69 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHThe IMS Solution vs bearing swap worth it?
Reported or suspected cause
giving them a credit
Reported cause
No successful repair reported for this finding.
1
Identified cause
0
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
Read evidence and context
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.
Discussions that report identifying a cause
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Reported cause
My solution to that problem was giving them a credit for the single row retrofit when they had us install the IMS Solution.
Leading evidence: 'giving them a credit' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'giving them a credit' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Check cam alignment' (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.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
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.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Engines are inspected (prequalified) so that the best outcome is more assured.
Inspect had numerous defects, reflecting a questionable service history
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
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.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
The first car inspected had numerous defects, reflecting a questionable service history.
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.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
That said, back in '11 when I had the LN bearing installed there were no alternatives.
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.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I had done a 3 oil changes in my year of ownership and never saw any metal in the filters or on the magnetic drain plug I installed with the first oil change .
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I had done a 3 oil changes in my year of ownership and never saw any metal in the filters or on the magnetic drain plug I installed with the first oil change .
If it's a clutch then I'd replace the bearing with whatever standard bearing the shop recommends, you're going to be in there anyway in the future and it's easy enough to replace.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
69 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
1 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Outcome without a verified action link
That worked well, and I'll do it again with these dual row units.
If one has succumb to the fear of having an IMS failure and currently plans to keep the car. Does the "The Solution" seem a better route over the bearing approach?
I want to paint the FULL picture of the car so as to get a true feeling. The car I have is a 2003 C4s which was in an accident back in 2009. The repair was around 9k in the front no airbag deployment damage reported as light on carfax. They fixed the car 100% all gaps are perfect etc I have had it on my rack its straight as a string so whomever did the work was very very good. Aside from that it has had a few owners (5) however I have every single invoice for the car since it was brand new. I obviously IMO got a really good deal on the car (27k cad) because of the accident / multiple owners.
Overall I would say paint / body is an 8/10 and the interior is a 9/10 with a little wear on the door bolsters I plan to fix.
So I am fully aware I don't have something that will appreciate with its current history no do I care I bought the car to drive heck I put my dog in it every day. However I would like to continue to put around 3-5k a year on it park it for the winter and maybe give it to my kid one day.
However with that all being said if I could in a few years sell it for anywhere close to a 5k loss and move into a 997 tt if money permitted (likely) I will be gone. The car currently has 115,000 kilometers or 71,000 miles
So with all that being said would you
A) Touch the IMS at all (further reducing the chance for possible resale)
B)Do an LN bearing
C)Install the IMS Solution ($2900K Cad)
Replacing the bearing with anything is not a panacea. There are still other ways for the engine to fail, many of which will take said bearing out (and then it usually gets blamed anyway). More important than which bearing to us is making sure the engine is properly inspected and other issues get addressed.
As to the bearing options, The Solution is meant to be a permanent fix. All the other options are wear items with a service interval. You would have to keep the car a long time and/or drive it a lot to realize a monetary value of the Solution which is why I think most people don't do it (big out lay for something that really benefits future owners).
We've had hers for 15 years and will likely have it as long again so I would have done the Solution, but it turned out that we had a dual row bearing.
My shop never even brought up the solution as an option, but they did say that it wasn't a bad idea to replace the bearing and did have a few stories about them failing or being caught right before they failed - so although it is talked up a bit it is also a real issue.
If it's a clutch then I'd replace the bearing with whatever standard bearing the shop recommends, you're going to be in there anyway in the future and it's easy enough to replace.
If it's going to be tracked, or an auto where you're not going to replace a clutch, then I'd get the solution as it's pretty much a permanent fix.
Most shops don't care for my IMS Solution Vs a standard retrofit, as they can't make nearly as much money doing the work. To them, the part costs more than double any other retrofit, and the job takes longer.
Thats not the case here; all we install is the IMS Solution, with every retrofit and every engine built. After all, thats the reason why I spent a chunk of my life inventing, and developing it the way that I did. The development of the IMS Solution was an open checkbook fair, all I cared about was beating the pants off all the copy cats, with the simplest, most effective design. The ONLY reason we ever agreed to distribute the IMS Solution to other shops, was to combat the copy cats.
If you don't plan on keeping the car for many years, or forever, the IMS Solution is not as great of a consideration. If you wish to omit 11 wear components from the engine, and keep the car for the long haul, its the best choice. The IMS Solution is a truly permanent solution for the IMS issue, as it works just like all aircooled Porsche flat 6 engines, and GT3/ Turbo all the way until 2013.
