IMS/RMS??

i have done a search in the forum but everyone but, but me, seems to know what are the IMS and RMS,, what are these? what are symptoms of failure? what damages can they do? are these failures common in 2000 966 C2? any preventive maintenance required? thanks, KJ

KJ.......be prepared for the responses RMS = Rear Main Seal leak; My car had it. IMS = InterMediate Shaft failure; several different opinions on this one.

there's no opinions - just facts... the IMS is a shaft that runs a set of chains (like an idler pully) and it has a bearing on it and a gear - the chains run from the crank and to the cam shaft. Its that simple. there have been failures in the bearing. it is just a bearing. The number of failures is not known (maybe 5% area??) - the warning signs of a failure are almost non-exsistant (it either works or it fails) Failure is catistrophic for the motor almost always and can happen at idle or at speed Porsche says there is no fix other than replace the motor (~$15K) There is a fix thru an indy company that has been done many times and is now becoming sort of the known cure - it can be done at home but requires MAJOR work (ie.. remove the transmission, clutch and flywheel, then cam tensioners and finally this IMS bearing) at a shop this might run ~$2500 - at home about $1500 if you opt to change the clutch and your flywheel is worth saving ($900 for flywheel) cars have lasted 25k miles and exploded, others are 150k miles and the owners dont even know what all the fuss is about - my advice remains the same.... change it asap as to remove the guess work out of it (unless you have a couple extra $15k bills laying about and can throw one away on a new motor)

... and 'RMS' stands for rear main seal, the gasket that seals the connection between the engine and the transaxle. They have been known to leak. The symptom is a spot of oil under the car (such spots of oil are rarely easy to diagnose, mind you, since lots of other things can mimic an RMS leak). A real RMS leak is not a threat to the engine. There is no preventative maintenance I know of. If it were me, I would update the seal when I put a clutch in, for example, or the IMS bearing upgrade. It's a cheap part. My 2000 has had three RMSs in its life: The original, an early replacement by the first owner, and then I voluntarily replaced it with the latest design when I did my IMS bearing last year. I would say that an RMS leak is common, but not normal, and I would advise a swift diagnosis when you see a leak just in case it's something that ought to be replaced soon.

A buddy and I just did the IMS bearing on his 996 with about 100k miles on it. He decided to upgrade to the ceramic bearing from LN engineering. IIRC he said the wham bam super duper ceramic upgrade was about $600. I believe they have the setup that you can just replace with an oem bearing as well for cheaper. At 100k miles, the bearing we took out was like new. Nice and tight, no play at all. Would have gone another 100k i bet. The lower mileage cars are the issue, there is a great article in excellence this month about it. It is very easy to replace once you have the tranny out (or motor out if you are doing other maintenance). The funny thing was, the previous owner had a dealer replace the leaking rms seal. That SOB is in there so crooked it isn't funny....but it isn't leaking, so we left it, lol. For pics of the IMS bearing job, click my blog link below.

For what it's worth, my 03 996 has a very minor RMS leak. Since the case is wide open and all the major maint. is done to get to the RMS, I'm having my clutch replaced, the RMS seal upgrade and the upgraded IMS from LN Engineering done all at the same time. The only extra labor cost is for the IMS, but it's minor since they're already in there. I'm using RUF in Dallas. They're fantastic and Hans knows his stuff. If you want I can give you the exact amount of what I am paying by Friday? Let me know, more than happy to share. FYI, my 996 has 37,000 miles on it and the clutch has no apparent slop, but replacing anyway.

my 99' has had a very tiny leak near the RMS area for quite a while - I was just ready to go in for the complete job litterally the day I got the call and sold it - still planning to "help" with the job

i just did a writeup on it.... my bearing was good as well..

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I do hope you get yrou answers.. But I have to knock you a bit and say you didnt look very hard. The info about this stuff is like ****, all over the place..... Dont just look here look over the general internet. I could give you a 5000 word write up. But it woudl just be easier if you actually look. then you can also gather your own opinion... I can tell you. As I, you are not going to like what you read

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KJ, have you found a Porsche mechanic near you? does he have access to a lift? Become his friend, bring him some coffee and some breakfast . Start by paying him for his time to put your car on the lift and inspect the entire underbody of your car...ask him some pertinent questions about changing the fuel filter, checking coolant lines, drive shaft / boots inspecting the suspension..... Then work your way to the transmission and engine area, because that's where most of the major work will be done.... the area you should be interested in is where the transmission mates to the engine; look for signs of seeping or dripping oil, indicating that you may want to drop the transmission and inspect your RMS for leaks, clutch (if you have a 6spd) and eventually show you where the IMS is located / and can be inspected. Your valve cover / spark plug area also needs to be inspected for signs of wear / tear oil leaks also..... figure about one - two hours worth of his time. I pry missed a few other points, but you should get the idea and if the mechanic knows Pcars, he should be able to help you in the process. Good luck KJ.

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That read like a Romance novel....but good advice!

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I feel it makes you "one" with your car, without having to spend too much time on your back...been there, ....

Spent most of the day at a local shop watching the RMS & IMS (well, ok -- the clutch too, while it's open) being replaced in my 996. After seeing the contortions involved with it on a lift, I respect the guys (very crazy guys) who've done this in their garage, on jack stands with minimal tools. The bearing on mine was basically ok -- but the shaft had a fair amount of oil under some pressure in it. So, it was probably a matter of time for my car. Even if all had been perfect, I think replacing it as part of preventative maintenance makes sense to me. Most importantly, it gives me more decorations for my desk (along with selected other notorious car & airplane parts that had to be replaced over the years).