What's the Best IMS Kit for Porsche (996 or 986)

[@jeffrosen930]

Wow, love this. Totally did not see that coming... In fact, during the beginning of the vid I was thinking "he took out a double row bearing that showed minimal signs of wear. If he could just replace it with the same bearing he should be good for another 100k." Bravo, well done!

[@BurnersCars]

haha! yep! you and I had the exact same thought.

[@morningglory923]

Love the Frank , knowledgeable commentary with added dry humor - which we all need Thanks so much

[@johnellis1952]

I think your honesty about the pricing of these kits and 'special tools' is so refreshing. Most people accept 'ridiculous' price mark-up because of the necessity involved in the repair and the limited available options. To see you find alternatives to the 'retail' kit products and to present your thinking in this vlog reassures my faith in DIY innovators. As long as the results are equal to (or better) than the kit methods, I am a complete supporter of your approach to satisfactorily accomplishing the end goal. I am an American and a capitalist (within limits) and do not begrudge anyone making a profit when reasonable capital or intellectual investments are made. When greed or gouging seem evident then I can only hope that every alternative is used to avoid lining the pockets of those trying to take advantage of any situation (especially one not of the car owners making....but thanks to Porsche's poor design). Keep up the great videos. To viewers: SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE !!

[@papasmurf986]

Jake Raby, is that you? LOL

[@sit-n-spin825]

Remind me to never buy anything from someone as salty as parabellum racing.

[@davidwbybee3450]

Very thoughtful and helpful opinions about this perplexing issue. I have a 1999 911 Carrera 996 with 131,000 miles. Daily driver, I am the 5th owner, and this is my 11th 911.This issue is what I hear about constantly from my regional PCA members. Thanks for your truly top notch, intelligent and really sound advise.

[@bilgarner254]

Burner, you are right, especially LN in the pricing model. I can understand the high price in the beginning, to protect against the engineering costs and development, but as volume grew, the cost should reflect a fair markup. LN advertises that they have 30K kits installed, even at 800...(many of the solutions they sell are much more expensive) adds up to 10s of millions of dollars in revenue. Opportunistic, to say the least.

[@RoadandRacetv]

Wow, you must have spent some time on all that research. Great video. Love that you choose the budget "source your own" bearing solution. Genius.

[@Freshman24727]

I watched ur video on Porsche lol

[@papatorr3669]

parabellum (for war?): Like, what was "stole"? Are these solutions not "legitimate"? Isn't Porsche the "professional porsche company?"

[@party_boy69]

So spot on, these were my exact opinions when i researched these kits. Honestly, if you drive the car enough, the factory bearing is fine. Just wish PP still sold them

[@joejoe188]

parabellum racing lmao !!!

[@raygeez]

Great breakdown of all the options Burner! When I replaced the IMS bearing in my 03' 996 five years ago, I don't think there were as many choices. I also liked the ceramic-hybrid option and chose the pricey LN bearing and with my first DIY project on this car, replaced the clutch and IMS bearing. The original bearing I pulled out of the car seemed fine and probably would have lasted many more miles, but all this internet talk about this issue prompted me to take action, maybe unnecessarily. Four years of stop and go daily driving with the LN ceramic bearing was fine, then a cross country road trip actually did the bearing in. The 6 hour at-a-time stretches on the interstate highways took it's toll on the second day of the drive and scary noises began to extrude from the engine. After shipping the car to the final destination and dropping the oil and cutting open the filter, I knew this was a bigger job than my DIY skills could handle on a flat-six motor. I contemplated my options, and ended up sending the car to Raby Enterprises where they did a, "reconstruction" of the engine and also put in the IMS Solution bearing with fresh oil feed. I just got the car back this past spring and have been driving and smiling all summer. For the reconstruction, I opted for the 3.8 street performer, which brings the engine specs close to that of the 997 CarreraS. The engine is a torque monster, and only time will tell if it's reliable with the IMS Solution, but I think it will be based on your analysis. In hindsight, I would have not done anything to the original 70K mile engine and only if something did happen, send the car to Raby Enterprises to refresh the old engine with a torque monster (that still gets 24 mpg highway).

[@BurnersCars]

That's my thought exactly. You're not the first person to have one of these ceramic hybrid bearings fail, and--after swapping out mine--I feel I would have been better off just leaving the original in place. Something will force me to rebuild the engine, anyway. I do, however, think the IMS Solution will be a permanent fix, but only time will tell. Your 3.8 sounds awesome! If you're ever in the Seattle area, I would love to see your 996!

[@BrainDesmo]

I was close to deciding on replacing with some sort of LN option. But the splash lubrication ultimately didn't sit well with me. The IMS solution came around and peaked my interest! In the end, I came to the same conclusion as you and others commenting. If I need a clutch job and the IMS inspection returns a positive result. I'll opted for an OEM part.

[@OtiNaneRee]

I am a bit confused. Which out of the 4 + 1 options you analyzed in your video, is the ''IMS solution''..?

[@frederickcook87]

Ray Gee how long did it take Jake to rebuild your motor?

