rxjohn

Would you buy an LN Engineering IMS updated early 996 for an additional $2,000?

Rickker

Well, you make a good point. Probably yes. 996s are great driving cars. The trouble is, most of us are not aware what we are getting into when we buy our first 996.
....Rickker

Jake Raby

Over time we'll also experience some sort of failures with our bearings.. Or failures that get blamed on the bearings, just like what happens with Porsche as a ***** of IMS failures are NOT primary IMS BEARING failures. The IMS tensioner paddle failure is often misdiagnosed as a bearing failure when it certainly isn't.

I saw three of those tensioner paddle failures in 2009 that were diagnosed as an IMS bearing failure by Porsche dealerships that were not.


We are taking the security and reputation of the IMSR procedure and the bearings very seriously. So seriously that the bearings are serialized, VIN numbers recorded from vehicles that have been outfitted and a serialized door decal that matches the VIN and bearing serial number is located in an exact position in the door of each vehicle thats been converted to an FSI bearing retrofit. I want to ensure that when the day comes and we experience what is a so-called "failure" that the bearing is ours and had actually been changed... There are some odd people in this internet world that will do anything to cause trouble.

H964

well guys, i got a call this afternoon and indeed, i need a motor!! IMS !! keep in mind, its an 02 C4s, 65k miles, all documented maintenance including a new clutch and real main seal at 60K. everything was up to par. never tracked, never abused, regular driver!! this can happen anytime to any car!! so those of you who think this is because of the drivers or bla bla... just dont get it. the guy at the dealership told me there were 6 cars in at the time i was there for IMS failures, 3 boxters, 2 996s, and a 997!!! this is a real flaw that one of the most successful sport car manufacturer has ignored for so many years!! i called porsche and filed a claim to ask for a contribution, honestly, the lady told up front that my chances are not good, so i am just waiting for an answer in the next couple of days to make a decision!!
honestly, i have always admired and loved all the porsches i have owned, this just changed it all

Dharn55

I had a 1995 Ford Windstar that came with a 3 year, 36,000 mile warranty. Not an expensive car, about $22,000 as I remember. At 4 years and 42,000 the trans went. Ford replaced it. At 7 years and 72,000 the enigne went, a failed head gasket, which was a known problem with the 3.8 V6. Ford replaced it.

I have a 2000 996, bought for over $94,000 in 2000. Cracked cylineer head in 2008 with only 50,000. Nothing from Porsche. I personally know 4 others with the same crack in a 3.4 cylinder head, and in tryiing to find a used head I think I found 5-6 heads, and everyone was cracked in the same spot. Seems like Porsche could learn some customer relations from Ford.

The bottom line is that Porsche has not stood behind the problems with the M96 engines, or even proactively redesigned the engines to address the problems

Now the really sad thing is this is my 6th Porsche, and I will probably buy another because I love the cars. Will probably wait until the 997.2 cone down in price. 2009's were selling for 20% off new, so I figure in 3-5 years they will be going for 20-30% of the sticker. And by then we will know the faults with the new engine design, seems like there are already some issues coming out. But as long as there are Porsche lovers like me they can probably get away with the approach they have been taking.

rxjohn

Man.. I am so sorry...

Pac996

H964 sorry to hear the bad news for you. Best of luck on the compensation.

TT Surgeon

That really blows.

Jake Raby

Do you have any idea how many times I've heard this???!!! Over and over and over again!

Yep, yet again thats what we hear over and over again.

and it does. Two failure calls came in today, I have the repots on my desk now.. One was a '97 Boxster, the other an '06 Cayman.

And the majority of failures happen between 38 and 70K, thats what the reports we have state time and time again...

But yet again, this failure could be an IMS related failure that wasn't the bearing. Unfortunately when Klaus in Germany tears it down to reman the real result of the failure will be hidden forever.

Ahmet

Jake, would you share how many motors have come to your shop, after (conclusively) an IMS failure?

ltusler

Gee I'm kind of feeling left out, I only had a broken crankshaft. Thats the bad news, the good news is I now have a completely upgraded Flat 6 Innovations engine thanks to Jake and the crew and I could not be happier unless of course I was at a track flogging it right now!

Lon Tusler
1999 996 v3.0 X51X
1992 968
1988 951
1980 911
1965 356C

AndyK

Boy, this is discouraging! I was clinging to the hope that if I don't track my car, I wont have this issue.

I really wish there was actual data from Porsche showing how many IMS falures occurred over the life of the M96. Is it 1%? 10%?

We are lucky most 996/997 owners aren't Rennlist members - otherwise we would never be able to sell our cars!

Jake Raby

Porsche will never release this, doing so would be admission that there is a problem and that they recognize it.

Of all the phone calls we have received and emails from those who have had actual failures I can only think of TWO bearings that failed on the track while under extreme service and only one of those was a dedicated track car.

Ltusler had an extreme crankshaft failure, but his engine had over 20,000 track miles on it prior to this. See the below attached pic of Lon's two piece crank.

When I disassembled his engine the IMS bearing was flawless and had no signs of impending failure.

Yoops Racing

ouch that looks ugly......IMS and/or crankshaft failures

this truely bites for anyone that goes through this for a car that has depreciated to the point that a replacement motor now is close to the total cost of the car....

soverystout

A Cayman? I know I shouldn't be surpised but that means Porsche has had well over ten years to find a solution to this issue and they haven't. Well, they have but redesigning the motor without an intermediate shaft came too little, too late.

So the "safest" used (pre 997.2) Porsche to buy from the last decade is a non DFI Cayenne? That makes me sad.

38K to 70K you say? I have 36,600 on my car as of last night. Once the weather stabilizes I am making the 996 my daily driver so I can rack up as many miles as possible before the CPO goes away in Feb 2011.

And once it expires.... LN bearing.