IMS failure and explanation
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,919
Likes: 3
From: Aiea, HI
Gads, now theres an account called ims
Try going to church introducing yourself as the devil
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 19,035
Likes: 269
From: Bentonville, AR
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.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 19,035
Likes: 269
From: Bentonville, AR
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.
Last edited by Macster; May 29, 2010 at 06:40 AM. Reason: Changed "5s" to "5w".
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,919
Likes: 3
From: Aiea, HI
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.
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.
Ironman 140.6
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 13,794
Likes: 12
From: North Carolina
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.
Last edited by Ray S; May 29, 2010 at 01:28 AM.
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Joe Kucinski
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Joined: Oct 2001
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From: LI NY
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....
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....
Race Car
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,978
Likes: 10
From: San Antonio, TX
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,194
Likes: 6
From: Temecula, CA
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.
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.
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.
Parts Specialist
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Joined: Aug 2008
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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
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