The car-nut

Hello!
I am about to purchase a 2001 996 c4. The current owner claims that the previous owner had replaced the IMS, when the clutch was replaced; however, he does not have any factual evidence.

Is there any way by which one could determine whether the IMS has indeed been replaced?

Cheers,
The Car-nut

gnat

Not without documentation. Treat it as if the replacement hasn't been done.

rockhouse66

My understanding is that if it was replaced with a LN bearing there might be a sticker affixed somewhere - like near the bellhousing area and/or in the door jam?

Sneaky Pete

Like gnat said.....no documentation it did not happen. No sticker......no happen.

gnat

That's only if it was replaced with an LN bearing AND the sticker was put on the car (my Indy didn't and I still haven't gotten around to it myself).

I guess you could try calling LN with the VIN and see if they can look it up to see if they had a warranty registration for it. I don't know if they'd do that or not though. Even that's not definitive in all cases though (I wanted to keep our original so LN knows nothing about our car).

Proving it is the seller's job though. If they can't prove it, then they can't legitimately negotiate on it's existence.

Edit: Even if it has the sticker, I still wouldn't trust it without contacting LN or accompanying paperwork. It's easy to make such stickers much cheaper than actually replacing the bearing (haven't heard any stories of that happening, I'm just that jaded).

alpine003

Don't get so caught up on the IMS. A certain portion of the time, owners end up changing the IMS as a reactionary measure after it's too late and the engine starts to shed metal. I see so many peeps treat this as a security blanket, only to encounter issues down the road.

Some, like myself, would rather buy a virgin car. That way I know what I'm working with and no hidden variables. You can also just factor that into the overall price if you're inclined to change it out.

If you're looking at a ' 01 and are concerned about the IMS, you should also be concerned about cylinder head issues as '01 tend to have the most issues according to some sources.

mannn

Make sure you call LN and not call Flat6..

hollywood1053

Would an IMSB swap, or RMS/IMS flange seal work, show up on a Carfax if performed by a reputable dealership?

gnat

I wouldn't count on it. In fact I wouldn't count on CarFax for anything as I've seen far too many cases where information is missing or wrong. Most of that stuff is optionally reported and even the state mandated stuff (registrations, mileage, title status, etc..) can be wrong too.

I look at it as a decent tool to see how many owner's it's had and where it has spent it's life, but beyond that I don't see much value in it.

mannn

if the accident happened and both party agreed to not go through insurance, nothing will show up in carfax

gnat

I know of accidents that went through insurance and even had a police report that don't show up on the vehicle's CarFax.

alpine003

+996

From comparing over a couple dozen reports side by side, you're better off going with Experian's Autocheck service these days. Not 100% fool proof but better in that it reports more data.

KrazyK

Your post does not state that the owner specified it was an LNE replacement. Maybe you could ask about it? There are many alternative bearings that will not have the LNE sticker. Are there receipts, photos, etc?

gnat

You even quoted it yourself KK

Nada. As far as sale price considerations go it's as good as not done.

Cuda911

I had an LNE installed. No sticker. No one even told me that a sticker was available. I want a refund.