View Poll Results: did YOUR car suffer an IMS failure
Voters: 1659. You may not vote on this poll
IMS failure for your 997 car, Y or N? tell us (yr, 997.1, .2, m96, m97, failure mode)
01-10-2012, 12:59 AM
#197
LN has been backpedaling on the longevity claims of late, and now even admits to several failures of their single-race bearing. It's nothing against Charles, he's always been measured in his approach, at least by comparison with the other chap who tends rather more hyperbolic at times. From a legal standpoint, LN is wise to disclaimer conservatively.
That said, these are mechanical parts, and as such subject to outliers and defects. LN can't help it if these engines are designed such that failure of a single bearing is sufficient to cause sudden and catastrophic damage. They also can't be privy to every installation...whether an engine is already loaded with metallic debris from failing internals, that will find its way into the open LN bearing and chew it to pieces...or whether an installer follows meticulous protocol or mandhandles the job. All we can say is that at present, the LN bearing is surely the best best going.
And that said, the problem is that a directive to change the bearing every so-many miles is not an effecacious protocol, because these bearings (including the LN) seem to fail suddenly rather than wear-out gradually. Complicating the issue further is that their IMS Guardian recognises only ferrous debris, and the single-race LN bearing until recently had a plastic ball cage...which is what failed in the one case LN could determine the precise cause.
The labour to inspect and/or change the bearing is such that for those who are not DIY guys, it tends to get done in concert with a clutch overhaul. And for those of us who do not mistreat the clutch, that really isn't an every-50K-mile proposition...in fact, in all my years with so-called performance autos, I've never had to replace a clutch, even at upwards of 150K miles. "Thankfully" the previous owner of my 997 was murder on the clutch, so it was about 50% gone at 30K. My IMS bearing was fine, but I put in the LN replacement anyway. Now I'm thinking perhaps I jumped the gun...should've perhaps borne with the stiff clutch pedal a while longer, in time to get the revised LN bearing with the steel cage, and a Guardian.
Or perhaps I need to either sell the car or write myself a scrip for Prozac
That said, these are mechanical parts, and as such subject to outliers and defects. LN can't help it if these engines are designed such that failure of a single bearing is sufficient to cause sudden and catastrophic damage. They also can't be privy to every installation...whether an engine is already loaded with metallic debris from failing internals, that will find its way into the open LN bearing and chew it to pieces...or whether an installer follows meticulous protocol or mandhandles the job. All we can say is that at present, the LN bearing is surely the best best going.
And that said, the problem is that a directive to change the bearing every so-many miles is not an effecacious protocol, because these bearings (including the LN) seem to fail suddenly rather than wear-out gradually. Complicating the issue further is that their IMS Guardian recognises only ferrous debris, and the single-race LN bearing until recently had a plastic ball cage...which is what failed in the one case LN could determine the precise cause.
The labour to inspect and/or change the bearing is such that for those who are not DIY guys, it tends to get done in concert with a clutch overhaul. And for those of us who do not mistreat the clutch, that really isn't an every-50K-mile proposition...in fact, in all my years with so-called performance autos, I've never had to replace a clutch, even at upwards of 150K miles. "Thankfully" the previous owner of my 997 was murder on the clutch, so it was about 50% gone at 30K. My IMS bearing was fine, but I put in the LN replacement anyway. Now I'm thinking perhaps I jumped the gun...should've perhaps borne with the stiff clutch pedal a while longer, in time to get the revised LN bearing with the steel cage, and a Guardian.
Or perhaps I need to either sell the car or write myself a scrip for Prozac
05-25-2012, 10:35 PM
#203
05 997.1 39,000 no IMS issues. It's a later build car with the updated bearing. I did have valve lifter issues that required all the lifters be replaced. No problems since (35,000) at all.
05-30-2012, 08:53 PM
#209
[QUOTE=997C2S9ff;9572972]Yep, in fact no major issues at all since I bought it in 2008. Very happy with it 
But I guess the engine won't handle another 110K with the charger[/QUOTE]
But I bet yer gonna try !
But I guess the engine won't handle another 110K with the charger[/QUOTE]
But I bet yer gonna try !
