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YOUR RESEARCHThinking about buyiing 99 996 Cab with 69K, should I worry about IMS?
Leading reported evidence
Replace 2001 ims bearing
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I had my 2001 IMS bearing changed recently at 65k milesish.
Thinking about buyiing 99 996 Cab with 69K, should I worry about IMS?
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Leading evidence: 'Replace 2001 ims bearing' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Adjust throttle' (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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81K miles on it now and I can only estimate that it was replaced sometime after the 30k mark by a previous owner.
Thinking about buyiing 99 996 Cab with 69K, should I worry about IMS?
Replace imsb
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I bought a used 996, and replaced the IMSB with the IMSolution.
Thinking about buyiing 99 996 Cab with 69K, should I worry about IMS?
Replace proactively and found bugger all wrong
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The rest had them changed proactively and found bugger all wrong with the ones they changed.
Thinking about buyiing 99 996 Cab with 69K, should I worry about IMS?
Adjust throttle
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Suggestion
I was hoping I could wait until it needed a clutch maybe 85K ish befored adjusting the throttle?
Thinking about buyiing 99 996 Cab with 69K, should I worry about IMS?
Clean simply budget the $1500.00 or so
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Suggestion
Yes, I agree with 996_North - a good PPI that includes dropping the oil filter, which I believe can be done without going in pocket for a full oil change, and if the PPI comes back clean, simply budget the $1500.00 or so for a retrofit IMSB.
Thinking about buyiing 99 996 Cab with 69K, should I worry about IMS?
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I was told the 99s used a better bearing and they should last longer. I was hoping I could wait until it needed a clutch maybe 85K ish? I think I can pick it up for $17K in pretty nice shape, can someone weigh in, I've looked through the IMS posts, I need to make a decision on the car by tomorrow?
Took this quote from the IMS thread:
1999 C2 Cab with duel row .. 64000 miles. All Original.. I have read 10 pages and find 2 legit failures. The rest had them changed proactively and found bugger all wrong with the ones they changed. That makes me feel real good. I have no intention of changing the one that came with my engine. Not even if I have to have a clutch changed (which I very much doubt, as I know how to drive a manual car correctly). Theres no guarantee the LN replacement WONT fail. Lets see how
Porsche is not going to do a "recall" on a 14 year old car unless it is a safety concern. A blown engine is a money concern. Though the 99 (3.4L) has a DR and possibly better IMSB than the later SR IMSB, the 3.4 has many other issues which put it at great risk of self destruction as well. So I would continue to research the model your interested in.
I personally would be loath to pull a 70k mile engine for a bearing "upgrade." Especially when we are hearing so many stories of faulty bearing installations. It's pretty clear from the number of motors showing up on Ebay that 996s are getting wrapped around telephone poles at a much higher rate than the engines are dying. Cheap engines are now so readily available that not even the 996 racing community can chew up engines fast enough.
If the was written by hurdigurdiman, take it with a a huge huge, massive grain of salt.
since when does the motor need to be pulled.
tranny comes out, clutch out, bam, done.
Since the NSA is scanning all our threads anyway, I wonder if they would be so kind as to move them all into the "IMSB" database section and provide the link for us?
To the OP:
Mine is a '99 cab with 101K and I've owned it for almost seven years. Since then, I have pretty much read everything posted about the dreaded %$& bearing. Here are my thoughts: the failure rate for these bearings seem to be much, much smaller than the single row, so I'm not going to even worry about it until clutch time. Then, and only then, am I going to make a decision.
These are fantastic cars and I still smile every time I see it and especially when I drive it. Mine is now set up exactly like I want it.
If it really bothers you, go ahead and spend the $2500 for a new bearing and clutch, get it out of your mind, and go have fun!
Cheers!
I wonder if every Toyota forum has similar threads.
It is very simple OP. If you are "concerned" then spend another $2.5k and get it replaced. Take the figure of 10% of all 996 getting IMS problem just for the argument's sake. 9 other cars will be fine, one will fail. If your risk tolerance is low, then walk away from the car or replace the bearing. If 17k is a big investment for you and you cannot afford the major breakdown, do NOT buy the car. You will not enjoy the car if you are constantly worrying about it.
