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YOUR RESEARCHSanta Hates Me!
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Recommend everyone take the time
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Suggestion · Original poster
All I can say is that I would recommend everyone take the time to have (or do on your own like I did) the sump plate taken off and take a look inside.
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Suggestion · Original poster
Question: If I have the IMS bearing switched out should I need to even use the Guardian?
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So I decided to attack the IMS Guardian today and install the oil filter adapter from LN.
Pulled the filter and the oil drain plug to let everything drain while I looked over the filter. Happier than a clam when I saw nothing in the filter pleats.
Then moved on to removing the sump plate to clean everything out before installing the new drain plug with the detection device embedded in it.
Removed the plate which was extremely easy except for one bolt which took some of the threads of the crankcase with it. No biggie just chased the threads and moved on.
Finally got the sump plate off and set aside and reached up into the sump screen and just about had a coronary.
Attached is what I found stuck to the screen and in the bottom of the sump plate. Yes it is magnetic.
Totally was not expecting this. I have always assumed that if there was nothing in the filter then I and good to go. Not the case here.
I feel extremely lucky that I did not go out for that one last drive before putting here into storage for the winter.
Now it looks like I have to have some heavy work done and get this taken care of.
Question: If I have the IMS bearing switched out should I need to even use the Guardian?
Thoughts...
Yikes, good thing you found it now! I'd say that Santa had your back...
I would go ahead and install the guardian, you have it and it will warn you of any bad stuff.
Now do you guys see why the sump inspection was written into the IMSG instruction manual? These particles would have triggered a full on IMS Alert within just a few miles after install.
He is lucky.. He has contacted me and I am assisting him now.
Yes.. You need to employ the IMSG even if you do a bearing retrofit... Because there is no guarantee that those particles are being generated by the IMS bearing. The IMSG monitors 10 other modes of common failure AND every ferromagnetic component within the engine.
I have not noted debris prior to a bearing retrofit that looks like this that is pictured when a bearing was failing... I'd want more pics first, but this looks like another mode of failure.
Magnetic debris.
Knowing if it is magnetic sometimes helps with diagnosis.
Magnetic could be main/rod bearing or IMSB, or timing chain or...?
Non-magnetic/plastic could be chain ramp or casting flashing or...?
The OP said the material was ferro-magnetic...
I don't think he has realized yet that purchasing the IMSG and following the instructions saved him engine failure and around 15K bucks. Right about the time I was ready to make the sump inspection "optional" as part of the IMSG install, this happens.
Everything we do is done for a reason~
Guys,
All I can say is that I would recommend everyone take the time to have (or do on your own like I did) the sump plate taken off and take a look inside. It is a very easy job and could tell you more than a simple oil filter inspection may reveal.
I have a 1999 996 C2. 62k on the clock!
Jake,I really have to say that if I had not bought your product with the intention of installing it myself I would have never found this. I would have just kept on driving and looking at oil filters and said "good to go".
Like I said I am extremely lucky to have found this now. Car was running great so I hope that there is not a lot of damage if any from wherever the debris came from.
Going to be mailing Jake the debris this week for further inspection.
Stay tuned.
do you have 100% service history on the car?
I would start looking for what's been worked on, those seem pretty significant considering the car is running fine....so significant I would be thinking they were left behind from some previous repair???
if indeed you are having a failure and these are the signs its leaving in the pan...you indeed caught this "in the nick of time"
I would guess IMS bearing cage??? but just a guess
So it sounds like I am in the clear. Jake sent me an email today stating that he has firm beliefs that these fragments are from the initial machining of the block. Kind of scary to think that they were left in there. I am sure not intentionally, but what happened to QA?.
So onward and upward with the IMS Guardian install.
