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YOUR RESEARCHIMS Guardian and Oil Change Interval
Leading reported evidence
Clean so you start fresh each time
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Each time the oil is change the sensor is removed and cleaned so you start fresh each time.
Leading evidence: 'Clean so you start fresh each time' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Clean sensor if you're having your oil' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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I will recommend that the oil be changed every 6 months or 5,000 miles with the IMSG in service.
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Suggestion
Does that mean you need to tell the tech working on your car to clean the sensor if you're having your oil changed at a dealer or indy?
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Suggestion
So: Frequent oil changes do not harm the ability of the IMSG to do its job.
Replace oil more frequently than this as the system was
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Suggestion
There is no reason to change the oil more frequently than this as the system was tested and fully developed on the 5,000 mile service interval because thats what our engine program is based upon.
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I read the long awaited "Excellence" write-up on the long awaited IMS Guardian... Will frequent oil changes negate the potential benefit of this technology?
The system is developed around the 5000 mile oil service interval. All our testing was based on this servIce interval. Each time the oil is change the sensor is removed and cleaned so you start fresh each time. Going longer than 5,000 miles could lead to a false positive if your engine has other wear metals present.
Correct. As soon as a tech with any sense looks at a drain plug and notes two wires protruding from it it will be apparent that the drain plug is more intelligent than most.
Simply wipe the sensor with a shop towel and any material is removed very easily.
Got my copy of Excellence in the mail yesterday...
Very cool writeup and looking forward to installing it on mine. Funny thing is they mentioned the little logo on the button not looking at all like a factory setup.
Jake answered that in the other giant IMS detection thread.
The answer is sorta. It can't detect the ceramic, but it can detect the bearing race material if that were to degrade.
In the case of those with retrofitted LNE ceramic bearings, the device can monitor other ferrous metal in the engine such as rods, bearings, shafts, etc.
I also wonder what the effectiveness of the system is if one has a much shorter oil change interval, perhaps 1500 miles - whether it would be effective to monitor those other failure modes before it is "too late". In other words, what is the sensitivity of the device/how much metal does it have to see before it screams.
We have our own lab process used oil samples. This is done through Joe Gibbs at the Lubrizol labs. The way that blackstone and others state their information is different than I am familiar with and that makes it hard to compare our results with others. BUT very little can be determined about IMS failures through an oil sample, because the material within the bearing only releases just before bearing failure and you'd have to get really lucky to drain your oil just after this occurs and before the big boom occurs. The IMS Guardian CONSTANTLY monitors the engine oil while driving, or even while the car is sitting still.
The IMS Guardian can and should be applied to vehicles that have seen an IMS Retrofit procedure. The reason for this is because the IMS Guardian can detect many other modes of failure, to include timing chains. When a timing chain failure occurs the results rival the IMS Bearing Failure; its just as nasty and also does not have any symptoms prior to occurrence.
Lifters, camshafts, scavenge pumps, and every other ferrous material component can be monitored by the IMS Guardian. The system monitors much more than just the IMS Bearing, but of course it was developed specifically to monitor those failures.
This is a non issue. I carried out testing with shorter oil change intervals; as little as 750 miles. Magnetic particles that collect on the sensor are only a concern in higher concentrations and will very rarely ever trigger a full "IMS Alert". If anything that may only lead to a very dimly lit red light or a very slight sound from the audible alarm.
What we are concerned with is the release of larger particles and full chips that are found when the IMS bearing seal is completely compromised at the end of the 3rd stage of bearing failure, leading into the 4th and final stage of failure.
This release is what enters the oil in a high concentration and effectively begins collateral damage EVEN BEFORE THE IMS BEARING FAILS! As the release of particles and chips is delivered to the sump by the return oil and gravity is is attracted directly over the drain plug area in the sump on its way to the oil pick up tube to be delivered through the filter and the rest of the engine as the oil filter bypass opens when the filter begins to clog with material.
This is why the technology and sampling of the IMSG is the first line of defense against issues that could kill the engine; it samples the particles and chips that are created by the failing bearing and does so at the earliest stages of failure. This is much sooner than camshaft deviations, harmonics, or noises are present.
The IMSG is also the simplest to install, easiest to monitor and most cost effective means of engine protection.
So: Frequent oil changes do not harm the ability of the IMSG to do its job. I will recommend that the oil be changed every 6 months or 5,000 miles with the IMSG in service. There is no reason to change the oil more frequently than this as the system was tested and fully developed on the 5,000 mile service interval because thats what our engine program is based upon.
Thanks Jake - read the article and your explanations and it all makes sense. Curious about the steps one would take after the IMSG provides an alert. Is it that the first suspect item would be the IMSB and as such trans removed and bearing checked? Then following the typical troubleshooting yes/no if the bearing is sound what would the next physical troubleshooting step be?
thanks again
Hi Jake,
Back inthe big thread when the "detector" was under wraps you announced a competition, I expect you got many entries directed as you asked to your email, mine included; are we about to hear the winners announced (I'm motivated by greed
because from what I now read my "guess" was spot on)
Await the "trophy"
