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THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCH996 Education please
Leading reported evidence
Replace (by a qualified indy)
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
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0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
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1
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
not that I needed it but I had a thrust bearing liberate itself and when I replaced my engine I had the IMS replaced (by a qualified indy).
Leading evidence: 'Replace (by a qualified indy)' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check scoring' (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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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
not that I needed it but I had a thrust bearing liberate itself and when I replaced my engine I had the IMS replaced (by a qualified indy).
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
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Suggestion
If I liked what I saw, I'd go further and get the cylinders boroscoped to check for scoring.
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Suggestion
Read/Learn as much as possible BEFORE test driving/buying.
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28 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
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I am completely new to Porsche and have spent the last 10 years having fun tuning turbo diesel trucks. I have also owned various BMW's over the years and just sold my M3 convt. Im looking for a clean unmolested 996 and want a simple breakdown of the different years pros and cons. I've spent a lot of reading about the IMS failures and so on but I cant find a precise simple difference of the 1999 to 2004. Please help me on what to look for and avoid on the models.
head cracking problems, IMS issues, scored cylinders, failed rod bolts. ....all years of 996 are affected by something.
I'd start reading everything here:
http://www.flat6innovations.com/
then maybe think of doing another project. haha
Or maybe start here and read about all the 996s cruising past 150k miles, sometimes 200k !! miles with no problems what so ever..
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...age-996-a.html
Mine has 119k miles and I just got back from a track day last weekend. If I believed all the hype on these forums I would believe a 996 should never see a race track that it will disintegrate just driving by a track.
Some cars have issues, most don't. Most issues have already been addressed a long long time ago. If a car has 169k miles on it and something breaks....well... nothing lasts forever.
If you worry a lot and don't perform your due diligence or if you are financially stretching to by a 911...this car probably isn't for you. If you enjoy life...live and let live...own your decisions...take responsibility... and have a few extra bucks lying around.. you just might score an extremely great car for 80% off msrp.
Don't forget to carry a towel to brush the sand off your seat!
if you don't know a good Porsche mechanic, find one who can do a proper pre purchase inspection. if I was to do it again, I'd look out for really sooty exhaust pipes, listen to the engine idle, listening for knocking noises, ask to see/be 1st start up of the day. If I liked what I saw, I'd go further and get the cylinders boroscoped to check for scoring. I'd take a close look at the cooling system and ensure the water pump was recently done. I'd inquire about the IMS and it's history also.
I would say read up on rennlist and check out the past and present posts, you learn a lot about the 996 from the members that own them, and there's always something coming up
I would not sweat it... so much after all its a Porsche. How much could you possibly anticipate getting away with before you drop some coins on repairs or upgrades, even if you purchased the cleanest unmolested one you could find?
Buy the cheapest 996 you can love then save the rest of your budget for maintenance, service and mods. If you like to tinker these are a blast (in a very sadistic way) to work on. The '99 is the sleeper of the bunch. You can find really good deals on them and they are a blast to drive. Alot more character than the BMW's I've owned. Maintenance history is important. If you can find one that has had the IMS, RMS, Clutch done recently that is a real plus. Plan on replacing the water pump and AOS every 3 years regardless of mileage. And take you time, the right one is out there.
You have a background of Turbo experience, go to the Turbo section and start looking no IMS issues there, if you still interested in Porsche Bastard child, there's no specific year with specific problem.
With any car the more miles the more parts that will need replacement, maintenance records are key, I was extremely lucky when I bought mine from a non Porsche dealership.
I didn't know about IMS, PPI, RMS, AOS, ATM, LOL, XXX, etc, I appreciate all the help I received from the forum regarding preventive maintenance, good luck with your quest
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It's pretty much all covered in previous posts ^^^. If you plan on doing a lot of work yourself, budget for some extra tools and parts. If you plan on having someone else do the work, budget more (indy= 2x-3x $$...Dealer=3x - 4x $$$...if you're lucky). Read/Learn as much as possible BEFORE test driving/buying. Good luck
As stated, do your homework first, then start looking. My '02 C2 had just turned 100,000 miles when I bought it 3 years ago. Now has 153,000. It had more miles than I wanted, but I had been looking for 6 months and knew that I had found a solid prospect. Clean PPI and I made the plunge. I've never regretted the decision!
AOS is the air/oil separator. It's the Porsche equivalent of a $2 PCV valve - but much larger, more expensive, and difficult to replace.
I wholeheartedly disagree with buying a car that has already had some kind of IMS retrofit. Buy the cleanest, least molested (i.e. as close to bone stock as possible) and do with it what you want. There are two reasons to do the IMS retrofit: preventive maintenance and in response to a failing or failed bearing - and sellers don't have any problem claiming it was done as PM regardless of whether or not it's true.
What he said. The AOS goes bad, mixes coolant with the oil, and causes catastrophic engine failure. (Search for intermix)
There are a lot of different opinions on these engines and a lot of people that know way more than I do. But Flat Six Innovations recommended to me to change the water pump and AOS every 3 years, regardless of mileage and my retrofit IMS every 5 years or 70k miles. There are plenty of people that don't agree with this but none of them seem to have anywhere near the experience that FSI has. So while I'm learning something, I try and figure out who the smartest person I can find is (and they are brilliant) and then just do what they tell me until proven otherwise.
That's an interesting thought 5CHN3LL... I'd like to learn more about why you suggest this. Simply for expanding my worldview and own eye-opening edification.
There have been cases of people finding out their bearing was failing, slapping in a retrofit, and then pawning it off on a sucker (via CarMax is the most popular option).
If the swap wasn't done by a shop the buyer can trust then you just don't know the state the motor is in and going in and proactively changing it anyway might not make it clear.
I would amend Schnelly's view to include retrofits done by certified installers as being OK too.
Ahhhhh, IC... those are indeed reasonable arguments, I have never considered.
OK thanks for the heads-up view there. Something to consider and look deeper into when conducting a PM for both myself and on behalf of others.
In fact there was a recent thread of a bearing failure where the new owner had a receipt for a bearing that was never installed. It was not a case of an intentional screwing, but highlights the unknowns of someone else doing the swap.
Thanks for the link share...
I actually read that on LN's site years ago before I had my IMS replaced... not that I needed it but I had a thrust bearing liberate itself and when I replaced my engine I had the IMS replaced (by a qualified indy). The IMS I removed was in perfect condition, but I chose to have LN's put in anyway, in addition to Jakes IMS Guardian.
I should mention that my 996 frame has 140k on the clock and the replacement M96 powerplant a bit less than 50K
