03996

Thought I'd run this by you guys........based on recommendations I purchased this book and have combed through it. Excellent comprehensive book btw! Anyway, I focused on the discussion about why the intermediate shaft bearing fails. Unless I'm reading it wrongly, the author pretty much states that the failures are almost, if not all, due to driver negligence in the form of either low oil or incorrect oil being used.

For those who've read this book, what are your thoughts about the message?

white99c2

I've read it and agree. Lots of hard driving does not help.

C4CRNA

Here we go! AGAIN!!

03996

Weeellllll, I'm new so you'll have to forgive me.......please

C4CRNA

Second post of 996 Forum say's you should read before posting IMS questions.
It's in CAPS !!

Marc Gelefsky

Great book but it seems that there has been allot more research into the issue since it's publication, you can SEARCH here on Rennlist for plenty of info.

soverystout

It has been hypothesized time and time again that neglect is quite possibly the leading cause of these failures.

Now you must define neglect. A 99 model year 996 with 8,000 miles on it that has sat in a temperture controlled garage its entire life. Was this car neglected? The answer? It depends. Was the oil changed every 6 months or every year regardless of the mileage? If so, the car wasn't neglected, it was just unused.

If the car had 1 or 2 oil changes (or no changes!) over the 12 years and 8,000 miles, then run like the wind and never look back.

My local Porsche tech had a theory that the reason he has seen far more boxsters with issues is that these were summer toys. They were used during the sunny days into the fall and then thrown into the garage for use next April.
Did the oil get changed before it went in and when it came out?
Most would say "What for?!" or "why would you waste the money"? or "I put fuel stabilizer in the the gas tank and a battery tender on the battery, that's all I have to do". All wrong answers

2K7TTMIA

it's not the hard driving as white99 mentions, it's the neglect of proper/timely maintenance during the life of the vehicle. my indi has another opinion, but I won't go there.

KNS

I'd kinda like to know what your indie has to say...

Dharn55

Of course the OEM IMS bearing on the M96/M97 engines is a sealed bearing so the changing of the oil has very little effect on it. I agree that if a car has not had regular oil changes, regardless of the age or mileage I would stay away from it (and the old Porsche recommendation of 15K miles between changes was crazy). But unless the seals on the IMS bearing have failed, which is a sign of the bearing going bad, oil changes don't have an impact on the bearing. IMHO

I bought and read The Essential Companion and think it is a great reference. However I don't agree with some (or most) of his conclusions on the known fault of the engine.

AndyK

Didn't I see that the type of oil used can accellerate the wear of the seals on the IMS bearing? As in, don't use super thin zero-weight oil?

LordVicious

Of all the myriad ways one can blow up a Porsche flat 6, so-called IMS failure is probably the LEAST to be worried about. Sticking it in 3rd when you were trying for 5th? Now THAT is something to be worried about!

LV

Nikedog

Or worse - trying for 3rd and getting 1st!

wyovino

Hmmm. IMS and oil thread....never heard of them.

rpm's S2

Ignore what that books says about the IMS bearing. Go to the LN Engineering website and learn.