Fierofly

2003 C4S 64,000 Miles, Double Roller Ball Bearing, Was One owner, LS3 in pogress Eng Ser No. M96/0366319112

Cefalu

Something unusual here, 2003 should have been a single row IMS.

alpine003

What's the engine serial #?(located next to drivers side exhaust manifold)

Imo000

Bearings don't tick. They hum, howl, grind, squeel or crackle. Its alway a constant noise and not rythmic. You probably have a lifter noise.

Torontoworker

99 'Tip', 130K (km's), changed out OEM double row bearing (looked great, seals on sides good and rotated perfectly) for LN ceramic bearing just for piece of mind. Got tired of the bad PR and treated the LN install as a maintenance item. Also changed AOS out at same time for same reasons - just because. Motor original and has no leaks, no strange sounds - not even lifter ticking and purrs like a kitten.

Old bearing (OEM) sitting on table in front of engine

Fierofly

Serial number added to past post. M9/0366319112

Hardback

2002 C4S. Replaced single row bearing with LN triple row bearing upgrade at 60,000 miles. Work was done during 3.8L engine rebuild. Original bearing was in good condition upon inspection.

jakermc

Only voted once but have had 3 996 models and NONE have had a problem.

2003 Tip sold with 98K miles

2003 X51 race car. 4 long race seasons of nothing but high rpms, still perfectly sound

2002 6 speed, currently with 62K miles. Just pulled factory bearing for inspection while repairing oil leak. No signs of any issues so just slid it back in.

KrazyK

Im probably wrong but it looks more like a single row flange to me.

jumper5836

Looking at the same poll on the 997 forum it looks like the 997 has a higher IMS failure rate.

Cefalu

The Boxster site has higher rates too.

I think the takeaway of this poll is the failure rate is not 20-30 or 50%. It's lower than the hysteria warrants.

But Because this site is the search result of an IMSB failure, the poll here probably overstates the real failure rate.

That's not to dismiss the defect as irrelevant. A bearing failure has the potential to virtually destroy the value of the car.

fanny bay r1

I suspect that the real failure rate is more than likely on 10% of the 3.0% being reported here -- I'd be very surprised if for the entire run of M96 engines it's even near 0.5%!!

D6lc

+1,000

Divot

I bought mine used with a reman engine, so I assume IMS failure. Not sure though, so didn't vote.

Cefalu

Autopsy results please! :-)