108k 996 anxiety

I just bought a 2002 996, Black with tan interior. It has 108k on the odometer. This car was obviously cared for, the leather is very good, the engine sounds great and the paint shines better than most new cars I see on the road. It has new tires, new brakes and rotors and is very clean inside and outside. I took it to a Porsche dealer, pre-purchase, and he told me the engines tend to explode without notice. I then took it to a non-dealer Porsche garage and he told me the intermediate shaft will deteriorate and blow the engine without notice. He said 100% of these engines will fail. I find this hard to believe but he has me concerned. His fix was an aftermarket shaft bearing and while he's in there, a new clutch and pressure plate for $2600. I bought the car despite what these guys told me because it looks and runs great and the price was right. I've scoured the internet trying to get reliable feedback on this subject. I have the service history from about 30k and the previous owner had the rear main seal replaced, intermediate shaft flange work, a new clutch package and a host of other pricey fixes along the way. The car still has a slight oil leak - no drops on the garage floor, just a kind of slight film around the bottom of the engine. The engine pulls and revs without hesitation but I still have a bad feeling that I'm just a fool in love and that disaster is just around the corner. I'm still not sure if I should do the fix or just drive it.

Before the rest of the forum catches wind of this post... you better post a picture of your ride!! By the way, trying searching the forum there are plenty of new owners in the exact same position that have posted similar questions in the past. Good Luck!! and Welcome to RL!!

I would say the single row IMS bearings are in the 5% failure range, LN engineering and Pelican Parts both make retrofits for the bearing. If you are that worried about it go ahead and pay for the replacement, but with 108k miles odds are that the bearing would have went by now if you had a bad one. Keep the oil changed every 5k or so and inspect your oil filter for metal particles. You can also equip your car with the "IMS guardian" if you do not want to drop the 2k+ for a bearing retrofit.

Did the dealer qualify this in any way? I would ask for hard numbers on the total number of engines that has replaced relative to the number of cars that hit has sold. The failure rate has never been established, but most IMS bearings do not fail based on what I can seem to ascertain. I had the same fear, but got over it. Eventually all engines fail due to wear. His statement is fear mongering. However, at 108K, I would think that a new clutch and LN bearing would give you peace of mind.

Did the dealer qualify this in any way? I would ask for hard numbers on the total number of engines that has replaced relative to the number of cars that hit has sold. The failure rate has never been established, but most IMS bearings do not fail based on what I can seem to ascertain. I had the same fear, but got over it. Eventually all engines fail due to wear. His statement is fear mongering. However, at 108K, I would think that a new clutch and LN bearing would give you peace of mind.

Welcome aboard I know a few owners on Original engines with miles in the 100k+ range. There is a local owner who religiously maintained his car since new with 233k miles last time I asked. I use the same mechanic he uses and he told me the same about his car. I also asked the same questions you gave me. He said change your oil as scheduled and always check your filter for particles, etc. And of course there is the preventive service and other products offered by LN if you don't want to wait. Enjoy your car and drive her. They liked to be driven Oh, pics please!

I'm new to p-car ownership and also had some of the same concerns as you do now. I did my research before purchase including talking with my local dealerships head mechanic. He also owns a 996 and has driven it every day since new. He now has nearly 200k on the clock. I mentioned my concerns and he explained that the IMS issue is mainly due to the bearing not staying lubricated (ie; sitting in storage, very low mileage). He stressed to drive it at least 3 to 4 times a week ensuring the bearing stays lubricated. However, there are exceptions to any rule and I am sure there are many on here that can vouch for that. My car has the original bearing and clutch with 56k on it. So far so good and I am thankful to be problem free. I see a clutch and bearing change in my near future more for peace of mind than anything. I hope you stay trouble free. Enjoy and drive her alot. Oh yea... Welcome :bigbye SLVR

Just make sure whomever changes the oil knows what the hell they are doing. The IMS failure can be caught because it warns you before going. You will see particles in the filter - and that is why it should be inspected thoroughly at each oil change. The metal particles are exactly what the IMS Guardian is using to warn you. I personally would not be happy with the response of that individual. Honestly, I'd be more comfortable with a high mileage 996 than a low mileage one. It clearly has been tested and found worthy. My advise - get a good independent and trust them.