Contact
[email removed]
and he will get you in touch with those who have paid the price of admission to have us carry out the IMS Solution Retrofit process. These are the opinions that you need to consider, as they will come from people who shipped their cars from all over North America to have us carry this process out. Some people pau an extra 2,400.00 to ship their car here, and that happens all the time.
The IMS Solution is the only, fully Patented IMS Retrofit product on the market. The others are either "patent pending" (and not unique enough to be considered proprietary art, receiving full patent protection) or the advertisers are liars who never even filed a simple Provisional Patent. Call and ask any other seller of IMS products that claims this for their USPTO filing numbers, and you'll get excuses, and a lot of them.
Should you be interested in having us carry out the IMS Solution, you'll speak directly with me as the first step. :-)
Thank you guys, the shop I have been contacting is a certified installer of the solution kit. I will get a bearing quote for reference to make a decision. The main factor really is will I keep the car or will I not keep the car. I tend to not keep things as long as I originally intend to.
One consideration is how long you expect to keep the car. If you hope to keep it forever (I fall into this camp), the permanent solution may make sense. If you are going to keep it for a couple of years, the less expensive bearing retrofit may be a better choice.
If I don't believe in it, who will? If I don't state these facts, who else will?
The answer to both is no one.
I pay to advertise here, but I never do... Thats about to change, though.. I fiure If I have to deal with these forums and the mess they create, I may as well try to benefit from it.
I get tired of people bringing things to market, not eveloping them, and then simply lying about them in their advertisements. Its gone so far that someone actually robbed a photo off my site to use in their own ad, and they even kept the caption.
From a technical point of view, the only thing that the competitors say against the solution is :
"If the oil line is damaged, the engine immedately fails". That is also incorrect, I proved it and video documented it when I drove 20 miles, and saw 7,000 RPM over and over again with no oil line attached to the flange at all. It was living only from splash lubrication, and when removed the flange had no measurable wear, and the bushing was marginally worn. It made no noises, and did not fail.
IMS Solution Certified Installers in Ontario are:
RJ Motors
Keltech Performance
Both these guys are solid, dedicated and fair. I know them both, personally and they have attended multiple classes.
I found myself in the unenviable position where I had to do one or the other. I have no intention of selling my 2003 C2 coupe, ever. Even more so since it was getting rebuilt, but that was always the plan; still is.
For me, the Solution was a no-brainer. IMMV
The first question I ask folks is "do you love the car?". We find that most people that are buying these cars today, are doing so to keep them for a long time. They appreciate the IMS Solution.
For what it's worth, I just had my original bearing swapped for the LN replacement, at 144,000 miles. Wasn't worth it to do the solution on this car, but if I ever get a lower mileage 996, the solution is the route I will likely go. I tend to keep my cars for a long time, so to me it will be worth it.
If I "love" my car and will keep it "forever", I would get The Solution but
only
along with addressing
all
these engines' known weak points.
I had the original LN ceramic bearing installed at 32K. Car's got 62K now. I have a full warranty to 76K, so I'm not touching it till that expires. At that time it might make sense
at most
to have the Pro retrofit bearing put in, which has a 75K service interval. That would get me to 150K and if I still planned on keeping it "forever" I'd be willing to do a preemptive rebuild where all of the M96 failure modes are bulletproofed.
It will be funny if the mindset of buyers change when looking for cars due to the different tiers of IMS fixes. Just like buyers would be suspicious of cars that have cheap tires or non OEM parts on it, I can see some future potential buyers thinking and raising a red flag on owners that cheaped it out by just getting a regular classic retrofit vs springing the extra change and doing it right by getting The Solution.
Just figure out the incremental cost of the "Solution" compared to the alternatives ?
Include all the "while you are in there" tasks (RMS,clutch,gearbox detent etc.)
I suggest that is a rational way to assess the choice.
I speculate that the incremental cost of the "Solution" should be easy to recover in any future sale of the car
Really? I haven't observed any trends that suggest that retrofitted cars command an appreciably higher sales price. In fact, I have noticed some reluctance to buy retrofitted cars because the buyer doesn't have any way of knowing what condition the engine was in prior to the retrofit, whereas you know where you stand with an untouched engine.
An engine that was retrofitted proactively is reassuring; an engine that has been retrofitted reactively is a potential minefield, and you have nothing but the seller's word to know which situation you are facing.
