Flat6 Innovations

If the solution wasn't an improvement we wouldn't have worked since 2009 to perfect it.
In time the Solution will be a retrofit kit that's just as easy to install as the current retrofit.
Upon my return on Friday those who own my engines will receive an email unveiling the technology to them with their opportunity to upgrade their Flat 6 Innovations engine with the IMS Solution. Next after those people will come the cars that we have carried out our retrofit services for using the current LN bearing.

After these we will then offer the Solution for install here at Flat 6 only for the first year or so, before starting to sell it to other shops and etc. we have not decided whether or not we will require installers to attend training before they are permitted to install the Solution.
We approaching this with great care and until March 2011 we hadn't shared anything about it with anyone, anywhere.
Currently at 5,500 mikes for the trip and the vitals for he engine are perfect.

halik

Honestly I'm not so sure that I believe that porsche designed the later (-05+) motor to last 100K before needing a rebuild (with the fatter bearing).

alpine003

Jake I hope you can clarify on a couple things for me.

You state that the retrofit solution is just as easy to install as the current one but you are undecided whether they should be required to attend a training class for it? This doesn't make sense as the current retrofit kit doesn't require any classroom training, correct?

Secondly, can you explain how this long road trip has any big significance in testing other than the product being ready to go to market(basic QA tests being normal in the development lifecycle)? I think we are all looking for a permanent or a very long term solution for something that would last a lifetime so how would this kind of testing be replicated under 10k miles?

Just trying to understand...

03996

When I read the aforementioned quote from the LN site, to me at least, it sounds like they're referring to the original bearing and not their replacement??

Byprodriver

I agree yet I have not gone to the original source to clarify.

Byprodriver

+1 I consider the ceramic triple row bearing upgrade to be a permanent solution & don't give it another thought.

b8_rdc

Interested in other solution if cheaper than LN.

Flat6 Innovations

The Solution is more expensive, the kit will be roughly 1500.00 an well worth it.
Correction: I wrote that we hadent divulged the technology until March 2011, that should have been March 2012 when I sent a pic of it to Pete Stout, Editor of Excellence Magazine.
Damn phone!
The IMS Solution is another co-development of Flat 6 Innovations and LN Engineering.

Imo000

Since the single row bearings have too small of a surface area but the LN bearing will last at least, 40K miles. Can an assunption be made that the double row replacement LN beatings will last, at least, twice as long?

MiamiC70

So my LN replacement bearing on my 2004 is a single row?

soverystout

Yes. All 02-04 996 engines had the single row bearing. Starting sometime in 05-06 Porsche moved to the larger, non serviceable single row bearing.

Flat6 Innovations

I'll add that single row engines must stay single row, the shaft design will not allow a dual row retrofit in a single row shaft. Last week some rocket scientist decided to try to fit a dual row into a single shaft and he was very unsuccessful. Funny thing is he was a former technical writer for an established parts supplier. Just another parrot.

03996

But is it safe to assume that the new solution for single row bearings will be an advancement/improvement/stronger/longer lasting than the current LN ceramic bearing is engineered to be??

Flat6 Innovations

If it wasn't we would'nt have spent all this time and money to develop it. I could be at home on my couch now instead of finishing a 7,000 me trip in a Porsche.

The current LN bearing maximizes te single row design, nothing more could be done without a complete design change.

The dual row retrofit is so robust that we are not even going to offer the solution for it in the immediate future. It's developed but no reason to offer it.

The Solution is just that.

BruceP

That certainly didn't prove to be the case with the OE part.