OK...ill start it. T H I S

The bearing is of a size suitable for a small automotive generator or alternator. I have several examples of failed ones on my shop counter. The likelihood that you will be able to "catch it" between the first time it makes a "bit-o-noise" and the time it spits it's ***** into the crankcase is very low. Remember, it is under much more load than an alternator pulley is, the downside is far more expensive than a dead battery, and there are no good or inexpensive used motors out there anymore. Even blown-up core motors are in short supply. Even if it were rebuildable (not likely) there are not all that many technicians good enough to do it. Just pay a good tech who has the special tools and the M96 know-how the 10 hours in labor and the $750 in parts (LN makes the retrofit). And sleep at night.

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What jerkoff dealer did you goto? the IMS issue is very RARE , its something you do for peace of mind just incase!

I have heard of this and did a bunch of research before buying my car and have found that this problem was more common in '99's and '00's... and that 2001 cars and up didn't have anything to worry about.

The dealers are right. My recommendation is that you absolutely never drive the car. In fact, you should probably take the keys out of your pocket, put them in an envelope, address them to me, and I'll come get that piece of junk from you, and save you the devastation of your engine imploding, which will happen 100% of the time. While you're waiting for that to happen, I'll take pictures of the car as requested by the board members of me, happily driving it at high speeds in the twisties. Where are your pics? 1. Post pics. 2. Go enjoy your freakin' car! 3. Do not return to either dealer/non-dealer. Wow, I feel like a Rennlister. Wanna-be, anyway.

Mark, welcome. Remember the song "Don't worry, be happy".......exactly what you should be doing. Don't allow the WHAT IFs to dampen your new car experience. Enjoy it, drive it...... A LOT

I just heard this over the radio: "Mark Rindner, post some pics of the interior/exterior and underneath the engine of your "new" 996 Porsche and you will be automatically entered to win a new IMS Guardian unit!!"

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Hmm, I agree that it's overstated, but I don't know that it's all that rare...especially to those of us that have seen bills for engine replacement.

I've never heard of any Porsche dealer admitting that the motors "tend to explode without notice." Which Porsche dealer told you that? Any mechanic who told you "100% of these engines will fail" is either either an idiot or a liar. No one has been able to provide data about how many engines have failed, and even going by anecdotal evidence you can't get anywhere near 100%. If you are so concerned with what these two sources told you, why on earth would you go ahead and buy the car? I would also tell you to post pictures of your car, but the tone of your post has me wondering if any of it is real.

Thanks for all the feedback so soon. This is a super site! I'll post photos as soon as I can take some good ones. All of the ones I have are on my phone and don't do this car justice. I had decided to buy this car and finance in the $2600 fix with my car loan. But after doing more research, I started to doubt the "pros" telling me horror stories. My plan is to change the oil again after about 2000 miles of my own use (done just 1000 since I got it) and check for metal in the filter. What is the best oil to use? I live in South Florida so it doesn't get very cold, even in the morning. I was told 0/w40 by the local Porsche dealer. I've heard of people using 15/w50.

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BTW: You better start off by getting a RL membership.

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Grab your flame suit In case you missed this RECENT thread (one of dozens): https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...you-using.html

pick a oil,stick with it and change it often....that is the best oil. I use Motul 8100 5/40

Oil Thread??????? count me in... J/K

I would not use 15w50! florida 5w40 is fine, i use 0w40. No way will I recommend a brand! The back lash is to great. Just pick one and change it ever 5K or at least once a year.

To the OP, You don't seem to be all that knowledgeable about this stuff and given your post you seem unwilling to search for what has been the most beat to death topic in this forum. No worries! It's friday. Oils to use: My favorite: Motul 8100 X-cess 5w-40, comes in 5 liter containers and you can buy it on Amazon.com for the best price. Castrol Syntec Edge 5w-40 can be found at most pepboys. Mobil 1 0w-40 is the factory fill and many folks like it, many folks don't. Mobil 1 5w-50, the only Porsche approved 5w-50, hard to find. You may have to go to a Mobil dealer to get it. All of the oils mentioned above are Porsche approved. And here is the rest of them: http://www.pedrosgarage.com/Site_3/P...oved_Oils.html

[QUOTE=Tarek307;9201059]What jerkoff dealer did you goto? QUOTE] The dealer was the one not selling the Porsche...... If this dealer was selling the same car, the dealer would have stated the IMS "issue" is an internet "Myth"...... Ask the dealer how many Porsches have they sold in the last 20 years, and if they sold any Boxsters, 996's and 997's.... .....Ask if they told their customers what they told you........