I would agree with Schnelly. If I were in the market I would use the lack of the retrofit as a bargaining point, but I would actually prefer it not to be done.
If I did consider an upgraded car, I'd want the shop info and I'd call them to get a feel for how they handle the bearing swaps. Any sign of them just popping it out and slapping the new one in and it's dead to me. The reasoning is that either I waste a bunch of money swapping the bearing again (which no seller is going to account for) and find everything is happy or I find that the seller probably knew they were just slapping lipstick on a pig and I now have a giant paper weight.
And I say that with the understanding that I wouldn't buy my wife's car under those rules. The shop that did our upgrade didn't do the full pre-qual, but enough to couple with his experience to be reasonably confident the engine is healthy. If I didn't know the shop owner and was calling him from the other side of the country, I'd walk away. Obviously (I think) a good car, but not worth the risk/expense if I didn't know it.
I had mine done by a reputable shop a month after I purchased the car
nearly perfect candidate, 10 yo . 26,000 mile car
seemed to make sense if you think about the cost/loss factor
I bought the l&n bearing shortly after buying my car .
I ment to do the swap myself at my buddy's shop .
He's a red seal and I'm an engineer , we both have 30 years of European car and bike mechanical work under our belts so felt comfortable that we could do the work .
I wasn't aware of the solution back then .
Anyway long story short , buddy got sick , and had to give up the shop , so without a hoist I got an independent to install the bearing from l&n and all the other choice goodies I had be collecting for the car . They did a pretty thorough review before they would install it , dropped pan , boro scoped , checked cam alignment . I had done a 3 oil changes in my year of ownership and never saw any metal in the filters or on the magnetic drain plug I installed with the first oil change .
The original ims bearing looked like new when it came out .
My car only has 37k miles on it and I'm planning on keeping it a long time .
My thoughts were to change the bearing with every clutch .
But having reviewed the solution , it looks a good design .
So when the clutch that just went in is due for a change , I'll seriously consider the solution.
I replaced the IMSB with the LNE bearing when I first got my 996 about 3 years ago. It had 24K miles. If I knew then what I know now I would have done the IMS Solution for sure.
We are now booking for dual row IMS Solution installs, too :-)
The dual row IMS Solution is new to the market, distributors will have them in the coming year.
It was up to the distributors to order enough of the dual row version to make a run of them.
I have had them for use in my engines, but with distributors selling more dual row retrofit products than ever, they finally decided to place a large order. We benefit from that by having the units in hand first for IMSR jobs here, before they hit distribution. Jud is filling the schedule for January retrofits now.
When we brought the IMS Solution to market there were guys that were pissed because it happened suddenly with no fair warning, and they had just done a single row retrofit with other LN technology. My solution to that problem was giving them a credit for the single row retrofit when they had us install the IMS Solution. That worked well, and I'll do it again with these dual row units.
Dual row retrofit requests doubled in 2015 from the best year before. I have 4 requests for dual row preventative package info in the inbox right now that came in over the weekend. No one knows exactly why the huge influx, but I will say that most of them are newly purchased cars.
Yeah I saw that when you let on that it might be coming soon. I'm not worried about it and was just giving you a hard time. I live by the what is meant to be is meant to be principle. So either the engine holds itself together long enough for a new clutch and I'll do the solution then, or it doesn't and I have a long and financially draining conversation with you
I'll most likely be going with the solution but will have a conversation with the shop regarding just a bearing swap tomorrow to get a feel for the whole thing. I will make my decision from there.
If I were starting out today with my car as it was when I bought it, with 20K miles, I would unhesitatingly do the Solution, and as there are no certified installers in my area, I would drive her up to Jakes and gladly pay a premium for his shop to do it. I get a premium for my services because I don't cut corners, so I don't mind paying someone else for that caliber of work.
That said, back in '11 when I had the LN bearing installed there were no alternatives. The shop who installed it had a very good reputation and had the most experience with them of anyone locally at the time. Back then most of the shops I called were still dismissing IMS failure as having a very tiny probability. (Ironically, the shop I used is one of the developers of the DOF nowadays, so they push that technology, but luckily now there are other good shops in the area with perfect track-records on a large number of LN installs).
Luckily, my OEM bearing came out in perfect condition, my LN bearing has thus far lasted 30K miles, I've changed oil every 3K since then, and the most recent service (last week) the filter opened up with no trace of debris.
