15 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHWell.... It finally happened.
Leading reported evidence
Replace without totally taking the engine apart
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
Simple: The "final solution" IMS bearing that cannot be changed without totally taking the engine apart uses a 22MM center bolt; it is the only factory IMS that did.
Leading evidence: 'Replace without totally taking the engine apart' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Clean their truck' (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 contain suggestions
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.
Suggestion
Hope the tow company didn't charge to clean their truck!
Replace (upgraded) without tearing open the engine
Suggestion or failed attempt
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 contain suggestions
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.
Suggestion
Sometime during 2005 the IMS bearing design was changed so that it could not be replaced (upgraded) without tearing open the engine.
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 contain suggestions
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.
Suggestion
Especially since one train of thought seems to be to replace the IMS at clutch change now.
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 contain suggestions
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.
Suggestion
Especially since one train of thought seems to be to replace the IMS at clutch change now.
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
Simple: The "final solution" IMS bearing that cannot be changed without totally taking the engine apart uses a 22MM center bolt; it is the only factory IMS that did.
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.
Suggestion
Simple: The "final solution" IMS bearing that cannot be changed without totally taking the engine apart uses a 22MM center bolt; it is the only factory IMS that did.
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.
15 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Pelican Parts: 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
In any case, the dealer fixed it under warranty, but they rebuilt the engine rather than replace it.
I'm sorry to hear that, and glad to hear it is CPO.
My 2007 997 Targa 4S had an IMS failure in the fall of 2010. Your oil looks like it might be RMS rather than IMS, so YMMV. In any case, the dealer fixed it under warranty, but they rebuilt the engine rather than replace it. It took the better part of a month for that to happen (1.5 weeks of trying to decide with Porsche corporate about whether to replace or rebuild). It was fixed under warranty, but the bill I saw was $11,000+ that was sent from the dealer to Porsche.
I was glad it was covered, obviously. But had I known how long it would take for the rebuild & politics, I would have asked for a better loaner car! Make sure they give you something sharp!
Got my car back yesterday from Rusnak Porsche.
A new Crate motor was put in.
Just want to say that Brian Lewey and Scott Rosenblum are without a doubt THE best people to deal with at Porsche .
As long as I have a Porsche and as long as they are there, I will only deal with them.
Lets hope I don't have to see them for a while .... : )
Sorry to hear about your IMS failure, but I am glad that they put a new motor in under CPO for you! This scares me a bit as I had assumed (hoped) that the 997's will not suffer the same fate as the 996's (especially model year 99 and 2000) when it comes to the IMS. I was looking at a 2005 997S with about 52K miles, but no CPO, now I am worried.
May I ask at what mileage your IMS failed? Also does anybody know how much it is to retrofit the LN Engineering IMS kit?
Thanks,
Kay
Sometime during 2005 the IMS bearing design was changed so that it could not be replaced (upgraded) without tearing open the engine. I'm not sure how one would know...
Simple: The "final solution" IMS bearing that cannot be changed without totally taking the engine apart uses a 22MM center bolt; it is the only factory IMS that did. Unfortunately, the only way to know if an engine has one is to pull off the flywheel and look. Many 2005 cars had this shaft; some early, some late, so build dates or VIN's are useless. You have to look. All 2006 and on cars (until they went to the 9A1 shaft less engine) had them, as did all replacement engines after sometime mid 2005. Again, visual inspection is required.
As for replacing the OEM non serviceable unit, you are talking a total rebuild price, probably in the $10K+ range for budget purposes………..
I was looking at 2003 and 2004 996's yesterday so this has me concerned. I'm still trying to learn about the IMS issue and thought it was resolved in the 3.6 engines. Can someone bring me up to speed on the 'fix' or how to prevent this?
Sure: Any M96/97 engined Porsche (meaning anything other than the Turbo cars) built prior to 2009 (when they switched to the 9A1 engine) will have some potential for an IMS failure. What level of potential will always be the subject of debate.....
M96/97 equipped cars built after 2005, including many of the 2005's as well as any car with a replacement engine after 2006, have the "final solution" IMS, which cannot be changed out without an engine tear down.
1997 through 2004 cars can replace the rear IMS bearing with the LN Engineering update kit.
Even though the 2006-2008 body style is more attractive than the previous 996 (much better interior design, as well) I wonder how the fact that the IMS bearing in those cars not being easily upgraded will affect values years from now..?
I'd like to get a 2005 997 if I could easily determine that the bearing was "upgradable" - but it's not so easy, unfortunately.
Thats a good point. Especially since one train of thought seems to be to replace the IMS at clutch change now. I guess they could install an IMS guardian for those wanting peace of mind. Would so many buyers research the issue to this degree though? We don't even know the actual failure rate on the final design one.