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I get my Motul from Turner motorsports, I think its $35 ish a jug

Thanks. Just figured out that Avitar means "picture of my car". Everything about this experience has been a little bit cryptic.

Thanks for the oil info. Found this forum weeks after I bought the car. I thought I could depend on some local pros to set me straight. All I've found so far on the internet is conflicting opinions on what I agree seems to be a beaten horse subject. Bottom line - I'm going to drive, change the oil in about another 1000 miles and check for metal in the filter. WTF!

The keys are in the mail. I've had it with drop-dead gorgeous cars that are addictive to drive. Short romances are the best. Watch your mailbox for a small package.

Yesterday was my first real look at Rennlist. Just now figured out that Avitar means "picture of my car". Hey, the car was a trade-in at the dealership I work in. I drove it for a week before I decided to buy it. Then, the horror stories started to come. IMS, oil leaks, $10,000 engines. But by then I was hooked on the car and just pulled the trigger. I think the garage tech wanted to sell me the fix on the spot. The dealer was being...I don't know, helpful? All water under the bridge right now. I found a mechanic I think is pretty straight. Good luck to all of us.

Thanks for the input.

Well said. That's the reason I decided to buy the car despite the horror stories. All 996s eventually self-destruct? Every last one? Anyway, thanks for your input. Nice to be part of this group.

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No worries, I am in the same boat, you can find rebuilt engines for around 6-7k on ebay. So thats the worst case scenario. the best case is you will enjoy an amazing car with no worries for the next couple of years. Think of of this way, 911 is rated as the most reliable car in the world, so what you save in some parts you can spend on the engine. If it goes boom.

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I use Motul 8100 X-cess 5w-40, comes in 5 liter containers and you can buy it on Amazon.com for the best price same as the first choice as this poster. Change 3 to 5000 miles depending how you feel. Check for debris in fliter everytime. All clear at 53000 miles. I ordered 4 gallon in one shot enough for two oil changes. :

When I bought my 99' with 35k miles this forum was mainly talking about RMS issues with nary a word about IMSB failures. Now with only 58k miles on my Porsche the only subject discussed is the costly engine replacement should a failure occur. Total 911 magazine from the UK has stated in numerous articles that they believe the actual failure rate is somewhere around 5% of all 996s produced. Everyone has to make there own choice in this regard, but actual numbers of failures stems from opinions in many cases, so you need to do what you think is the best choice.

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Only 5% of all 996 engines go caput. I think its a good bet if you lined up twenty 996 cars and tried to pick one with the faulty engine that you pick one with a good engine. I would put my weeks wages on that bet any day of the week. Those are the odds that you got yourself a bummer Mark so have no fear and drive it like you stole it. Warm your engine before driving off then keep the revs above 2000 at all times. Change oil between 3 and 5 thousand and cut your oilf filter open for inspection. So did we get a good deal or did we get a good deal? Thank you to the scare mongers.

Thanks Hurdigurdiman! Good advice there. Us newbies can get a real fast education on this site. Seems every new 966 owner has the same initial fears and questions. I got a great deal on this car and my mind has been put to rest a bit. Luck of the draw...sounds like much of life as we know it. I'll take the chances and enjoy the car like the rest of you pcar oldies. By the way, Ephrata is beautiful country and SUPER for driving sports cars. I lived down the road in New Hope and had a blast on the back country roads before I moved to warm but square Florida.

Thanks again for all the good input. GREAT FORUM. Later!

Don't forget the IMS Guardian. Look into it. I got it and feel better about my car.

Enjoy your car. If you are worried, just get the LN bearing and sleep better at night. That is what I did - I plan to keep the car a while, and I will take good care of it with preventive maintenance like the bearing and frequent oil changes. Good luck.

Damn, I am ashamed of you long time Rennlist guys. This thread is now at 4 pages and still no pics from "Mark the Newbie!" (we all know that avatar pics don't count) Man, I leave for a few months and the place gets soft and goes to pot. No, not THAT kind of pot! So step back boys, I'll handle this! Ahem! <Tim clears his throat> Mark Rindner, welcome to Rennlist! It's awesome that you became a Paying Member so quickly! Also, congrats on getting a sweet looking car. At least we think it is sweet looking, but can't be sure because you haven't posted any pics yet! It is customary for all Newbies to introduce themselves, which you did, and then post pics of their car, which you did not do. So, consider this your "Newbie Initiation!" Come on Newbie, post the @#$%^&* Pics! Damn, that felt great! I am back home again! Seriously, we love pics and want to see a few shots of your car. Again, Welcome to Rennlist!