I have a warranty for another 14K miles/18 mos, and if I did the Solution now and something else happened to the engine, the presence of the Solution would almost certainly give the adjuster a reason to deny a claim. But when the warranty is up, if I decide to keep the car, I will definitely be having a conversation with Jake.
You aren't the only one.. They used to install a decent number of LN parts. Funny how time changes things, and its one reason why I treat everyone like the enemy these days.
Thanks for your kind words :-)
For the OP, Jamie, just thought I'd chime in with my thought process and experiences. I see that today was the day you were going to talk with your shop; so this info may be on the late-side.
In Apr/May of this year, I found (2) 2004 C4Ss in the Pacific Northwest and chose one of Flat 6's Certified Installers to do PPIs for me. The first car inspected had numerous defects, reflecting a questionable service history. I nix'ed it. The second car was perfect (with the added + of the X51 engine option), so I bought it!
Absolutely every aspect of the Certified Installer's operation was first rate. I could not have been happier. My initial plan was to do a LN Retrofit with them. But I knew I would fall in love with the car, want to keep it for a LONG time and decided to go for The IMS Solution. And since the car was being shipped from the Pacific Northwest to Florida, why not allow it to stop off in North Georgia and have the inventor's facility do The IMS Solution installation (among other items in a package of work). It was all accomplished in June and I am definitely a satisfied customer! Anyone with questions about my experience may feel free to PM me, if desired.
In my thinking, when replacing the IMSB with any improved product, we are paying for peace of mind. I wanted what I consider the ultimate peace of mind (for this particular design flaw), so I chose The IMS Solution. As an ex-Naval Aviator and (medically-grounded) Airline Pilot, putting the best possible parts in my conveyance has always been important toward achieving peace of mind.
Thanks Jake and Jud for meticulous work and great customer service!
A quick addendum to my above:
As I understand it, the pre-certification process for an engine to be eligible for The IMS Solution is strict and unwavering. A savvy, well-informed buyer of a car that has already had The Solution work done would/should know that it was not, nor could it be, a Band-Aid fix to a failing engine.
And I received my new-to-me C4S with the removed IMSB and an oil sample in the trunk for me, as an independent third party, to send off to LNE for their statistical and recordkeeping purposes. I thought that an admirable procedure to eliminate any potential malfeasance and/or collusion.
Jake, calling a competitor (every competitor?) an enemy goes a long way toward explaining why your attitude comes across as a combination of defensiveness, arrogance, and self promotion.
It's just not good business to characterize your competition as an enemy. It's not classy, and in your case I think it is completely unnecessary as well.
Capitalism is the way our country (and much of the world) works, and whoever builds "the better mousetrap" prospers most.
I think it is a mistake to think of your competitors as enemies.
Brainpower and energy are best used to find distinctions and differences between your product and the competitor's product that the market desires.
If what you say is true, you cannot handle any more business and your work backlog is months out.
You most certainly treat your customers well as evidenced by many who rave about their experience with you.
Your shop's work is unwaveringly good and no corners are cut. The best parts and procedures are used. Engines are inspected (prequalified) so that the best outcome is more assured.
With these positives, perhaps the only negative is that the price for all of this excellence is high. Currently higher than the value of most 996s.
So, you are extremely busy, you seem to enjoy what you do, and your work has a good reputation.
But, the attitude that you come out with in some responses (though not all by any means) ends up making me think you are scared that what you've got is not good enough or you think you are on the verge of losing it all....something like that.
I wish you some inner peace and hope you can figure out how to deal with these business pressures.
Thanks for posting that, very informative. Goes hand-in-hand with my camshaft deviation readings. Now to figure out which are the 4th and 5th chain in my motor.
My friend has a lift, and need to do the water pump anyways.....could be a good winter project.
It is, what it is. I have never tried to wow people with political correctness. I do look at everyone as the enemy, which is how I was trained, by both my father, and the United States Marine Corps. Over the years this trait has kept me ahead, and has kept the bad guys at arm's length.
I appreciate that. The issue is the others don't do business the proper ways, and they get away with it. False claims, and blatant lies are stated, and they seem to still get away with it.
Thats your opinion. When I enter a fight, I do not do so to lose.
Which is why I have NOTHING to sell other than complete engines. All the IMS products are left to LN or RND to sell. You won't find a single part here to sell, and if someone calls here looking for a part, they are sent elsewhere.
