bommerts

EDIT 3/23: It would appear that most everyone here was correct. I am in the process of working this out. Thanks for all the good info and advice, sincerely appreciate it.

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I've been asked a couple of times about my '06 C4S with the old style IMS. When I bought the car last year, I had read about the IMS problem and as a newbie, mistakenly thought it applied to all 997s. So I asked the Porsche tech to proactively replace it with the LN engineering bearing.

Turns out my '06 had the old style bearing and he was able to replace it. I've been told Porsche is a small company and does things like mixing previous year parts in newer models.

Apparently this isn't supposed to happen. Since this seems to be the first case of an old style IMS replacement in an '06, hopefully this will help the group.

Would love to hear your thoughts.

Here are a couple of pics. Engine serial #: M97/0168608545.

nk215

That picture has a large 22mm nut on it. It is the larger bearing (but still a single row bearing. Double row bearings are end with model 2001 year). That is the correct bearing for model year 2006+.

I don't think it's possible to so retrofit without taking the engine apart.

While it's possible to do the retrofit at great cost, the bearing already has very little chance of failing for everyday drive.

street rod

If the center nut of the IMS flange is a 13mm hex then it's the old style and is retrofittable. If it's the 22mm nut then it's the new style and is not without engine teardown. Your mystery continues...

bommerts

How would I be able to tell?

It has to be.....we bought the bearing (see receipt above) and the Porsche tech installed it.

Redline911

Ask your mechanic for the original bearing. Would be interesting to see what wear it had on it.

bommerts

It's been 5 months, I think it's long gone.

nk215

This is what the small nut that comes with a small bearing looks like. Compared it to your original picture and you'll see the difference. Either way, it's water under the bridge.

Enjoy your car in good health.

Redline911

Difficult to get answers 5 months after the fact. The consensus is on the 22mm nut cars to replace the bearing requires you split the engine case open. Your mechanic would not have done that. How much do you trust him?

The later 05-08 cars were not included in the IMS settlement because the failure is near zero (or possibly zero.) You don't need to replace the bearing on those cars.

Needed to have a serious discussion with your mechanic 5 months ago.

RollingArt

Your "mechanic" f***ed you over.

Your motor clearly has the larger non-replaceable (from the outside) IMS bearing.

These bearing were put into use during the '05 model year.

I'd get busy taking that "mechanic" to small claims court.

hollywood1053

Agree with the above - the work was probably not done.....
When was the picture you posted taken?

dgjks6

I have been around enough to know Porsche does some strange things and mixes model years and production number all the time. I have also seen some less than trust worthy mechanics.

I would venture to the 996 forum, post this, and see if Jake or Martin or someone who has done a large number of rebuilds has seen an 06 with a 22mm nut and a replaceable bearing.

street rod

There is no way to tell without removing it. But all previously known data says your car had the larger updated bearing. How much did he charge you for the retrofit install? Did you also get the clutch replaced at the same time?

gpjli2

Why is there no picture of the motor w replaced bearing? You CAN tell if work was done. You need to loosen tranny bolts enough to slide it back an inch or less. A tech with a fiber optic scope will be able to see what is there. You can proceed from there. If you see the same old bearing then add up the costs of the work that was not done, feel really angry, get documentation from new guy and go to small claims court. If you see a new bearing assembly in there (LN must have a pic) you'll sleep better. Post that and we'll all sleep better.

jhbrennan

Which begs the question - why are you asking now? Problems? The mystery continues.

dgjks6

I think he is asking because he got involved in another IMS thread and he said he had his replaced when he did the clutch and everyone said it is not possible to replace a 2006 IMS bearing so he started this thread to find out if it was possible.