EPS IMS Bearing

I�ve recently become aware of the European Parts Solution IMS bearing and wondering why no one seems to talk about it. It�s touted as a permanent solution to the M96 IMS issue and comes with a five year/30k mi. warranty. This cylindrical roller bearing apparently has twelve times the load capacity of ball bearings and utilizes the bearing cage for lateral thrust loads which has always been the weak point of roller bearings. It also has a provision for pressure fed oiling by punching a hole in the rearward part of the IMS in front of the oil pump and adding a slotted oil pump drive shaft, but the website strangely walks that back stating that it�s not necessary because the bearing is constantly bathed in oil. it seems like a pretty ingenious solution without the need for the oil filter adapter and external oil feed lines of the LN IMS Solution. It�s also $579 instead of $1800. Has anyone had any experience with this product? It seems like a viable option when considering the LN and other products out there�

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For more on the EPS and it isn't good, scroll through this active thread: https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...l-row-ims.html

EPS is a company that has questionable products like their control arm. (see attached image) These things are known to break and have been mentioned on many forums. Obviously, the EPS control arms are made from substandard metal quality that could be dangerous or even deadly when they snap. Would you then trust a product that could potentially grenade your engine? Now regarding their roller bearing IMS product, Lee Jenkins of Hartech, UK sees a lot of failed EPS IMS roller bearings and posts them to the Porsche engine rebuilders forum monthly. Examine his most recent post. (attached below). Their IMS bearing product doesn't even sit flush on the shaft which has shown to grind into the IMS bearing flange over time. To make matters worse, they created a method to extract the Large Single Row 6305 IMS bearing on post 2006 engines. This a bearing that doesn't need to be extracted in the first place because it has very few reports of failure and is proven to handle the load of the M9X engine. Common sense would tell you that attempting to enlarge the IMS port by grinding into the case would introduce horrible amounts of metal shaving inside the case. What could go wrong?

Remember when a question like this would have had yo shunned from the community.

Quotes source post: 18893252

because I dare question the groupthink??

From the EPS website: “ Since we started to sell our EPS Cylindrical IMS Bearing in 2013, we have sold 5,000 units in total, and we have NOT had a report of a single failure.” so that’s a lie?

Quotes source post: 18893143

what part of this thread besides our self-proclaimed LN/FSI affiliated GOD is negative toward EPS?

This thread may or may not get trashed. While I have an EPS and do buy LN products, threads that have shown a LN failure often disappear into the ether. I follow several shops on IG that have posted various LN failures over years. Just believe that info should be transparent on this forum but it isn�t. The only piece of advice I will offer is not to bore the block if you have a newer M96, doesn�t matter how hard the shop tries to keep metal shavings out of your oiling system� they will most certainly not get all of them out. I was fortunate that there was no damage after my oil change but I�d caution against that particular method of installation.

Quotes source post: 18893287

You need to use the lower case "god" in that insult.

My car had an EPS bearing in it and when it came out it was in perfect shape and the shop that installs tons of LN ones said it could have stayed in there. The only reason I replaced it was because records were spotty and I had no knowledge of it being done. I put in the LN retrofit and it's been fine too. Just like the OEM bearing that has been fine for many. The biggest difference maker seems to be frequent oil changes (5k miles or less) and driving your car.

Quotes source post: 18893271

You're hardly the first, and will definitely not be the last. This topic pops up all the time, just use the search function.

Quotes source post: 18893287

The LN article makes several good points about roller bearing vs. ball bearing for the IMS, in particular a roller bearing's capacity for taking load in thrust. I'm not a mechanical engineer but the explanation makes sense to me. It can be inferred that it made sense to Porsche engineers as well, because out of the roughly half dozen different IMS bearing solutions they released, not one was a roller bearing.

Quotes source post: 18893127

If you do go with the EPS bearing, be sure to not punch a hole in the shaft to oil it. The ims has a freeze plug on the oil pump side that serves two purposes - one is to keep oil out of the tube, and two, to keep the oil pump drive captive. We've seen that plug fall out and the oil pump drive fall into the shaft, causing a complete loss of oil pressure. Lastly, the oil pump drives are known to fail with spirited use, so putting one that is notched with a stress riser the whole length of it is a bad idea. As they say, the shaft (and bearing) is submerged in engine oil. No need for additional oiling. I'm sure their offering the oiling option was to attract potential DOF buyers who do not understand that the M96 engine is wet sump and by design, the shaft sits at the bottom of the engine and is bathed in oil.

Quotes source post: 18893773

We try to put all the information out there to let the potential customer educate themselves. Interestingly enough when Porsche did release their "Retrofit", it was a sealed single row ceramic hybrid bearing:

Quotes source post: 18893180

Under no circumstances should any 06-08 engine with the larger, non-serviceable IMS bearing be bored out to allow for replacement of that bearing. There is no way to keep the debris from getting into the engine which will cause damage if not complete engine failure. Unfortunately there are enough shops out there that are stupid enough to carry this procedure out and why we make a repair sleeve to bush the block back to a standard IMS flange housing bore diameter after the engine has to come apart to be rebuilt when it fails following the boring procedure to change the 06-08 bearing out: https://lnengineering.com/products/t...ng-sleeve.html

Quotes source post: 18893383

However much the conspiracy theorists believe that threads "disappear" into the ether, being a paid sponsor of Rennlist does not give us or any other vendor the ability to have this done. It's all there good, bad, and indifferent. Just use the "search" button.

IMHO...The IMS Solution is the solution. Fan Boi? Why yes...Yes I am and for a damned good reason!

