So I posted a Thread asking if there was a thread calling all IMS failures and, if NOT, let’s start one that keeps a record of year, model and mileage and known driving conditions of these failures. You’d thought I’d slapped your mama or something. It was closed by a moderator almost immediately. He claims he was asked by fellow members to stop the IMS failure conversations cause it leads to too many arguments about the validity and cause of this problem. That members where tired of reading about it. REALLY! You people just can’t, NOT click on those threads. Anyway ,Enough about THAT. I’ve been a mechanic my whole life, USAF Aircraft, B52, KC135, A10, I’ve also rebuilt just about every American made motor out there. I just started riding and working on Harleys (2011 FatBoy Lo} about 2yrs ago, so believe me, I know about Brand loyalty on Forums, but at least they’ll talk about it and try to defend.
I’ve only been interested in Porsche for about 2 weeks now and have been reading and studying the flat 6 since. What I’ve found so far is a severely flawed design in the IMS shaft that any engineer should have Identified and fixed many years ago. Who in their right mind would have installed an ISOLATED, sealed, ROLLER bearing in the middle of an engine crankcase? Maybe because people where too proud to openly talk about it in fear of damaging the Porsche reputation, I just DON’T get it.
Anyway, here is my plan for a mint condition 2003 C4S 64,459mi great handling, fun to drive, IMS FAILURE, car. A Renegade, LS3 or LS7 install for the simple reason that Porsche screwed up the design on THIS engine and a LS, 430hp minimum engine, with the handling of this car is going to be phenomenal. The reliability of a LS compared to the maintenance cost and time bomb feeling on a 996 is enough to convince me that this is the right choice. Now Question IS, do I continue to POST on this forum or should I move on, since I’m planning on documenting every step of this build, including the teardown of the 996 motor.
Let Me know how YOU feel
MSgt Michael Thompson USAF
Flame away if it makes you feel good

 

If you were the first one to try to gather info on failures of the 996 engine then you might have been justified, but you aren't and probably won't be the last. It does get rather old discussing over and over again some of these issues. Good luck with your conversion(also been done before) and share your work if you want. Nothing personal, just old news.

 

So Your Saying Nobody, Nowhere has been successful in Tracking IMS Failures? Not Understanding WHY you people are not interested in this tracking?

 

Have you read all the related posts on IMSB? If you have time try the search button on the subject and you ought to be overwhelmed. Perhaps Porsche has the actual # of failures, but evidently they aren't sharing.

 

Even more reason, YOU trust Porsche? One of my Harley forums has a "Calling all FatBoy Lo" thread, Largest thread on there where every FatBoy Lo owner logs in, That's what I'm talking about.

 

This is going to get closed again. Read the sticky. 996s came out over 13 years ago. There is nothing on the subject that has not been covered on this forum. I suggest do a search.

 

Why don't you just do your build, post your progress, and ask your questions? Those who are interested will participate. Those who aren't won't.

It's not complicated and doesn't require a discussion.

I'm interested in what you are planning, but don't have the patience to wade through a bunch of Internet drama to see it.

Just my .02.

 

Please post your teardown and rebuild thread, a lot of people will be interested in that, I am for one. Few people are interested in the IMS stuff, no clarity will come and you will NOT catch any useful statistics either (that has been debated too at length here and elsewhere).

Take this community forwards by bringing new ideas and new experiences, not rehashing the past.

My .02c

Mike

 

Hi All,

As I am sure most of you know I am the moderator who deleted the original thread and I did explain why to the OP, Clearly we are not concerned with Porsche reputation, this is a design flaw for sure.
But the fact is that we just rehash the same old stuff and I understand that the OP may be new to this but because he may not want to review the thousands of threads already on Rennlist about this subject does not mean we need yet another thread that tells us nothing new.

I will let this thread stand and you guys can voice your opinion too make sure that we are all on the same page, please as always keep it civil and regardless, Welcome to Rennlist Micheal. I hope you will want to join our community but if not I wish you well with your projects..

 

Here on Rennlist, the #1 sticky on the 997 forum is an IMSB poll, and I think it's a good idea.

This 996 forum is a completely disorganized collection of random IMSB rants that lacks any coherency . An organized poll like the 997 forum makes sense to me.

 

Fiero, first, thanks for your service. 2nd, as all of the above posters mentioned, this has been tried and failed multiple times. There is something called "adverse selection" that will skew the **** out of the information you are trying to gather. 1: there are lots of people who have 996's with engine issues that are not on these forums...I would bet everything I have that way more people ARE NOT on these forums than are. 2: if you HAVE had issues, it is very likely it was misdiagnosed as the catch all IMSB. 3: if neither of the first two points apply, and you had an issue, and started looking for 996 engine problems on the web, you would be funneled in the direction of IMSB, until you thought it was the only issue that could ever kill a 996, when that is not the case. On the whole, these are robust engines that have problems and design issues, like lots and lots of other engines by lots and lots of manufacturers.
Finally, your last post (the one you referenced "calling all IMS issues, etc.," described the PO of your car as "having a problem, heard a noise, knew what the problem was and shut the engine off and sold it to you as having a failed IMS." Until you have the engine apart and can confirm that is the case, it is totally possible it's not even an IMS issue to begin with, but the interwebs will lead you to believe otherwise, as I previously mentioned.

In summation, what you are trying to accomplish is impossible and non-productive regarding the IMSB information gathering.

However, if you want to start another thread along the lines of "taking out flat 6, putting in LS3/7" I'm sure you will find a following of intrigued bystanders here.

Good luck either way,

DS

 

IMS is not the only cause of random engine failure in the M96.

 

That thread was closed before I had the chance to respond to? I can't get on Forums at GOV computers while at work, I can read, just can't post. The person I bought the car from did have it towed to a Porsche dealer where the tranny was pulled ($1200}and he was given the broken stud and nut off the IMS and a quote of around $14k for a new engine. He like me is an USAF MSgt and could not afford that. He sold to me and here we are.

I'm just NOT wanting to start a build thread on a site that seems maybe to be uninterested. Since this is the first Porsche forum I've tried, maybe I'm in the wrong place, Especially if Threads get deleted for such minor reasons.

 

 

Rennlist is by far the most popular Porsche board. The 996 forum is very ploarized when it comes to the IMS bearing. Very few do their own wrenching and those that do, have limited knowledge on this, including me. Those that do know more are not too willing to share vital information because its their livelyhood and I fully inderstand that. However as times goes on, there will be more true gear heads buying and fixing these cars. When that happens, there will be a lot more good information sharing (like on the 928 or 944 forum for example). Sounds like you have the knowledge to do this work so go with your gut feeling and try to fix it. There is a lot of bickering going on this forum, too much drama not enough wrenching.