USMC_DS1

Some of us cut the paper filter during an oil change to inspect for any signs of IMS and/or any engine issues... you're looking for metal or plastic bits. Some will also send in their oil for analysis. If the bearing seals goes then clean oil may save you for a short time. Btw has anyone tried the LNE IMS Guardian? Also someone please point us to a definitive case of the new IMS causing this issue.

P0rsch3F113

My car's build date is 02/2006 and I have the M97 engine (checked the numbers). Why get one built later in 2006 (don't understand)?

Cloudspin

Orbit?

smongiovi

I currently own a 1991 C2 Cabriolet and I am considering purchasing a 2008 C4S. I'm aware that 996/997's have an 'isssue' with RMS and IMS bearing failures. From all I've read I can't really tell if the IMS/RMS bearing problem is specific to certain model years. Can anyone shed light on this?

Specifically, I want to know if IMS failure is a known/chronic problem with the 2008 C4S model year.

Any reply/advice would be much appreciated

Gooddog

I have a late MY-05 987 Boxster S with a M-97 motor. It's IMS bearing has failed at 40k miles. I think we'll find that this beefier IMS band aid solution was a flawed design as well. It was short lived for a reason. A lot of the failures of these more recent cars have been masked by repair solutions under warranty. As these cars fall out of warranty, the IMS problems for this series will surface as well.

cvtbenhogan

On board with every bit of this.

Wormer

Addict,

I have a 2002 996 and read all about the IMS issue. My 996 does not leak a drop of oil and it has a magnitized oil plug in it which is checked once a year to see if any metal filings from the IMS shows up. I was thinking of moving up to a 997, perhaps a '06, '07 or '08. Would I have the same IMS issue with those non-turbo engines?

Your thoughts please?

From a glider pilot in Ohio

mgordon18

Hi Wormer - welcome to the board! You really should try doing a search on this forum for "IMS." Try not to drown in the posts.

The short answer is this: For 997s the IMS setup changed over from the "old" design to the "new" design around Feb 2005. This means that later-build MY05 cars have the new design, as do all 06, 07 and 08 cars.

We've heard of multiple failures fromt the "old" design IMS bearings. I haven't heard of any proven "new" bearing failures. The "new" design is supposed to be much more resilient.

So technically, you'll still have a possible IMS issue in an 06, 07, or 08 engine, since the IMS and its bearings still exist in the engine, but so far this board has not seen a proven failure from the "new" design.

mgordon18

Hi Gooddog,

Are you sure you have the "new" design IMS? How do you know? If you did, in fact, have the new design, you will represent the first failure of that bearing setup that we've heard of here on the board. I'm not saying you're lyin' - I just want to make sure!

Let us know...

DoninDen

The only occurrences of an IMS bearing failure on this board or 6speedonline have been with the earlier engine, which the car you are considering apparently has. (Both boards have threads where owners can report if they have had an IMS failure*). The OP on this thread's point was isn't the earlier version of the engine better because the IMS bearings can be replaced and in the newer models (like my '07), they can't. That's an interesting point and so far the answer seems to be the new IMS bearing is working...

To answer your question on whether you should buy this car, I think the answer is yes, as long as you check out or replace the IMS bearing as a condition of purchase. Ask to have the oil changed and oil filter inspected for metal shavings -or- to split the cost of installing a LN Enginerring IMS bearing. This way you will not need to worry if the IMS is on the verge of going out.

But buy the car knowing that when you sell the car, you will have the perceived IMS issue with a few buyers, that should be solved with showing you had the IMS bearing replaced. In truth the failure rate appears so low, that with the IMS bearing upgrade you will be in great shape with this car.

There does not seem to be a definitive percentage as to what the IMS failure rate on early '05 models is, but it is considered very low. Some early '05 owners have stated on the boards that because it is so low they are not concerned, but if it was me, I would have it changed for the peace of mind. And you will have a wonderful car.

I don't know if the IMS bearing upgrade is a onetime fix, how long the LN bearing holds a warrantee or if it needs to be subsequently replaced and checked overtime.

As far as the newer 997.1 models with the larger IMS bearings, there have been zero documented IMS failures to date and there are cars out there with well over 100,000 miles on them. I hope it's not a problem that will be slow to turn up and believe we all are watching for this on the boards pretty intently. Porsche's decision to a replace a bearing that had a rare propensity to failure with a bearing that could not be serviced without completely tearing down the engine was either based on arrogance or a very strong belief that the bearing would well out live the life of the vehicle. The zero occurrence rate so far is the strongest indicator that it was a true fix, beyond any unsubstantiated opinions.

*Both boards have threads where owners can report if they have had an IMS failure. I think this is a great way to track the issue because I would suspect the vast majority of those who have their engines shredded because of the IMS would Google for an idea of what has happened and find the boards. An uninteneded result of this query is that instead of only those who have experienced a failure posting, every Tom, Dick and Harry seem to want to post that they have not had any problems, so the threads have a great volume of unneeded responses and are hard to read. But so far there have been zero posts of a larger IMS bearing failure.

Did you buy the car?

pissedpuppy

Definitely not a chronic problem!