Hey gota911! Again, not sure how all this gets done. I put some well lit, perfectly framed and exposed pictures in the "upload photos" section. Guessing that didn't make it happen. I'm sure there are instructions somewhere on the site but I'm unfortunately still a working stiff (65+ hrs a week in, of all things, the car business). Don't have as much time as I'd like to devote to figuring out the lay of the land, Rennlist-wise. It's Sunday morning and I posted my album shots Friday. Heading to the dealership in a few minutes and will work diligently to get the photo section in order when I get home. Thanks for the encouraging words and the warm welcomes from all you guys (I think there may be a few nice looking girs out there too, judging from some of the avitars.)

IMS is rare and happens with low mileage cars that are garage queens. With 108k miles your fine and i would not worry about it

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Yes. As you can tell from my avatar, I am two nice looking girls.

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Mark, OK here is some help! Can't wait to see the pics! Here are my "can't miss" instructions for posting a pic. These instructions have NEVER failed to help someone post pics, so the pressure is on YOU to keep my string alive! All words shown in BOLD indicate buttons. If you are just doing a "Quick Reply" you will have to click on Go Advanced button. Then follow the steps below: Down below the part of the screen where you type the text and below the Submit Reply , the Preview Post , and Spell Check buttons, there is a Miscellaneous Options section followed by an Attach Files section. In the Attach Files section, click on the Manage Attachments button. You will now get a pop-up window. There are 3 buttons Browse , Upload , and Close this Window . Click on the Browse button and now (in a new pop-up window) you can search on your PC to locate the pic you want to attach. Click on the name of the file you want and then click the Open button. Now click on the Upload button. After the file has been uploaded, you can click on Browse button and repeat the process to upload another pic or click on the Close this Window button. After you click on the Close this Window , you will be back to the original "message" screen. Your pic file should be listed just above the Manage Attachments button. If you are finished typing the text, you can click on the Submit Reply button and everyone will be able to see your great looking P-car! If your pics are too large, you can resize them with MS Paint, or PhotoShop software, or you can do it online at this web site. http://www.resize2mail.com/

pic's

Mark, PICS of car Join rennlist Oil analysis by Blackstone Labs/oil change ASAP IMS guardian,IMS when do clutch and do RMS also and waterpumpA/O seperator and guides pics of gf or wife if hot Post pics of car Start a seperate thread on which oil is best as that has never been done here !

WHAT!?! You found a blind, gullible, deaf girl with no standards? Oh, pics.

Gota911, Thanks again for your response. I'm sitting at the desk at a car dealership, suposed to be selling cars but instead I'm looking at my Rennlist posts. I think I'm in trouble. Thanks for the photo instructions. I'll investigate when I get home. I'll be taking more pictures on Thursday (my day off). We do a 60 pic round on all our internet pre-owned cars. Can't wait.

Thanks for the instructions. You guys all seem a little photo-sensitive (Haa!) so here are some of the first batch. This Thursday, weather permitting, I plan to do the full series in and out and post them all. Soon you'll be saying "Enough. Stop with all the pictures!"

Oops...forgot that re-sizing thing. I'll make this all right on Thursday... weather permitting.

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Love that car especially the inside color. What is that thing plugged into the cig lighter attached to the windscreen?

Mark, Awesome looking car! Thanks for posting the pics! Glad you kept my "string" alive!

HGMan, V-1. Don't leave home without it!

Tim, Thanks again. Your C2S looks like a fine automobile. I'm guessing the extra HP in the "S" turns the Greenville backroads into a bonafide E Ticket ride. Mark

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Be sure to use the "quote" feature on your replies...otherwise, it looks like you are just rambling. :-) Down on the lower right, the quotation marks.

Oh god....pumpkins. First - beautiful car...it looks immaculate. Your first mod. Replace your turn markers with clear or smoked....would look so great on your color car. They are very easy to replace.

cool wheels. what are they? looks like 17s?

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Cite?

