blucky57

Thanks Jake - That's exciting news I could be the 1st UK car to get it if I can afford it - but I fear it will be priced way beyond my budget! Where will I look or see this announcement...I am talking to Charles at LNE via email but he never mentioned it or hinted about it...Will this Gen2 kit be applicable to my Boxster 2.7 with a single or double bearing? It sounds as if you are keen on it so that's good news...can you please enlighten me about the "Y" year digit on my engine number - have you seen that before and does it mean the unit is original? M96/22 65Y14392

Flat6 Innovations

This is a mid-price product. Its more expensive than the Gen1, but much cheaper than the IMS Solution.

Nothing is as good as the IMS Solution, but the Gen2 IMSR is much more robust than any other offering for a single row shaft, otherwise.

DennisAN

Well there's been some drift in my thread topic.....

In my case I wouldn't be annoyed at having the car up on jackstands for a few weeks waiting on parts - I have a couple of other cars to drive. I'd pull the tranny and clutch/flywheel and have a looksee. No use ordering an expensive flywheel if I find a good one in there - same with the clutch. One never really knows with an older used car.

blucky57

Oh - right Jake, so if my engine has the Porsche IMS single bearing it will be a better and more robust option than the existing LN bearing (but no where near as good as the IMS solution) and if it's priced at $650+ (or so) will be a very much more affordable choice than the IMS solution at $1,725...
And if the engine has the Porsche double bearing fitted the best choice would be the existing LN double row (open seal ceramic LN bearing & oil splashed, etc) as the IMS solution & this new Gen2 bearing is only for use where the original IMS was a single row type (ie; the weakest ever IMS bearing ever on the M96)? THANK YOU that sounds like an great option from LNE and worth serious consideration. Does that mean the IMShaft for a single or double bearing fitted by Porsche are different? I have never understood why you cannot replace a single with a double bearing if the shafts are identical - I guess it's due to wear?

blucky57

Sorry DennisAN for diverting your thread...I don't know how to start one or even if I am permitted

Flat6 Innovations

Of course this is also an LN product. Its just an evolutionary generation 2. We never slow down or stop developing, because nothing is ever good enough.

There's only one way to eliminate ball and roller bearings from the equation, and thats the IMS Solution :-) I am proud t have my name on that Patent application.

Priced at around 750.00. Just a couple dollars more than a kit that just sprays oil onto the bearing while offering 90% more load carrying capacity than a standard single row IMSB.

Yes. Nothing is as bad as the single row bearing, as clearly stated by the class action suit.

Yes, the bearing housing is twice as large on a dual row IMSB as a single row. This is so it will fit a dual row bearing.

Because it is physically impossible to fit an OE dual row bearing to a single row shaft, there's not enough real estate within the shaft to allow this. The shafts are different in their bearing housing depths and the manner that the bearings are retained.

Gen 2 retrofits will require a very specialized, 750.00 tool that I invented to install. This tool, the Gen 2 IMSB as a system, and the process of using these to install the Gen 2 IMSB are all patent pending.

blucky57

Thanks Jake for covering all those points - Sounds as if it will be an ideal choice for the Porsche single bearing IMS retrofit...Ironically, I bought my Boxster 2.7 2000 thinking that Porsche engineers would have eradicated most of the common faults with a new engine...only to find that they actually potentially made it worse!
I was thinking that as nobody can properly tell if it's the RMS or IMS leaking nor if they have the single or double IMS bearing cover? Simply drill a hole in the bellhousing of the transmission and put an interior spy video camera in at every service (or monthly) to inspect it...be a lot cheaper than stripping out the gearbox, etc! If you were really a techno geek you could wire it up to a dvd player and watch the IMS as you drove rather like the IMS Guardian light and buzzer system but an improved version.

GVA-SFO

Reading this thread, as well as Flat6innovations and theimssolution pages, I'm now getting lost (again) !
Beside the single and double row kits, and before the Gen 2 kit (not there yet), are there more different "levels" of kits (from LN solutions) ?
In all the photos from "the kit", you see the bearing and cover components, but in the illustration on the flat6innovations page, you can see an oil pipe that is connected to the IMS cover, going through the bell and going to a piece that seems to fix under the engine.
My question is from LN solution different solutions, including one that has a "forced oil through" lubrication ?

mikefocke

Yes there is a oil fed flat bearing product called "the solution". Look it up on flat6's web page.

blucky57

GVA-SFO look at; www.theimssolution.com
I too got confused it's an oil feed solution with no ceramic bearing at all oil fed from adapted oil filter casing. $1,725
The other LN option is open bearing splash fed with engine oil I think but lot's cheaper $650 double or single same price.

