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I always get the revs up a little when pulling away. I figure if my clutch wears out faster I can justify doing an IMSB. I am at 84k and have clocked the last 37k miles in just over two years. The other reason I don't proactively do the IMSB is because my car has had a little knock for last 24k miles. I figure I'll save the $3k for the engine rebuild that might be coming soon. Car runs well and uses about a quart of oil per 1300-1500 miles.
Is the knock only on startup? Probably a lifter, no biggie. No engine rebuild required, they can be replaced without disassembling any of the ‘bottom end’.
What year car? The oil usage seems high to me. You might have a scored cylinder. Do either of your exhaust tips have more soot on one side?
2002 C4S. Possible lifter. Driver side exhaust has been sooty since I bought it with 47k miles. Knock started around 60k miles in January. Maybe cold weather helped score cylinders. I drive it all year.
My local mechanic said these cars can make this knock noise for a long time with anything going south. I know some people have little to no oil consumption but I was under the opinion that oil consumption will get much worse as my scoring gets more pronounced.
I've been using Ceratec and changing oil every 3 months or 3-4k miles. I am sure that is helping. Oil filter is always clear and the magnetic drain plug has only a very thin iron paste on it after each oil change.
Last edited by USNA1970; 08-06-2018 at 12:03 PM.
Reason: spelling
2002 C4S. Possible lifter. Driver side exhaust has been sooty since I bought it with 47k miles. Knock started around 60k miles in January. Maybe cold weather helped score cylinders. I drive it all year.
My local mechanic said these cars can make this knock noise for a long time with anything going south. I know some people have little to no oil consumption but I was under the opinion that oil consumption will get much worse as my scoring gets more pronounced.
I've been using Ceratec and changing oil every 3 months or 3-4k miles. I am sure that is helping. Oil filter is always clear and the magnetic drain plug has only a very thin iron paste on it after each oil change.
Sooty single tail pipe is typically a sign of a scored bore that has progressed. If you don't have oil consumption yet, the Ceratec must be helping. I've seen some other members on with Cayennes that have scored bores swear by the Ceratec delaying the inevitable.
I would guess that using a 5w50 would also help as the slightly higher HTHS visc will reduce the consumption and also provide a bit more cushion. Driven has a 5w50 - it's FR50.
Thanks for the feedback. I have added two bottles of Ceratec twice now. Once at around 65k and again at 78k. I typically use Motul 5W40 but I tried Redline 5W50 last oil change. I got a little worried as my warm oil idle pressure was 2.5 bar. Normally it is about 1.75 to 2 bar with 5W40. I am back on 5W40 for now. But I can certainly go back to 5W50 if the common thought is that over 2 bar at idle is not anything to worry about.
Btw, I am also keeping revs between 3k and 5k. No lugging and no excessive WOT pulls. I figure it may help longevity a bit and it's still a fun car to drive this way.
Thanks for the feedback. I have added two bottles of Ceratec twice now. Once at around 65k and again at 78k. I typically use Motul 5W40 but I tried Redline 5W50 last oil change. I got a little worried as my warm oil idle pressure was 2.5 bar. Normally it is about 1.75 to 2 bar with 5W40. I am back on 5W40 for now. But I can certainly go back to 5W50 if the common thought is that over 2 bar at idle is not anything to worry about.
Btw, I am also keeping revs between 3k and 5k. No lugging and no excessive WOT pulls. I figure it may help longevity a bit and it's still a fun car to drive this way.
The idle pressure being 2.5 cold with the 5w50 is not a problem. Porsche has a 5w50 on the approved list, so the viscosity shouldn't be an issue.
In shop for other motor work and had bearing inspected. Intact but cracked, so had it changed out along with clutch. With 112,000+ miles on my 2000 C2, I feel like a lottery winner.
1999, 996.1 Carrera 6 speed manual, running strong at 186' km/116k miles.
Checked the IMS bearing (double row) and found no play at all, cage intact and no noises or rough rolling of the bearing *****
Left it in there and only pulled the seal.
My clutch was shot after 5 years of owning my '99 Carrera 4. I had the factory bearing replaced with an LN hybrid dual-row while the clutch work was being done when I first purchased the car. Hindsight being 20/20, I would not have replaced the dual-row bearing, but back then, every factory bearing was, seemingly, a stick of dynamite with a half-inch fuse.
I do most of my own work, but "big stuff" is done by a very reputable San Diego indie shop. To date, they have not seen a single failure of a dual-row retrofit; they are not recommending periodic preventive replacement for hybrid dual-row bearings they installed previously unless a customer specifically requests it. I have NO idea how many they've done or what kind of numbers they've crunched to arrive at this position, I feel like I've done right by them thus far, and I don't feel inspired to second-guess their advice.
TL;DR: My dual-row LN hybrid bearing was installed approx. 5 years, 30k miles ago and I'm leaving it alone.
Oh, and I currently possess the gold-plated IMSB...
I do most of my own work, but "big stuff" is done by a very reputable San Diego indie shop.
I'm curious what 'very reputable San Diego indie shop' you use? I too, am a hands on guy and very rarely use a shop for anything but I figure sooner or later I will need to do so with the 996. The PO used Dieter's downtown and AFAIK, they have a pretty good reputation. They are also the only shop listed on LN's site for IMS replacement.
I just had my IMSB replaced with the LN Engineering ceramic IMS retrofit. As a 2002 car, mine has a single-row bearing. It was replaced at 125,301 miles. I didn't personally inspect my original bearing, but my mechanic told me that it looked good upon inspection, and it didn't appear to be showing any signs of impending failure.
Hi man do still have your C4S? How many miles on the clock? Any major issues? No engine rebuild?
Last edited by P996C4S; 11-16-2018 at 02:30 AM.
Reason: Wrong spell
I'd recommend replacing it (it's cheap insurance) and keep an ear on your timing chains!
Tech at dealer also opined that the 996 cars with TipTronic suffer fewer IMSB failures than do manual transmissions due to normally being operated at lower revs, thus less stress on the bearing. Anyone else heard that?
Tech at dealer also opined that the 996 cars with TipTronic suffer fewer IMSB failures than do manual transmissions due to normally being operated at lower revs, thus less stress on the bearing. Anyone else heard that?
Actually, according to Jake Raby's video on PCA and his site, that's the opposite. He said lugging these motors around at low RPM's put more stress on the IMS. He goes on to compare driving styles to that of air cooled engines, where you kept the revs up to keep the cooling fan spinning at speed and how you should basically drive at around 3,000 RPM most of the time rather than 2,000. He said don't use 6th great unless you are truly at highway speed also.