatically determining if any of the cars have been in close proximity to any pre-determined tracks, then canceling warranties electronically, making it incumbent on the owner to prove the car has not been raced. This is just one of the many methods they've used to cancel warranties. I also hear they are removing the launch control on the new models. I'm not sure why they even built the car, but without launch control the 0-60 and 1/4 times will more accurately reflect the 4k lbs of this ugly beast.

gota911

Obviously, the IMS is a problem, so much so that Porsche removed it completely from the new 9A1 engine that powers the '09+ 997 cars.

juankimalo

I think that It's important to get information, and the choice to decide what to do.
I'm going to see my Porsche Specialist next Sunday and will give him the whole info a I have from Jake. He is very interested in this program.
I lo ve my car and I'll probably have it for lots of years... so I'm thinking seriously to upgrade the IMS in a future and add some improvements.

Jake Raby

Unfortunately, Porsche seriously frowns on what we are doing with these engines.. I have a letter on my desk from them right now thats going to complicate the program, certainly thats not fair to the consumers that just want the issues addressed.

Also, there is NO WAY that Porsche would allow the use of our components at a dealership or for warranty repairs- no way!

The cost of the IMS retrofit will be around 600.00, as long as the testing goes well and we do not encounter any additional developmental costs.

The application of the retrofit to a car that has no impending IMS issues would be the best possible situation and the cheapest as well... After a bearing has totally failed and the engine has munched it's self nothing can be done except a tear down and rebuild with our full updates.

As for cost, the IMS retrofit would probably end up costing 1500-2500.00 dependent upon the labor charges of your local shop...

Michael-Dallas

Did they give you any reason why and can you tell us?

///Michael

smshirk

Does PCNA monitor all these forums? I would have thought them to be too arrogant to worry about what gets done in the aftermarket, particularly after they have moved ahead to a new design. I know they have made it near impossible for any non dealer to work on the 2009 engine. Even if you could hack the third version of the Porsche tester, you maintain a connection with the factory for it to work. At least that's what I've been told, I have vendors who do that to us. With some we pay annual support fees, and maintain a connection to their database, just to be able to use a tool. As a result they have access to everything we do. Particularly if we make any script changes, we will get a friendly email. I hate to think about car manufacturers taking the same approach.

Jake Raby

5 pages of "reasons" why..

bk12

Were they all BS legal reasons, or did they actually site any sort of technical issues (valid or not) with what you have started doing with the IMS and related bearings?