mgordon18

Trying the brute force method again - this time with 2005 owners...

I'm trying to do a little math here to figure out approximately when Porsche switched to the beefier IMS bearings in the M97. If I can get a bunch of engine numbers along with their corresponding production dates, I can graph it and see if anything makes sense.

So let me know, 2005 S owners. I need some data!

Thanks in advance,
- Mike

Slamuth

I can tell you my production month/year was 01/05 and I have the older IMS bearing. I know this for a fact, because the original IMS bearing now rests safely in my garage cabinet as a paper-weight, and was replaced with an LN Engineering bearing less than 60 days ago.

mgordon18

That's too bad, Slamuth - what's your engine number?

Palmbeacher

Mine is a 3.6L, also 1/05 build, also the older smaller bearing, also replaced with LN last year (original bearing found to be perfect @ ~30K, FWIW). This is just a suspicion based on no fact whatsoever, but I think the 3.8L S, being a new offering for '05, Porsche probably ran out of the non-upgraded engines quicker than they did with the 3.6 911 and smaller Boxter engines. I wouldn't be surprised if those models go much farther into MY05 with the older bearing.

Slamuth

Drum roll please.................my engine number is M9770168507453. And as noted earlier, this is a 3.8L S with a confirmed replaceable (older) IMS. My RMS was found to be the culprit for my small oil leak, the original IMS looked okay with 30k miles.

ELUSIVE

Now we're getting somewhere.
Slamuth's was built 1/05 and is number 07453.
Mumuq's was built 3/05 and is number 10686.

I'm guessing they made the switch to the new IMS in the Feb 2005 build timeframe.

Mspeedster

Late Feb '05 or perhaps early March '05. However, LN Engineering said it's hard tell by build date on the MY05 cars, because for a time period the Porsche factory would use whatever part was available. So there was an overlap period. It might be possible that even after March '05 an unlucky car was built with a leftover engine. Only way to know for certain is to check the engine number or the bearing itself.

But it seems we've got a close estimate for the C2S engines. Now if someone knows the engine number that marks the start of the beefier IMS bearing for the non-S M96 engines, we could do the same process for the C2 as well.

mgordon18

Nice work! To be safe, I'd stay away from '05 cars before April, because of the "whatever part is available" factor.

Even so, the main takeaway I've got from this is that ALL MY06 cars have the upgraded IMS. So that's good.

Thanks everyone, for all the help in figuring this out.

- Mike

Slamuth

Minor revision to mgordon's statement, to be safe one might stay away from '05 cars before April, IF they don't have a documented IMS upgrade. Then again, if at some point in the future we start to hear about routine IMS failures in the newer (non-serviceable) bearings, everyone will want the older IMS so they can at least replace it without splitting the case.

96redLT4

Hi Mine is 05 C2S. Engine #68513751. Cert of Authenticity lists completion date of 5/25/2005. Does this mean I am ok?
Jim

Docofthebay

I've posted this on the other thread but my number forC2S with June05 build (day not known) is 68515572.
This is interesting as it has been surmised that the first '06 started in June of 05. My serial number is about 1800 engines after the above post showing a May 25 build date. this would put mine towards the end of June. So the next mystery is when the switch to '06 occurred and what was the last engine number for '05. Do you think they made the switch with the calendar change to July?

mgordon18

Every conclusion I've/we've come to in this thread is very much an approximation. I'm sure there are rounding errors on top of rounding errors, throwing any estimate off. I would take the dates as guides only. I'd give any given date a +/- 30 day grace period.

The only thing that makes me think the estimates are at least close, is that I correctly predicted Dan (Edgy)'s production date from his engine number. But it was close. I predicted 5/06 and it was May 28th.

Mspeedster

Based on the following engine numbers below (assuming this data is correct), your car should have the newer style IMS bearing of the MY06-08 cars.

Mspeedster

I know someone who has a MY06 car that was built in 7/05. So either the MY06 cars started in June '05 and overlapped with the tail end of MY05, or MY06 started production in July '05.

96redLT4

Wahoo!! You just made my day Mspeedster! This may also increase my resale value if I ever part with it. 05's have gotten a bad rap of late. I'm tipping back a cold one to you right now...
Jim