EPS IMS Bearing

I have been reading up on all IMS issues and I am personally leaning towards the DOF Tune RS kit simply due to the fact that a bearing that lubricated is a happy bearing. I have also looked into the EPS Cylindrical bearing and it looks to me to be the best of all of them because it has better load support and it gets its lubrication from the other end of the IMS shaft and that eliminates the issue of the stagnant oil sitting in the shaft and cooking, contaminating the seal of the IMS bearing right? Why has there not been any right ups on this EPS Bearing? I would think that someone out there other than someone from EPS has used this "permanent fix". Anyone??

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I'm beginning to understand why Jake Raby gets testy at times. The IMS bearing design possibilities were studied at length by Jake and Charles Navarro, who even hired a bearing engineer to participate in the process. Bearing size, shape, material of construction, cage design and materials, and even the races were studied and possible configurations were tested, often to destruction. No design or idea was discarded until it was thoroughly evaluated. The result was the ceramic hybrid single and dual row ball bearing retrofits everyone knows. And with more than 18,000 installations running around, none of which use any type of oil squirting system on them, the validity of their development speaks for itself. As for adding an oil squirter to any type of ball or roller bearing, there are drawbacks. Believe it or not, you can actually get too much oil into the IMS, which causes a new set of problems. And where the oil comes from is critical; the design used on the LN IMS Solution draws oil directly from the filter, where it is both clean and not robbing oil flow from other moving parts. Other systems pull oil from an area that already has oiling issues, plus is both the hottest and usually dirtiest part of the oil system, and then sprays it directly on the bearing. LN has proven that the right ball bearing works well with just splash lubrication, without introducing other potential problems. For years, many owner's of 2006 and later cars that carry the oversized non serviceable IMS bearing have had good success with just removing the rear seal on the OEM bearing so it can be splash lubricated. Some Porsche dealerships even do this when other maintenance work uncovers the rear of the engine and the IMS flange. So you have to ask yourself, if all these cars are doing just fine with ceramic hybrids, or even OEM bearings with the rear seal removed, exactly what benefit is going to be gained by adding a squirter to the system?

Well the benefit that I see is that I will not be spending countless hours of work replacing it every 40-50,000 miles is that a good enough reason for you? If the LN Bearing or whoever the manufacturer may be is going to need to be reinstalled that is not a good enough fix for me. I understand that there may be 18,000 of them installed but how many of cars from 1999-2005 lets say, have never had anything done to them. My car has 101,489 miles on it and I am just now going to do the bearing just for piece of mind and yes it never had any oil squirting on it either. So, some will last and others will not for whatever the reason. I do not see that having oil squirting onto/into my new bearing will be a disadvantage to the bearing that is just plain, simple facts of lubricating a moving metal object right? So, I do not care if your name is Jake, Charles, Wayne, Pedro or Mike. I want the best fix for the problem in order not to have to tear everything apart every 3-4 years. I simply wanted to know if anyone had used the EPS that is all, prior to me making my decision on which one to purchase. I have read responses from attorneys, engineers, salesmen, business owners pissing on each others theories, factory workers, bearing specialists, someone requesting data from 10,000 installs compared to their data and on and on and on................with the same outcome. Just read more and get what you feel most comfortable with. A total tear down to install the "Solution" is not the answer for me. Do you really think that oil that lubricates the entire head assembly is too dirty and hot to sufficiently lubricate the IMS bearing? Do you think the oil that "splash" lubricates the bearing is any different? Do you really believe that you can inject too much oil into bearing? You are correct when you stated that a lot of cars out there are doing just fine with the ceramic hybrids and even OEM bearings with splash lubrication......but it is a temporary fix and I am wanting a more permanent fix.

"I will not be spending countless hours of work replacing it every 40-50,000 miles is that a good enough reason for you?" No, because the stated replacement intervals for the LN bearings are now 50,000 for the single row, 75,000 miles for the dual row. I have not seen recommendations for the new "Pro" dual row replacement for the single row bearings, but with 90% more load carrying capacity than the OEM single row, it should also be able to go more miles. Check their website if you don't believe me. "A total tear down to install the "Solution" is not the answer for me." You do not need a total tear down to install the Solution, it goes in the same as the other retrofits, and it is permanent . Yes, you read that correctly. "Do you really think that oil that lubricates the entire head assembly is too dirty and hot to sufficiently lubricate the IMS bearing? Do you think the oil that "splash" lubricates the bearing is any different? Do you really believe that you can inject too much oil into bearing?" Yes to all three. There has been considerable discussion about this on multiple forums. Do a search and you will find hours of reading, pro and con. It is very hard to argue with the large numbers of successful splash lubricated LN ceramics, plus there have been comments about the potential issues of too much oil from bearing engineers. You might want to also note that the people that developed the DOF system released a strangely designed adaptor to go under the oil cooler to supply oil from somewhere other than the cylinder heads as a remedy to the hot, dirty oil issue. Only problem is that height of this adaptor appears to require running the smaller base engine oil cooler to fit under the intake on the 986 engines. Opps. At the end of the day, it is your car, and your money; so you can go with what ever floats your boat. But as a shop owner, I have to go with what I know works and survives in the real world.