Thinking about buyiing 99 Corolla 69K, should I worry about unintended acceleration?
I was told the 99s used a better throttle linkage and they should last longer without accelerating on their own. I was hoping I could wait until it needed a clutch maybe 85K ish befored adjusting the throttle? I think I can pick it up for $1K in pretty nice shape, can someone weigh in, I've looked through the uninteded acceleration posts, I need to make a decision on the car by tomorrow?
I have an early 99, and I know it has a reman engine in it now based on the "AT" in the serial number. 81K miles on it now and I can only estimate that it was replaced sometime after the 30k mark by a previous owner. No idea why the orignial engine blew..could be IMSB, or intermix, or maybe some idiot ran it with no oil, who knows..Clutch is due soon, so I'll get it done at that time. Ill report back to everyone on the condition. Point is that there are plenty of reasons an engine could go bad. Get a PPI and enjoy. There is a thread here somwhere that list a few advantages the 99's have over later 996's. Weight, direct cable to throttle....
I had my 2001 IMS bearing changed recently at 65k milesish. Dual row as well... old bearing was still in really good shape. I do also agree with the statement that the earlier dual rows are less likely to fail. I'd just wait until you do your clutch. Unlikely it'll fail until then...
Still pondering this ....... Will a PPI tell me the IMS bearing needs replacement, without taking it out, I doubt it, maybe an oil leak will say maybe RMS or IMS is leaking? Anyone know a good Indy shop within an hour of SLC to get this done?
One last Post, I'm looking for a convertible, I have several cars, so don't need a DD. Boxster S's 2000 - 2002 with under 70K are going for around this money in my area and they suffer from the same issues. So (2000 - 2002) Boxster S OR 99 911 CAB? The Boxster S's I drove seemed underpowered, seemed to handle better, but there is a reason the 911 cost so much more. The 911 is only around 100 #s heavier and feels so much more powerful, the 911 gives me a grin, I feel my near stock 2012 WRX is quicker than the early Boxster S's.
PPI may identify some of the key indicators (like weeping RMS) but an oil change and a look in the filter for debris would be better to identify overall health, assuming you can tell when it was last changed. But, again not 100% conclusive. I am sure most are not going to pay for an oil change for every car they PPI. If the IMSB is this much of a worry for you, just budget to have it replaced.
To the OP's first question: No, I personally would not "worry".
Yes, I agree with 996_North - a good PPI that includes dropping the oil filter, which I believe can be done without going in pocket for a full oil change, and if the PPI comes back clean, simply budget the $1500.00 or so for a retrofit IMSB. Avoid getting caught up in all the "while you are in there" costs unless something is found to need repair during the IMSB install.
I own two 2004 996's. A C2 where I proactively had the IMSB replaced at 75k miles and the bearing appeared to be in fine shape. A C4S where the IMSB failed at 37k miles and a Porsche provided crate engine was installed.
I always had oil changes performed at +/- 5k miles, had oil analysis performed that never indicated any problems, never tracked the cars, meticulous with service, and yet that did not prevent the failure in the C4S. However, the C4S was a low mileage garage queen when I bought it and I put 14k miles on it before the failure.
These cars are daily drivers for me, I never feared driving either one of them and I still don't.
Life offers enough opportunities to "worry" and if owning something causes anxiety then in my opinion it is simply not worth having. At the end of the day these are just machines, not life or death.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
You need to worry more about the actual convertible top than the ims bearing with the 99 Cab. The top will malfunction for you more times than the bearing will. The earlier quote was mine. I still stick with my guns on that score. Does it have a hard top coming with it? You will need it when the top stops working.
How many Cab owners have had trouble with the soft top in their cars rather than trouble with the IMS bearing??????????? Repairs to the soft top can rack up the dollars.
Granted, mine is not a daily driver, but my top has been fine in the 18 months of ownership. I also see nothing in the history from the dealer records with issues around the top. Maybe I'm lucky?