Mark, Very Nice! Yours looks like an exceptionally well cared for 100K+ Carrera. At that mileage though, I would expect your are heading for your second clutch fairly soon (mine only went about 53K with adult usage). My personal view is that one should do the LN IMS mod when doing the clutch. These are great cars and deliver big dollar motoring thrills for a very modest investment when you buy a good preowned example. But you cannot skimp on maintenance, and I have come to believe that the sealed IMS is a maintenance item.

Clear side markers as mentioned, $99 Porsche aluminum pedals, and tints! Looks clean!

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Thanks. I agree that the clutch and IMS should be done together. At next oil change I plan to look into this. This clutch was installed at around 40k so probably somewhere near ready.

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They're 17s. I think original factory wheels. Came with new tires so it'll be a while before I consider changing them. This car would look great with 18" machined alloys. I'm window shopping at the moment.

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I agree. A friend has already told me the same thing about turn markers.

Here is my IMS bearing that I changed as a preventative during a clutch replacement in my 1999 996 with 66K miles! I dodged a bullet! Change your bearing ASAP with the LN Engineering kit and save yourself a lot of potential heartache. I had no metal particles in any of my oil changes and no symptoms of my imminent bearing failure! cid:258F1192-AA22-4A9E-B8ED-E69801FB674D

I drive a 993 with no dog in this fight. You have 108k miles on the engine. To me that's enough to be proven. Drive the car and quit worrying about what might happen. Any car can fail. Just learn what sounds are normal, what smells are normal, keep up with the maintenance and stop worrying. I was given several reasons in 1984 by knowledgable Porsche people not to buy my 911SC; 28 years and 212k miles later it still runs like it did the year I bought it. In fact better because it has headers, no cats and a free flow exhaust. If you insist on worrying, sell the car, life's too short to be in constant fear of it. As far as the clutch, it will tell you when it's time to replace. It depends on how it was driven. I have a M5; 400 HP and supposedly the clutch is a weak point lasting 30-40k miles. I have 128k on the car with original clutch. It's been tracked but not drag raced. Unless you consider a clutch a PM item or it's slipping, I would not change it.

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Thanks. Nice to hear from guys with some miles on their cars. My intention is to drive this car for a long time. This 996 debate has proponents on both ends but more on the "drive the car" side. I plan to change the oil and check the filter in about a month or 1000 miles. Clutch feels fine right now. Previous owner claimed he did a lot of long road trips. This could indicate a longer clutch life than typical street stop and go. Appreciate your insights.

Hi Mark! Welcome to the fold. Great 996 you got there. I had a 2002 996 that I sold with 157K miles. The car was better than new with tons of carbon fiber and well taken care of. I always changed the oil every 5,000 miles with Mobil1 0-40. I also live in So Fla (miami) I love these cars! joel

I agree with all of the above. I replaced my IMS at 110K miles on my daily driver 996 - when I had the clutch (first one) replaced. IMS bearing was fine, btw. The car now has 132,000 miles and counting and runs great. Well, there's the noisy transmission, but that's common on the older cars and is a matter of replacing the pinion bearings internally. It won't break the bank when I get it done this spring.

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This has been a public service from IMS guardian. Get it before it's too late!

Mark, Since you already have a V1, your next mod should be hardwiring it !! There is a very informative DIY post in this forum....

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Thanks Joel, This is more encouraging news. Yeah, I love my car, too. 157k sounds like a great number to me. Just did my first 1000! I look forward to my ride to and from work. Thanks again. Mark

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Thanks for the encouraging post. Nice to know I'm not alone out here. This car is a joy to drive. It's a joy just to look at it. Appreciate your input.

Does anyone has pictures of what the oil filter look like when the IMS is about to go ? Everyone is saying to check the oil filter and all, but I don't remember ever seeing anyone catching a bad IMS thanks to oil filter inspection... and I think I have read a couple of IMS thread since I joined Rennlist

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What extended warranty did you get on your 03? How many miles on your car? I couldn't find a waranty company to even give me a powertrain warranty on my '02 with 100k plus.

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Thanks, Mark. My car certainly runs the Blue Ridge Parkway well!

