cd8

2001 S with only 31k

Was doing my oil change today and noticed some metal "splinters" in the filter - they appear to be ferrous. Car already has the IMSR from LN - was done a couple years ago.


Any suggestions on where to go from here?

Weazer

Appear to be ferrous? Confirm that they are ferrous by putting a magnet to them. If they stick to magnet, ferrous. If by the "LN IMSR", you are referring to a retrofit IMS bearing, they are wear items and have been known to fail on occasion. If that's the case, the particles present in you filter would most likely represent the very initial stages of IMS bearing failure. In the latter stage of IMS bearing failure, your filter would look like a glazed donut with the sheen form the bearing's ferrous particles. If it were my car, I would pull the newly installed filter at about 1k miles to see if there were more, less or no ferrous particles. If more, I would then get busy changing out the IMS bearing. Lower mileage cars such as yours seem to have a higher rate of IMS bearing failure which seems counterintuitive. You most likely have a single row IMS bearing, as 2000-2001 model years saw the changeover from the original dual row to the dreaded single row IMS bearing. You may want to consider installing a dual row ball bearing, or even a cylindrical roller bearing as I did with my 1999 Boxster Base. I would not recommend another single row IMS bearing. Best of luck.

cd8

By appear to be ferrous, I meant they look like they stick to the magnet, but it was hard to tell with such small particles.

A bit of extra info after looking at records:

IMS was changed in July 2018 at a well respected Porsche specific indy (I cant imagine they wouldn't have qualified the engine- but I didn't know to ask)

At the same time, oil was changed (I use motul) and the car has only been driven approx 2k since.

Is there any debris that could be created by the install process?

cd8

More info: Blackstone report was done Sept of 2017 - nothing irregular was found

Shawn Stanford

I hate to be that guy, but I'm pretty good at it, so here goes: Just drive the car. I can't think of a single thing that generally goes wrong with these cars in only 31k miles. Even a bad IMS should take twice that, and that's been done. You've already spent far more time worrying about it than the enjoyment you've received (2k miles in 2 years? 31k in 20 years?), so just drive the hell out of it and see what happens.

And don't baby it. Thrash the hell out of it. Rev it to the red line. Take it to the track. Drive it the way Porsche intended.

Weazer

It may indeed be the case that the particles found in your oil filter are from the previous bearing, and they aren't much at that. As I mentioned, a failing IMS bearing would leave a sheen of particles on your oil filter. I would not disagree with the poster above, drive and enjoy the car, however, he does discount the fact that lower mileage cars do seem to have a higher rate of IMS bearing failure. Anyway, pull your new filter at 1k miles and look for ferrous particles, if what you initially found was leftover from the previous IMS bearing, it should all be gone by now. If you find more, then you've got a solid indication something is not right in you engine internally, and the usual culprit is the IMS bearing. Having actually performed the install process, there is no step in the process that would result in new or residual ferrous particles, the old IMS bearing is carefully extracted and the new IMS bearing carefully inserted. Enjoy your car, but be vigilant about dissecting you oil filter as its your best warning regarding a potential catastrophic internal engine problem.

Byprodriver

1. Disregard post 5
2. Send a oil sample to Blackstone, make sure they know it's the same car they have tested before.
3.Change the oil again in 1,000 miles & remove the sump plate to inspect & clean.

cd8

All the info here is much appreciated - will put together a sample to send off to blackstone.

Another note - I also have a magnetic drain plug, there was nothing irregular on the drain plug.

Shawn Stanford

Well, we all enjoy our cars in our own way!

Weazer

Yes, agree with Byprodriver above, oil analysis AND sump plate removal specifically to inspect and clean the two swirl pots, and the oil pickup tube. When I dropped my sump plate, my swirl pots were clean but my oil pickup tube screen was about 1/4 blocked with dark brown plastic bits from the chain tensioner pads, this on a car with 88K miles. Although your car has much less mileage, still worth the effort for the peace of mind.