EPWilson

I've read through the whole thread and so far am awaiting the full product announcement.

While I appreciate the concern about shops cutting corners with IMSR installs, I would be more attracted to this product if the credit after an alert could apply to parts purchased from FSI instead of only the full package requiring the car be shipped to FSI. If the issue here verification? Or is it designed to lock the customer into FSI as their IMSR shop?

Assuming I've identified a shop that I trust, with other related work (i.e. lightweight flywheel & performance pressure plate) to be done along with the IMSR procedure, I'm more inclined to just do the IMSR sooner rather than later versus installing this device and waiting for the alert. I do realize there are other failure modes the device can supposedly detect but without more information that is a different value proposition than detecting the IMS failure.

TRT41

I am glad this has been asked.

jpowers

How about taking 500.00 to the casino and see if it can be tuned into enough cash to replace an engine.

I would rather buy Jake's IMS Guardian, it's an insurance policy that I am eagerly waiting for...

Flat6 Innovations

If the system fails to detect a failure I want to personally inspect the engine. This has nothing to do with securing additional business for our engine shop, as we can't keep up with what work we have as is.
As the developer of the technology I feel it is very important to see any failures of my system to work as I have designed it.

We are now back from summer shutdown and will be posting updates to our pre-purchasers this week.
Thanks for the continued support, and patience.

jeneric996

Hi Jake,
Hope you had a great break.

I have a ?: Is there a way to turn off the system after it has detected a failure? Or will it continue to buzz until we turn off the ignition?
Thanks.

EPWilson

This is understandable, but it doesn't answer my question. The terms stated for the credit were:
Unless I'm misunderstanding, you only get the credit if the work is done at FSI.

You say you're unable to keep up with the work you've got now, before everyone starts attempting to schedule their post-IMSG-alert services. If a consumer gets an alert and has their car immediately flat-bedded to their local trustworthy shop, why not can't they apply this credit to the parts required for the IMSR and have their local shop perform the procedure?

Flat6 Innovations

At the present time the "turn off" feature is the only remaining change for the system. I do not want to "switch" the system so it can be accidentally turned off while monitoring is being carried out.

I will say that the alarm is loud and obnoxious, designed to alert the driver even with the radio blaring, but the caveat to that is the fact that it is very annoying after the driver has been alerted.. Thats the way it is supposed to be, because "driving a car to death" is a very real occurrence. With these types of engine failures and we do not want the car further driven until the driver references the handbook that we include with the unit or until they the IMS support Hotline if they purchase that option.

That said, the main lead wire for the system connects to the fuse box, I plan on installing a quick disconnect in that main line that the driver can simply slide apart with no tools should they receive an IMS Alert and wish to disarm the system for whatever reason.

Again, I do not want to "switch" the system as it needs to be automatically armed every time the car is started and remain armed at all times while the ignition switch is in the "on" position.

I have one test car wired "live" 24/7 even while the engine is not running, I have done this for a specific reason, that I will share with you later.

Last week one of my employees drove one of the test cars 2,000 more miles on vacation and gathered even more data. We are planning a web based presentation with the pre-purchasers this week, so you guys that have already made your orders can be looking for some dialogue from us concerning this in the coming days.

All of the other tasks on my plate were worked off before we shut down last week, so the IMS Guardian has my 100% undivided attention until it is 100% complete in every way, to include having the first batch of units put into the hands of our pre-purchasers.

My main concern is the ability of this chosen shop to help us understand the things that lead up to the IMS Alert. We have very few shops across the country that we work with, because many lack the detail oriented specialty focus that is required. Others lack the customer service required to satisfy discerning purchasers, then we end up with indirect complaints and have to answer for the mistakes of others, which is never fun.

The main situation that I am concerned with is any vehicle that experiences an IMSBF for some reason does not receive an IMS Alert before this happens. These cars (if they ever exist) will have failed engines, and we must do a post-mortem to see why the system did not do its job, and that means the car must come to our facility.

In the situations where the system is employed and does it's job giving advanced warning of an actual IMSBF and the car can be retrofitted, then the system has done it's job and saved an engine.. Here at Flat 6 we'll be grinning from ear to ear and can then determine if a local shop is experienced enough with the retrofit procedure to carry out retrofitting a bearing that is failing. This will also depend on the degradation of the failing bearing.

Perhaps what you guys don't fully understand is the differences in the IMSR procedure when a bearing has begun to fail.. It is MUCH more difficult because the conventional pullers will not extract the bearing easily in some cases. Here we change failing bearings frequently and have the outside the box thinking and tools to effectively do the job. The worst case scenario is a shop attempting to change a failing bearing that isn't accustomed to complexities and adversities with the procedure, then having problems. In this situation, everyone is put in a bad position and that can be avoided by the car taking a trip to Flat 6 Innovations.

Extracting a bearing that is crumbling isn't easy and no instructions can be written to dictate the process. It is a true Improvise, Adapt and Overcome situation and we have a 100% success rate for removing failed bearings from engines that were otherwise salvageable.

Unfortunately the most convenient approach with these engines is generally the least effective. Thats why we have two trucks zig zagging the country picking up and delivering Porsches continually.

fasteddie99

"Unfortunately the most convenient approach with these engines is generally the least effective. Thats why we have two trucks zig zagging the country picking up and delivering Porsches continually."

This is why it took me exactly 1.7 seconds to decide to ship my car over 2500 miles to Flat6.

Flat6 Innovations

Eddie, you make a great point!
I suppose that you still feel that it was worth the time and expense ? :-)

fasteddie99

Absolutely, Jake! Put new shoes on her today. Gonna let it rip tomorrow.

Are you still coming to California?

Flat6 Innovations

Eddie,
The Cali trip is off for now as James has a baby on the way and can't make the trip with me.. His wife had a scare a few weeks back and he decided that he should not leave at all until the arrival is all good to go and healthy.

It was going to be a marketing trip rather than a test anyway, since all of our primary test work is completed. We will certainly keep working to make it better in very subtle ways right up till the day the product ships.

Yesterday the Technical Editors from Excellence called and requested a unit to review and install.. I suppose if they are impressed enough with what we have created that you'll see a story in print on the technology at some point. :-)

fasteddie99

Oh, well. You guys should consider coming out to Laguna Seca for Rennsport Reunion in October. You would probably sell a few Guardians...

Flat6 Innovations

Thats a good idea.. The only problem is the fact that October is one of our craziest months as cars from the colder states are coming off the roads for our specialized services and engine reconstructions, electively...

It really never slows down, though.. :-)

Flat6 Innovations

Today we sorted through 80+ IMS Guardian surveys that were sent to us from our pre-purchasers. I chose these based on several key parameters and we now have selected the group that we will be using to help us critique the install, instructions and DVD of the system. The function tests of the system are not our primary concern, because all of that is done except killing an engine here at the lab purposely..

I have learned a lot in the retail automotive development world with critical systems.. Many times a product that works awesome, but isn't presented completely is not as effective as it can be. It is very important to us that the systems are easy to install, confusion is kept to a minimum and that we can convey the critical points clearly.

Those who were selected for beta testers have been sent a notification email, those who were not selected were not sent an email.

We now await one circuit board sample from the factory. We have a unit headed to the Excellence Magazine Technical Editor team. We are making huge progress.

perryinva

BTW, Jake, on the survey I typed my pre-order # as #134. I was on my phone, at the airport, so it was from memory. I am #130, if it matters at all.