Just got my car back. New clutch kit, LN IMS bearing replacement, RMS, oil change...the car runs great. I didn't realize how bad the clutch was in this car when I bought it. It was kind of stiff and hard to modulate at low speeds...I figured that's how the car was built. Not so! Now, the clutch is smooth and not quite light but the car has an entirely diferent nature. Not to mention that my subliminal fear of impending doom (was told these cars are "hand grenades") is gone, baby, gone. All the input that leaned toward "relax and enjoy the ride" was great and yet I always kind of felt I still could be one of the unlucky few who's engine went Boom! without notice, raining financial doom on my head. When the clutch started to slip last week, I parked her and shopped for an indy with a good reputation. Found TuneRS in Coral Springs. Very happy with the work and the experience overall. No hidden charges or bumps for unseen problems. Took two days. Very impressed with their professionalism. The IMS bearing that came out of the car looks actually pretty good. The seal is in place, no signs of external wear but the bearing has some wobble to it. Too late to analyze it now. Just glad that the "ticking time bomb" has been de-fused. My vote on the issue is that the hysteria over exploding engines is mainly just that...hysteria. For the people who go through blown engine from IMS failure, I have true sympathy. For the guys out there with original factory bearings, probably waiting until you need a clutch anyway is the best strategy.

Hey, I used to live in Coral Springs! My wife and I miss the place.

My calculator is still crunching the numbers on what engine is best for doing 7k rpms racing around after over 100k miles. It might take a while so search the internet for cars that run up in the 100k miles and still pull strong and handle great. It's also originally an $80k car so figure on making it that way during your ownership replacing the engine or whatever happens if you want the same cruise mobile it started as and can remain. Or expect a miracle and pad your bet by only putting around. I just replaced my engine after 123k.

74km on the clock and my engine hasnt blown up, I must be a really lucky guy, original clutch and RMS and IMS, this must be utterly bizarre having an engine last so very long lol

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What happened?

According to an article i read on excellence magazine if you a 996 you might as well change the IMS bearing. Failure due to this bearing giving out will destroy the motor and then probably at that point the car is useless. I changed mine end of story

OMG

Amazing how hysteria creates a market.

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Nailed it

Just a thought on the whole IMS thing that takes into account some actual numbers. When I got my 05 997, I got quotes from a number of extended warranty companies. All of them offered a powertrain warranty that covered IMS failure for around $2,000 to $2,500 for 4 years. Now, assuming a catastrophic engine failure = $20,000, that would mean that even if there was a 10% chance of one, they'd only be breaking even on the warranty. And that doesn't take into account that the powertrain warranty also covers any number of other repairs that are far more likely than IMS failure, the overhead costs for the insurance companies, and what I think I can safely assume is a healthy profit margin. And none of the companies I talked to requested any sort of IMS specific diligence in advance -- i.e., inspecting an oil filter for ferrous material. One would think if there was a substantial chance of a single item blowing their profit margin, they would do so. I ended up going for an exclusionary warranty purchased through my local Porsche dealership, because I'm risk averse and because the cost seemed very reasonable, especially since my dealership assured me that they've never had a single issue getting coverage with this company (Fidelity). But it would sure seem that the folks whose job it is to know exactly how often our cars need repair are not nearly as worried about IMS failure as the average person on this board, and they presumably have the best information on the subject. That's not to say it can't happen, or that it isn't awful news for those who it happens to, but you can say the same thing about people who won't swim in the ocean because they're afraid of sharks.

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+1 The same thought occured to me when I used my after market warranty for the first time. My Indy found that I had a cracked serpentine belt (covered item) but since it was not yet "broken" the warranty company refused payment. Fine, lesson learned. I'll make sure its broken next time. However, in a conversation with "customer service" I argued that I was trying to be proactive that should the belt break and cause any additional damage, it would save them money in the long run. He stated that in his "15 years in the biz he had never heard of a serpentine belt failure causing damage to a Porsche". That's when it also occured to me that if the IMS issue was truly widespread, these warranty companies would make them an excluded part. A $15-20K claim would certainly eat into their profits, again if the failure was all too common.

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As a total newbie to owning a Porsche, and in light of my experience over the last three months, I have to agree. Seems like when I look back, it was the mechanics, service writers and bearing distributors who caused my initial "anxiety". Very few owners who had wrecked engines seemed to be posting dire warnings. I chose to wait until I needed the clutch replaced but suffered more than a bit of fear of engine failure during that time. Looking at my removed IMS bearing, I'd say it was probably not about to self destruct any time soon. My conclusion is that if the trans has to come off for any reason, that would be the time to consider a bearing change. Otherwise, try to ignore the fear-mongers out there.