"I will not be spending countless hours of work replacing it every 40-50,000 miles is that a good enough reason for you?" No, because the stated replacement intervals for the LN bearings are now 50,000 for the single row, 75,000 miles for the dual row. I have not seen recommendations for the new "Pro" dual row replacement for the single row bearings, but with 90% more load carrying capacity than the OEM single row, it should also be able to go more miles. Check their website if you don't believe me. So, Yes, "replacement intervals" does indeed mean that the bearing will need to be replaced. "A total tear down to install the "Solution" is not the answer for me." You do not need a total tear down to install the Solution, it goes in the same as the other retrofits, and it is permanent. Yes, you read that correctly. That is a solution that I like but it is way too much $$$$$! "Do you really think that oil that lubricates the entire head assembly is too dirty and hot to sufficiently lubricate the IMS bearing? Do you think the oil that "splash" lubricates the bearing is any different? Do you really believe that you can inject too much oil into bearing?" Yes to all three. There has been considerable discussion about this on multiple forums. Do a search and you will find hours of reading, pro and con. It is very hard to argue with the large numbers of successful splash lubricated LN ceramics, plus there have been comments about the potential issues of too much oil from bearing engineers. You might want to also note that the people that developed the DOF system released a strangely designed adaptor to go under the oil cooler to supply oil from somewhere other than the cylinder heads as a remedy to the hot, dirty oil issue. Only problem is that height of this adaptor appears to require running the smaller base engine oil cooler to fit under the intake on the 986 engines. Opps. The adapter I have seen as well, I personally think it is simply to improve on the current design. At the end of the day, it is your car, and your money; so you can go with what ever floats your boat. But as a shop owner, I have to go with what I know works and survives in the real world. I agree with you, but what works and survives still needs to be replaced at required intervals. I may have to buck up for the Solution. Have you installed any of them?

Why doesn't LN Engineering would put together a kit with the dual row Ceramic bearing to replace the single row, with the oil filter adapter, oil line with the housing? Would not that be a better kit than the one currently having just the bearing and housing? That would provide clean filtered oil into the hybrid bearing and it would be or could be cheaper than the Solution Kit right? Possibly a legal matter.....Tuner RS Motorsports, or a patent issue maybe. Just seems like the best remedy to me.

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LN/Jake Raby own the patent on the IMS Solution, which includes the oiling system, which is why no one else can use it. And to answer another question, Raby limits IMS Solution installation to shops that have sent people to his engine school and the Solution installation training program. LN's website carries a list of the current approved shops. The dual row "Pro" ceramic hybrid kit exists, but does not need or use the oiling system, which was designed only for the Solution. LN and Raby both have been adamant in stating that adding an oiling system, even theirs, does not do anything for the ceramic hybrid over its normal splash lubrication, and that oiling systems that use oil coming off the heads could actually reduce the ceramic's life expectancy. So what looks like a good idea at first blush, may not play out that way in the long term.

I went with the DOF on the recommendation of Orbit Racing in west palm Beach I always feel better about my IMS after reading auto trader Ads with 100,000 mile 996's

I went with the DOF on the recommendation of Orbit Racing in west palm Beach I always feel better about my IMS after reading auto trader Ads with 100,000 mile 996's I am assuming that was the DOF from Tuner RS correct? At what mileage did you have that done? I like that kit the only thing is that the bearing is basically OEM right? I was expecting a better bearing with the kit. I did confirm that the bearing stud is better but I am not 100% sure about the bearing itself.

I am also exploring IMS solutions. I like the LN solution but too expensive for me, I think, but if they will not sell to me as the car owner, it then is out of the question. I like the EPS as a permanent fix but I haven't found anyone who has actually installed it and has significant miles. If anyone has 10,000+ miles on any of the choices, I would love to hear your input and experience. I would like a permanent fix, I don't want to do this again at 50,000 miles. Thanks, Abe