Quotes source post: 18893824

Rather than take your word for it, I went ahead and searched. There aren�t many and yes you�re right they are around so I stand corrected.

Quotes source post: 18893805

There�s the answer I was looking for. The EPS �oil feed� mod appears to be ill conceived and compromises the reliability of the oil pump drive. I give them credit for thinking outside the box though. So, without the oil feed, we are left with the bearing on its own merits as a roller bearing that utilizes its outer cage for thrust control�.and the price comparison with comparable LN and other products is a wash.

Quotes source post: 18893127

5 years and 30k miles is essentially a non-warranty unless they're going to also cover the engine removal and rebuild costs that are associated with putting in the free replacement bearing they send you if theirs fails and destroys the engine. I would do this job once with The IMS Solution and never even worry about it for the rest of my life since I keep my Porsches forever.

One thing that kinda slips by is that the "solution" isn't anything exotic, its basically the same as a cam bearing in a Chewy V8.. The weakness the IM shaft has had is poor thrust control, cranks have a thrust bearing surface in most engines, same with cams, all implemented in whatever method the manufacturer chose. Had Porsche simple made the IMS look like a cam with 3 or 4 pressure fed bearings and had one dedicated thrust surface on two bearings they never would have had a problem. I have the solution cause it made sense to me, and it was part of the rebuild I was already committed to.

Quotes source post: 18895396

When I bought my 996 I didn�t know there were so many choices. I thought the IMS bearing was something you just replaced. After doing some researching the IMS Solution was the only replacement that made sense. Do it once and you�re done and less moving parts. The only downside was the cost. Is there any other reason not to use the Solution?

Quotes source post: 18895738

...and don't forget that it's tested in the Porsche motors since it's the same type of bearing that's in the tried and true Mezger engines in the Turbo & GT cars.

Quotes source post: 18895784

No, cost is the only potential impediment if you consider it as such. Otherwise, it's all upside with no downside.

Even if you're pessimistic, the solution say is a 100K mile option, most of the basic bearing replacements, are a 50-75K mile option. the ROI seems within reason..

Personally, on my car—when the time comes for an engine tear down and rebuild to a 4.0 with Nickies- I’ll be doing the IMS solution and calling it a day and never looking back. My current 997.1 I bought has the EPS roller from prior owner and I do like the design a lot also and it will remain in for the foreseeable future. I believe it has over 25k on it now-no issues whatsoever. They did not do the punch in the oil pump shaft- I wouldn’t prefer that method with this product either. (Also my car is an early 05- so I have the serviceable single row bearing)- so replacing is straight forward. I’m sure if it was an 06 or newer the factory bearing would’ve handled the task to this point. Between the ball bearing and roller- I prefer the roller for our cars- whether it be EPS or RND, with a slight nod to the EPS. Just my preference, not looking for a heated debate. The IMS solution from LN does appear to be the most long term/forever solution, much like the design in the mezger engines. I think for the most part either way you’ll go- you should have fairly good luck. Most importantly make sure you have a seasoned installer who can properly install any of the products correctly. Half the time you see early issues with any retro IMS bearings, you gotta wonder if it was caused by a botched install? Personally never looked too close at the DOF solutions, so can’t weigh in here. ​

Don't discount the extra $1000 for the Solution vs. the Retrofit. You are buying a 20 year old car and it's unlikely that the bearing and clutch are all you need to do, once you get it up on the lift. My 996 went from the Porsche dealer to my Indy by trailer where I had already scheduled the IMS bearing, clutch, RMS but my Indy made up a large needs list including brakes, struts, AC lines, mufflers, 4 new tires, bent wheels that needed to be straightened, etc. That extra $1000 and more went to other needed repairs. The Solution was out of the question. That being said, I don't have any anxiety at all about the Retrofit. Sure, it is going to get replaced in four years at the expected end of life, and the Solution will go in, but I will have more money by then, and it gives me years to plan its next Spa day.

Quotes source post: 18893143

As the �owner� of that thread, and as someone pointed out, I don�t see what�s bad in there. I see a single example of an EPS failure, out of context, from an allegedly non-neutral source, followed by reports of failure from LN products. All this means is no solution is perfect, be it from EPS or LN (or FVD, Pelican, etc.). I will admit the oil feed mod from EPS seems like a bad idea and my car will not be getting it. RL does appear to be very cautious in regards to EPS (or any non-LN IMSB product for that matter), I haven�t had the same feeling on other forums which tend to show EPS in a quite positive light.

My 996.2 came with The IMS Solution already installed back in 2013. When the engine was rebuilt, 9 years(52K miles) later, the IMS Solution was reused. I'm hopeful it will be a lifetime+ part...mine, and hopefully one of my kids...maybe even my grandkids.

Quotes source posts: 18905970, 18905970, 18905970, 18905970

It wasn't out of context. You brought up EPS, and I shared my thoughts on the company and their IMS bearing product. I mentioned Hartech, UK because they are probably the most respected Porsche engine rebuilding company in Europe and have strong opposition towards the EPS roller bearing for reasons I've mentioned. Without getting philosophical on the whole "perfect" word, the IMS Solution which is an oil fed plain bearing, is engineering "perfection". The oil fed plain bearing is a proven design for this application and found in the 996 Mezger engines and all 911 engines that predate it. Like EPS' idea to bore into the crankcase to remove the large single row 6305 bearing found in the 997 and 987 cars, weakening the oil pump drive is a bad idea. Therefore... We agree! EPS has full rights to become a Rennlist sponsor, become well established and active on this forum, as well as debate the merits of any products they create and/or sell.