Hope this info is right

blucky57

Reply to my recent enquiry questions about the ETERNAL FIX IMS SOLUTION; The reply to each query is underlined and from EPS Gilberto Mesa
Hello, I am looking at the ETERNAL FIX IMS bearing for a Boxster 2.7 car and have the following questions;

1 - You claim the roller bearing design is 5 times stronger than a similar size ball bearing - So why didn't Porsche adopt this type then? LNE claim they investigated a roller bearing design but dropped it, after testing, in favour of a ceramic ball bearing - They obviously have a vested interest in stating that it isn't as good as their product; and on forums, where a lot of Porsche owners ask questions and chat about IMS issues this can harm your product's appeal.-------

This type of bearing is new; Cylindrical roller bearing with thrust control is a new pantent pending EPS. Porsche needed axial control for the IMS otherwise it would wear the sprockets and chains. Not available at the time!!!!
The competitor may have tested cylidrical bearing but could not use it because it needs
thrust control.

2 - The warranty you give is 5 years is this also up to 50,000 miles (at 10,000 a year average)?

Yes the waranty for 5 years. We think that the cylindrical bearing has load bearing capability that it is eternal.
3 - The Eternal Fix works by oil lubrication from the sump...how deep in the sump oil is the bearing and when the engine is running how is it fed with oil as these engines are a 'dry sump' design so when running the bearing is not immersed in much oil?

Dry sump is not completely dry !!! There is lubrication Splash lubrication for the chains.
The Eternal IMS comes with a method of forced lubrication thru the IMS tube.
The front of the IMS tube is modified by punching a 2-4 mm hole.Then a special oil pump slotted allen key drive is fitted to divert engine oil pressure from the pump to the IMS bearing. Patend pending.
4 - The fitting instructions show an optional application to feed the bearing directly with the oil pump being modified. This seems to be illustrated on a Porsche 996 engine - what about the M96 Boxster engine is this still an option?

This modification can be performed on all water cooled motors till 2009.
5 - The design of your bearing could (in my opinion) be improved by allowing more oil to get into the inner front of the bearing with some additional holes around the cover washer (that's at the internal end of the bearing) to let more oil into the bearing from inside the engine as well as the slot on the cover flange.-----

Yes you are correct oil passages can be ground to the outer race side surface of the bearing. This will facilitate oil into the bearing. We have performed this in the past.
6 - How long has your bearing been in use and what testing in real car engines has it had? How many failures have you had to date?-----

We started using the Cylidrical bearings about 1 year ago.
We have sold / installed about 150 units to date.
The failure has has been Zero no failures up to date.
We have greate feed back from customers that have installed the Eterna IMS.
7 - The video on the website is almost pointless, as it is too short, and there is clearly too much oil around the IMS area. It almost has the 'youtube' air of a prank to it...I couldn't see any timing chains attached were they?----

The video is an accurate condition for the oil level at the IMS when the engine is running. (In the dry mode). In dry mode there is 20 mm of oil at the IMS cavity.
When the engine is not running the IMS is completely submergerd in oil.


8 - The outer flange seal on the cover is almost bound to leak as it is just a single rubber one; all the current retrofits seem to have a three row seal. Any comments on this?-----

The early models use a single o ring. We use a single Viton o ring it works great !!!
9 - Do you fit the same size bearing on a Porsche single and double row IMS?-----

We use the same bearing for all models.

I realise you might not like some of these questions, but for the average Porsche M96/M97 engine car owner who has an IMS problem; these are things your company website and advertising on distributors site pages need to address; after all, if you choose to name it 'ETERNAL FIX' then it has to look and seem as if it will be just that!
PERHAPS JAKE MIGHT LOOK AT THESE POINTS AND COMMENT?

Flat6 Innovations

The entirety of my comment:
Wow.

blucky57

Jake - That's not exactly the critical, methodical approach we all expect of you...LOL I thought you might like to see the EPS tech guys answers...
The key thing is it is sold as a lifetime fix and the part retail in UK is £408 compared to the three LNE options at; £550, £650 and £1,000 plus (that last price made me go "WOW" too when I saw the cost of the no ball bearing LNSolution) I STILL SAY IF IT HASN'T GOT THE EXPENSIVE CERAMIC BALL BEARINGS IN IT THEN IT OUGHT TO BE MORE REASONABLY PRICED...OR EVEN CHEAPER??!!

Flat6 Innovations

If I can't say something good, I tend to say nothing at all.

blucky57

Yes, I agree - But for a novice Porsche Boxster owner (like many of us are) searching to make sense of the IMS issue and all the claims about what is best...and the tech talk about bearing loads and all that I think you should get off the fence (as we say in England) and comment where you disagree with the answers. I find the lack of proper direct and honest answers the biggest problem in all this IMS issue. But I can imagine going over it all time after time for you is tedious.
Maybe if I annoy you enough you may come to UK and do my car personally? LOL Now that would be WOW!