I am, and always have been a best friend, or a worst enemy. I take care of those who believe in what we create, at a level that no one would believe. I have an engine here now that I personally built in 2008, and the customer ran it very low on oil, and it killed the engine. It hasn't had a warranty since 2009, but he was great to deal with, so I told him to ship it here, and I'd take care of it. He never even asked me to, he didn't have to.
By the same token, I am equally combative against those who choose to compete. They make the decision, and they had better be able to stand their ground.
The price isn't high. The price is real for what is being done. The other prices are too cheap, because its the only way that inexperienced, less than proficient technicians, and their respective shops can land work for these cars. People look at what they buy from us as a value, not an expense, and this is because they intend to keep the car for a long time; perhaps forever.
Its not work, its a life, and it has been since the age of 13 when I built my first engine for a paying customer with zero supervision. I enjoy this so much that I am able to do my best, and always raise the bar, with very little effort. It is all fun, hell, even fighting with the other guy is fun.
Nothing is EVER GOOD ENOUGH! Ask anyone here if I have ever been pleased, and their answer is HELL NO. Ask that to the guy thats worked alongside me for 18 years, and he will scream it loudest, and at the same time he appreciates that beyond words.
Whats their to lose? I owe no one, every facility and piece of equipment is paid for, and we maintain year long schedules constantly. I am very thankful for this blessing, but you must understand that is is EARNED, not given. It is earned by doing the right thing, even when no one is looking. It is earned by treating those who believe in you the same way that you'd wish to be treated. It is earned by being on time, or early with every build, every time. It is earned by never making excuses, and always being direct with everyone. It is earned by having up front pricing in place for everything, and sticking to those prices, even when its not fair for us. It is earned by never being pleased with outcomes, and always looking for more, and doing it better than anyone else.
You have read me all wrong. I LOVE these types of things, and they are my motivation to keep going, and do it better. My most stressful day is better than anyone else's in this forum, because I thrive from pressure, and I always have.
I will remain an intense human that never stops thinking, and works 18 hours a day because I want to. Not everyone understands me, and a lot have a different perception of me. Those people have never dealt directly with me, or even spoken to me. I come across in a way that some find abrasive, but to me its just straight talk, with no candy coating, exactly the way that leaves the lest amount of variables and says the most. I probably should have been born 75 years earlier than I was, as today my traits are not accepted (or understood) by society as often as they should be.
All that said, everything that matters is engine related. Set the human factor aside.
The procedure has been recently (2 weeks ago) revised, based upon more findings that we've experienced. I recently finished another directive for LN that goes over this as a checklist, and I'd expect that it will be uploaded soon.
The 4th and 5th chains are just inside the cam covers on 3.4 engines. These are a simplex chain that requires camshaft and chain adjuster removal to replace.
Classic example above, lol.
However, he is a paid sponsor and is making the most of it. Can't fault him for that although I don't agree with some of his methods and such.
It's good though to point this out from time to time for those that are still on the Kool aid...
Waiting for Pete to jump in. 5..4..3..
Which is something that no member of the opposition here has... If they had it, they'd not be in opposition.
Keep in mind, this experience is with two cars, and two engines, one of which he waited on for a solid year, and was fitted to a car that he bought from me sight- unseen.
Absolutely, because unless they are Certified Installers, they'll probably never check it, and more than likely no pre- qualification inspection will be carried out.
Make sure the engine is warmed up completely before checking these deviations. This means oil and coolant. I would drive it 10 miles or so before checking them, then check at idle, and at 2200 RPM as well. Allow the values to stabilize before logging them.
The kool-aid was more directed at the people with no history and just going by the hype/heresay/second hand info/etc. The reason why I brought you into the post is that Jake did you good and you defend on every post with his name on it. Nothing wrong with that(I would do the same) but just predictable is all. No offense to you or anything if it was implied in anyway.
Thank you I will do this. I plan to use Liam (one of your certified guys) to do the work this fall when I put it away for winter. But I might as well check the deviation to save myself the trip to his shop if it won't qualify.
I am considering all options......I like the idea that the fix is permanent. Who does this in the metro Atlanta area? what would the cost be roughly.......2003 Carrera Tiptronic ? Thanks....
We remain the only Certified Installers in Georgia, and ironically we perform the Certifications and invented the product, and the process..
