HODY905

Considering an 06 997 w/16k miles. Should I be concerned about RMS/IMS problems with this generation?
Thanks in advance!

cosm3os

No

Hella-Buggin'

RMS is a problem with 911's in general. It's no big deal. With such few miles the car may be more likely to have a leaky RMS because it's lubricated with oil when driven. Since that car has sat for long periods of time, it can dry out and get cracks. It's not a big deal. If it leaks, fix it.
IMS, is a different thing. Since it's an 06, chances are it has the revised bearing design which has proven to be pretty robust. If it has the old bearing design, small chance based on the year, you get to upgrade it to something even more robust.

I have an 06 and it's been great. I have almost 90k miles on it and dozens of track days and hard fast canyon runs without a hiccup.

911-997

Yes it has IMS and I would be concerned.
Get 09+ and your wouldn't be concerned with any of 997.1 problems

Petza914

Not entirely true... Although the IMS issue has been resolved in the .2s, there are still occurrences of bore scoring, but instead of happening on cylinders 3 & 6 like they do in the .1s, it happens on 1 & 4.

A .1 with the larger factory IMS bearing or with Raby's IMS Solution is a fine car.

Blaine 997

I completely agree. My 997.1 is an October '04 production date with a Porsche dealer installed late 2006 replacement engine (with the revised IMS).

It's a lot of car for the money. And not everyone can afford the entry price of getting into a .2 (myself included).

Maintenance Records and a thorough PPI including the over rev report (manual trans) and bore scope inspection are key to any 911 purchase.

alexb76

+1

HODY905

Thanks all for your input. Sounds as though if I do get this car I should just go ahead an install the IMS updgrade without waiting for a problem to happen something like an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!! Can you briefly explain what a bore scope inspection is?
Thanks !

Doug H

This is what you always hear from 997.1 owners, but not from anyone in the business. Although perhaps any engine can have this issue, the incidence is IMO alarmingly high on the .1s and virtually nonexistent on the .2s.

Not sure of my comfort level in any stats or explanations offered by anyone or rebuilder who professes to know the solution to scoring in the .1s, but refuses to explain or offer as a remedial measure . . . I have guys that I have used to build 911 track cars and race engines for me since the late 80s and 2 really good friends that are long time Porsche techs all of whom tell me the .2 is bullet proof and stay away from the .1s.

As to IMS, I was told in May or June than a .1 came in for new engine due to IMS when taking wife's .2 for pdk service. I really did not pay too much attention because I don't have a .1, but I am pretty confident he told me it was an 08 because he knew I was wanting to pull the trigger on an 08 S with x51 and factory aero in April that had virtually no miles. I passed due to scoring concerns and wife opted for a .2 cabriolet since summer was approaching.

Para82

My Porsche tech has seen thousands of 911's over the last 15 years and said a total of 2 had IMS problems - one was ragged out and looked it hadn't had an oil change in over 20,000 miles (Porsche maintenence schedule was 20,000 miles for oil changes at launch of 997 remember) and the other car had 249,000 miles. He rebuilt the motor on the one with 249,000 miles and he confirmed to me that owner now is over 330,000 miles on that same car (with new motor). Way overblown money grab from USA lawyers (shocker).

RMS is a problem - doesn't matter if you have a 997S or a GT3. They say weeping RMS isn't a big deal but when it starts to leak all over your clutch and it starts slipping....

There was a time 10 years ago when 997.1 GT3 owners were dumping them because of the leaky RMS - they figured the car was junk.....whoops.

SoCal C2S

If you get a mid-ish year 06S it will have the larger IMS bearing already installed from the factory. To replace this larger one with an LN bearing requires the engine to be completely disassembled...so it's not needed.

If you have a full up PPI performed the borescope is where the plugs are removed and a small camera put into the cylinder and inspected for scoring. I paid $300 for my PPI so that is about what you should expect to pay.

911-997

That's exactly my point. It depends on your comfort level. I had a 997.1 before getting a 997.2 and some nights I couldnt sleep thinking the worst case scenario. At the end it had a bore scored cylinders. Ask Porsche mechanic shops how many they have seen 997.1 with issues and ask them for a 997.2
by far 997.2 is more reliable and dont have most of issues 997.1 had

Hella-Buggin'

My 06 Was built in September of 05 and has the larger bearing. There was a chart based on VIN number floating around here at one point.

996AE

For all you paranoid P car owners before you fall asleep freaking out about IMS failures change thoughts to NK or God forbid HRC runs for POTUS again.

Petza914

Not true Jake has posted that he has seen about 4-dozen failed .2s and Hartech a fair number as well - enough to know that scoring happens in different cylinders than on the .1s. Are the .2s better than the .1s, yes, they look to be, but "bulletproof ", they are not, at least not all of them.