When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Wife and I went for a drive on Sunday and were only 4-5 miles from home on a quite 2 lane road when I started to hear a noise. I had the sunroof down and it sounded like something was loose and blowing in the wind and smacking the roof. I pulled over as soon as I could and brought the car to a stop. Unfortunately, the sound continued so I turned off the engine. I have heard that the IMS bearing sounds like marbles in a can, and that is what this sounded like.
I had the car towed to Porsche and they called me on Monday to tell me that they suspected it was the IMS bearing and that part of the shaft had dropped into the transmission. They dropped the transmission on Tuesday and called to tell me that they found no debris in the transmission and that the engine still made the same sound with the transmission off. At this point, they do not believe it is the IMS bearing. However, they don't seem to know what it is. They said they would remove the spark plugs and see if they noticed anything in the engine. I have not heard back from them since Tuesday.
I do have the Easy Care extended warranty. The car is a 2005, 996 C4S with only 13K on the odometer. Any ideas?
WTF? They saw no debris in the transmission so they think the IMSB is fine???
And then they started the engine again??
For the love of god please have it towed to a shop that has a clue
If you heard "marbles in a coffee can" then more likely than not your IMSB is toast and given all the extra running they've apparently done to it I'd bet if that is the case then the motor is good and trashed at this point
Sorry man. Wish there was better news here
Edit: Please name and shame this dealer so others can avoid having their car ruined there.
I'm hoping they thought it was the throwout bearing - otherwise, the rest of the explanation they offered (thought it was the IMS - checked somewhere the IMS has nothing to do with - and ran the engine more) is inexcusably stupid bordering on negligence.
I would be interested to hear the story of how the IMS dropped into the transmission...
OP, no matter what happens, sorry to hear that your drive ended in a sucky fashion. Please don't let them start it again until diagnosis has been completed.
From: Ephrata, PA, USA now. Originally from the UK
You had it towed to a PORSCHE garage. I would say that is the correct place to tow the car. I now say that you may have misinterpreted what PORSCHE told you. The posters on these pages are far from being qualified mechanics. Most times, posters are only making suggestions. They have not heard your engine. Have faith, PORSCHE will find and put your problems right. GNAT is over dramatizing what he reads from you which in effect might not be correct or misinterpreted by you. As far as advice from Schnell. If you tell them not to start the engine again, what you gonna do if PORSCHE asks WHY? You are not a mechanic so say nothing. Let them 'do their job'.. Relax.. Don't sweat the small stuff.
You had it towed to a PORSCHE garage. I would say that is the correct place to tow the car. I now say that you may have misinterpreted what PORSCHE told you. The posters on these pages are far from being qualified mechanics. Most times, posters are only making suggestions. They have not heard your engine. Have faith, PORSCHE will find and put your problems right. GNAT is over dramatizing what he reads from you which in effect might not be correct or misinterpreted by you. As far as advice from Schnell. If you tell them not to start the engine again, what you gonna do if PORSCHE asks WHY? You are not a mechanic so say nothing. Let them 'do their job'.. Relax.. Don't sweat the small stuff.
Hurdi, generally I think you are OK and entertaining, but you are off your rocker here.
Thankfully I have never experienced an IMSB failure first hand, but everyone that has tells the exact same story of an unmistakable sound. Every mechanic that knows anything about the IMSB knows you don't run the engine until internal damage has been absolutely ruled out.
Given his description of the problem the first thing they should have done is disconnect the battery so it couldn't be accidentally started by mistake. Next they should have inspected the oil and oil filter.
I'll give you the "shaft may have fallen" and "no debris in the transmission so it isn't the IMSB" bits could be a miscommunication, but there is zero excuse for the shop running that engine as everyone with a lick of sense knows that if it is indeed the IMSB or something else inside, then running it is doing even more damage and taking it from possibly salvageable to a giant paperweight.
You had it towed to a PORSCHE garage. As far as advice from Schnell. If you tell them not to start the engine again, what you gonna do if PORSCHE asks WHY? You are not a mechanic so say nothing. Let them 'do their job'.. Relax.. Don't sweat the small stuff.
Hurdi, we know you steadfastly (irrationally? inexplicably?) deny that the IMS is a real issue, but OP here is in a situation where running the motor further - if there is shrapnel in the engine - will cause more and more damage. The PORSCHE mechanic you're crowing about, unless OP got the statement wrong, made a comment about the IMS dropping into the transmission that makes NO sense.
The engine clatters with the transmission removed. Until the oil has been examined, the filter checked, and the pan dropped, starting the engine again could be the difference between a repair and starting from scratch.
If the mechanic fires it, it runs for a few minutes, and then it implodes, he's going to shrug and say, "tough luck, Bud."
It costs less to be cautious in this case. Being an IMSB denier is fine for you, but if you're wrong and OP starts and frags his engine, are you going to help him pay to fix it? This is one of those moments where "look before you leap" trumps "he who hesitates is lost."
When you find yourself in the position where starting and running your car could be the difference between a repair and a new engine, report back and let us know if you still consider it to be in the "small stuff" category.
I'm very familiar with the IMS bearing failure and that is the reason I purchased the extended warranty. When I dropped the car off during the weekend the dealership was closed and I put a note in the key drop NOT to start the car as I suspected the IMS bearing.
They removed the transmission....can't they now see the IMS bearing and therefore they should know if it is intact or not? I do know that the person that calls me just moved over from the VW dealership with the same ownership but he is not the one working on the car. I'll call them today and get an update as I'm not sure what their plan is. I recall they mentioned removing the spark plugs and seeing if they can then determine what is wrong. Appreciate everyone's concern!
From: Ephrata, PA, USA now. Originally from the UK
Originally Posted by gnat
Hurdi, generally I think you are OK and entertaining, but you are off your rocker here.
Thankfully I have never experienced an IMSB failure first hand, but everyone that has tells the exact same story of an unmistakable sound. Every mechanic that knows anything about the IMSB knows you don't run the engine until internal damage has been absolutely ruled out.
Given his description of the problem the first thing they should have done is disconnect the battery so it couldn't be accidentally started by mistake. Next they should have inspected the oil and oil filter.
I'll give you the "shaft may have fallen" and "no debris in the transmission so it isn't the IMSB" bits could be a miscommunication, but there is zero excuse for the shop running that engine as everyone with a lick of sense knows that if it is indeed the IMSB or something else inside, then running it is doing even more damage and taking it from possibly salvageable to a giant paperweight.
The other explanation why Porsche ran the engine is that it did not SOUND like a can of marbles. Obviously the poster thought it did and Porsche thought it didn't. There is no way in hell that Porsche or any other decent mechanic would even think of running an engine if further damage would be caused by them doing so. That's all I have to say on that matter.
The other explanation why Porsche ran the engine is that it did not SOUND like a can of marbles. Obviously the poster thought it did and Porsche thought it didn't. There is no way in hell that Porsche or any other decent mechanic would even think of running an engine if further damage would be caused by them doing so. That's all I have to say on that matter.
Actually, the mechanic said he thought it sounded like the IMS bearing and he seemed pretty sure that was the problem. However, they are assuring me that it is NOT the IMS bearing.
I do have the Easy Care extended warranty. The car is a 2005, 996 C4S with only 13K on the odometer. Any ideas?
I hope the Easy Care saves you. 13,000 miles! Amazing!! I drive that in a year. On sunny weekends, only. From April till October. Good luck. Sorry about your troubles.
03-03-2016 | 08:38 PM
C4S towed to Porsche dealer
