mmahon04

I have. extensively, from Casper Labs, Hartech, Flat6, etc.

IMS bearing failure is a result of the internal seal separating the bearings from the regularly oiled environment failing, which allows the previously greased packed bearing to have the lubrication removed. With the seal still in place and the formerly adequate grease now gone, the bearing is not properly lubricated via splash oiling from the engine.

High zinc, high viscosity, high HT/HS numbers won't help much if the oil can't get there properly. The frequent changes recommended using nectar of the gods is, at best, a stopgap measure to "muddle-through" a compromised bearing environment. Proper fix: open up the bearing, and provide proper lubrication.

peterbigblock

That is correct. Failure of the IMS is influenced by oil. Why change oil infrequently anyway? Relative to the risk taken, what does one gain over the life of a car -- especially an expensive car -- by changing the oil a little less often?

I don't get it.

mmahon04

I never stated I go for the long interval; I am simply saying that oil change frequency/quality will have a marginal influence at best, on a bearing with a compromised design.

I change it frequently anyways, and for other reasons aside from the IMS bearing it should be changed frequently with a higher grade oil.

peterbigblock

This is, in my opinion, 100% spot on. The "proper" fix might well be an oil-pressure lubricated bearing (similar to a main bearing, for instance) that gets rid of the whole sealed-ball-bearing thing entirely. I'd be willing to bet that the IMS got very little engineering, really. "It's just a shaft to turn the timing chains -- put a bearing on it and lets move on..."

peterbigblock

My bad on the whole interval thing -- I should've been more clear I was just generally ranting. I don't know that the bearing design is bad so much as using it there is dumb. As sealed ball bearing go, I'd guess it's typical. It's sticking it in there with hot, relatively thin oil that creates trouble. Wheel bearings, for example, withstand much more load than IMS bearings. They're just not constantly soaked in hot motor oil.

From what I've been told, the more frequent changes and higher-viscosity oil make a difference to at least prolong its life.

alpine003

It's kinda ironic that people that complain about these cars or have false pretenses are still owners of these "time bombs" and all the sub-par engineering that exists. One has to remember how many 996 cars they produced to put it in perspective and this forum only accounts for a fraction of those numbers. With most of the people on here either being complainers, victims, enthusiasts, or any of the combo. I see the artificial fear that has been perpetuated by certain individuals still hasn't died down...

Flat6 Innovations

Artificial?

I took this one apart today...

alpine003

Artificial was probably the wrong choice of words. Artificially Inflated was probably more appropriate. And yes purdy pictures do tend to add to the fear factor as well.

LexVan

Jake, I say Photoshop.

KrazyK

Touche Alp. Looks like a $20,000 piece of scrap metal to me.

Jake, can you give the scoop on what happened?

Flat6 Innovations

No photoshop here.. The other pics are at Facebook.com/fixabrokensix for your viewing pleasure. You can also check out "The Grande Failure" pics which belong to a member of this forum. His was taken apart yesterday..

Inflated? That's just my ego from performing all these miracles:-)

alpine003

Oh boy, here we go again...

For the newbs that are tuning in, just search for any of the numerous i*s threads out there and you will begin to see a common pattern with a certain degree of predictability.

KK is the poster child of this fear as he can't even take a 300 mile trip without sharting his pants and thinking the world will end. when in reality he would've done every safeguard measure only to have a 16yo girl run into him while texting, thus totaling his car and rendering all of his stress and worrying, not to mention all the wasted money, down the drain. The last time I checked, Insurance doesn't cover you for proactive and unnecessary/excessive maintenance items.

KrazyK

Jake, I assume that this victim was using Mobil 0W-40 and a change interval of 15,000 miles? Man that's sad to see that kind of damage.

Mmahon, you are 100% correct, and that's exactly what I did. Common sense would dictate that Porsche would have done the same rather than use a $12 sealed bearing.

Flat6 Innovations

Have no idea and don't care!
All that matters is that he won't be after the engine assumes my name.

alpine003

You are something else.