We only perform IMS work twice per year in our IMS Solution Clinics. Luckily for you these are carried out in November and May each year, and we have 2 November slots left. We are also scheduling for May 2019 at the present.
submit a ticket through our website www.flat6innovations.com
I don't want to speak for Flat 6 Innovations, but you can go to their site to get a general idea of what it will cost you to install the IMS solution on a healthy engine. Keep in mind that I said "healthy engine". That's the important part. Every car that goes to a certified installer will go through a pre-qualification procedure. This is an extremely vital part of the process to determine if your car is ready for the procedure. If not, the problem areas will have to be addressed BEFORE the certified installer will proceed with the installation of the IMS solution. It's not totally uncommon (from what I've heard) that someone that has a failing bearing or other serious problem (e.g. bore scoring) will want a shop to ignore the pre-qual in order to get a fresh bearing into a car regardless of the known serious issues. The is bad for everyone. And a serious liability issue for the shop and LN engineering. How many times have you heard of someone suffering from a health problem treat the symptoms and not cause of the problem? I'm guilty! For a year, (unknown to me) I was suffering from gall stone blockage. At first I thought it was acid reflux and so I tried all the over-the-counter medicines, but nothing seemed to help. Months later, I thought I was having a heart attack, I went to the ER and after several tests, the doctors determined I had a gall stone blocked and would need immediate surgery. The next day, I was in and out of the hospital in less than 4 hours. My body felt 100% better even after surgery.
Last example...
Over the weekend, I've determine that I'm among the many here on Rennlist that has a failing coolant expansion tank. Yep, I have it to! Now, some people would say, "Ah, just put some Stop Leak in it and fill it up when it's low". That's poor advice. The problem will continue and the Stop Leak could promote bigger issues with the engine. And, it would be really financially stupid to pay someone to flush the system in hopes that somehow the coolant system would cure itself. My point is that instead of trying to cure my expansion tank problem by buying stupid dead-end products, I'm going to buy a Porsche OEM expansion tank and have a guy help me install it. How do I know it's conclusively the expansion tank? Simple. I turned the car on to gain pressure and inserted small LED light under the expansion tank. Once the pressure began to rise, you could visibly see coolant dripping down behind the tank which would eventually drip on the exhaust and onto the ground. It wasn't coming from any of the hoses or dripping out of the exhaust. Clearly coming from back of the tank.
Anyway, in my opinion, the IMS solution is the best option out there, but don't try to beat yourself up over the costs. Yes, it's expensive, but if you plan to keep the car for a long time, then I think it's a no brainier. You also need to budget for a clutch, RMS, and AOS replacement as preventative steps. Oh, I'm so glad I got my clutch replaced. Originally, I didn't think it was bad. I just presumed the 996 clutch was characteristically stiff, but when the shop owner drove my car for the first time, he immediately said, "Your clutch is shot!". The tech showed me my clutch after it was removed and it was worn down to the rivets. Driving the car for the first time after the job was complete was radical for me. The clutch pedal was crazy smooth... almost effortless.
Good luck!
My cost two years ago was about $4,500. Work done by a certified installer and in addition to IMS Solution, I had RMS, AOS and clutch replaced at the same time.
jhbrennan - $4500 for everything??? that's a great deal! How long ago was yours done?
I also did exactly like jhbrennan and had the clutch, AOS, and RMS replacement along with the IMS solution install. My original OEM bearing was still in "stage 1" according to Jake Raby (ref - PCA videos). The IMS seal was compromised and the center bearing bolt was starting to show slight play, but thank goodness it wasn't shedding metal yet. My car also passed all 11 steps of the pre-qualification.
jhbrennan
I'm reading above that if you plan to keep your 996 for a long time, then the IMSB should be replaced. But I have also read 996's that are driven the way Porsche intended are less likely to have IMSB failure, and many of these are high-mileage 996's since most of them are in service for at least 13 years. Please help to reconcile these facts.
My take on the original question
if I was fitting a newly rebuilt motor . For the sake of this example let�s say a RND longblock exchange or similar build with upgrades addressing some of the m96 issues . I�d install the solution .
On a single row car still on the stock motor with average kilometres on it . I�d seriously consider the l&n pro .
the motor still has all the other failure modes as potential ( low frequency) possibilities
also in addition to just doing the ims/rms , on a manual car you should do the clutch and you may find other clutch components need changing . Ie shift fork , pressure plate , flywheel .
So you�re looking at more than the cost of just dealing with the ims .
When you do all this work , you should get 100-150k kilometres or more before you need to do it again .
At that stage , you�ll know if it�s a forever car and should start saving for a rebuild over a couple years or sell it .