[@kevinvoisine1922]

Man, your video's are so informative! I'm taking delivery of a 2004 40th anniversary 911 next week so this subject is weighing heavily on my mind. It has about 48g miles on the clock. It has all service records so I will be pouring through them to find out if this issue has been looked at or not. Keep up the good work. I've subscribed to your channel. Peace

[@darrendjb1]

So these are my thoughts on this ims bearing. When the ims bearing is removed there is a small loss of oil, so this means there is lubricant getting to the bearing. I get the idea of the old style engines having a oil fed bushing, but with this mod kit 50k lifespan is not great. The porsche problem seems to be that they used sealed bearings, so my solution would be to use a open roller bearing (even ceramic) the bearing would receive some lubricant from the crank case when the engine is running. It's similar to a two stroke motorcycles using the two stroke oil to lubricate the main bearings. Personally these modifications are a lot of money and best off keep the oil changed regularly , and inspect the oil for metal or plastic bits.

[@HeidiandFranny]

One thing I don't hear much about (oh, great video by the way!) is that the sealed bearings are running in grease, not oil. Removing the covers and using engine oil on balls seems like it is a bit thin of a lubricate. My understanding is that bearings and bushing work by maintaining a thin layer of lubricate between the rotatey bit and the not rotatey bit essentially hydroplaning. Great, but the ability to maintain that layer is dependent on contact size and point/line load. Balls have such a tiny contact area they need a thicker lubricant (like grease) so you see this in ball bearings and CV joints. Bushings have huge contact area and can use a thinner (oil) lubricant (like cam and crank bearings/bushings). I think that when the ball bearing or CV gets hot enough, the grease will flow a bit, but it stays pretty thick. So,... If you remove the cover of a ball bearing and expect oil to lubricate then it will probably not be up to the challenge for high radial loads. I have no idea what the end of the IMS load is (all the important sprockets and such are on the other end), but fast and spinning probably will have a reasonable load. All this together, I think if you had found a bad seal on your original bearing it would have been gone or be going south. Since it was intact, you were good. The low mileage cars have more acidic compounds sitting in the oil along with more fuel and such that only gets burned off at extended higher temps so those seals tend to loosen and separate. So, great choice on the new sealed bearing. I bet that is the absolute best option! All in all you replaced the bearing, cover, bolts, and case bolts? The clutch bolts as well? Probably saved yourself $200-2500. Awesome job! Franny

[@sit-n-spin825]

Many engines use needle and ball bearings running in oil not grease. Infact virtually every transmission uses open caged ball bearings and atf is roughly the viscosity of 30wt oil. Again none of the above have significant issues.

[@manilanoakes3966]

Oil is preferable to grease as a lubricant. Grease is used in ball bearings as it is impractical to use oil in most applications.

[@glomiami2]

LN Engineering’s IMS solution is the best. I have a new version on my car. It essentially tries your motors into Mezger reliability!

[@stefanshapiro1245]

Unfortunately, there isn't enough data to know the reliability of any of these solutions, including the LN one. There are numerous failure modes of a plain bearing so it's not like it's impervious to failure. Additionally, if you watch the videos the creator made, he admits that he went through many iterations that had issues before he got to the current one. That's a good thing but it is an experiment. Iteration is the path to finding the best solution. But the one that works may be the current one and it may be the next one.

[@stephenanderson1561]

Really looking forward to further updates.Please continue,even though I have a Porsche without the IMS Your mechanical adventures are fun and informative to watch.

[@BurnersCars]

Awesome! I definitely will. I already have some other non-IMS projects lined up. What do you drive?

[@stephenanderson1561]

A totally awesome 09 Cayman

[@BurnersCars]

that is totally awesome!

[@rosslarecamembert4027]

Great videos and very informative.Everything you say seems very practical.No need to reiterate that these are your thoughts.Everyone can learn from your input,thank you

[@stephenoverstreet9898]

Couldn't agree more! And a very well thought-out argument for your solution! I am looking forward to your results. I would also appreciate your source for the bearing, if you don't mind. Thanks again for sharing your experiences with us!

[@BurnersCars]

Thanks! I'll probably write up a blog post with details on the bearings and sources. I'll let you know when I post it!

[@jackpontiac52]

What is needed is a bearing with Special Seals that are acid and oil resistant. And also packed with high quality moly grease.

[@GetTheLedOut8585]

Really love all of your videos! Your measured, analytical approach is most welcome in a space that's filled with endless speculative opinions. Even though I don't yet own a Porche, your videos have given me a great deal of confidence in buying a used Boxster in the near future. Definitely looking forward to learning more about the IMS solution that you've sourced. I'd likely be purchasing a ~100k mile Boxster, so I'd imagine I'll be sharing your sentiments regarding the LN/DOF solutions being cost prohibitive. Too bad you're no longer in SoCal! Keep up the great work!

[@BurnersCars]

I look forward to hearing about what you buy!

[@marcellolubiana2633]

Like the analysis between the different options, did the same myself. I bit the bullet and went with the DOF (TuneRS) system and new steel IMS for piece of mind. I replaced it when I had the clutch replaced.

[@tomprather3461]

I Like your logical approach to this internet hype about IMS issues. Looking forward to the sourcing info on your bearing of choice as this would be my next project as my clutch is going south on me. Keep up the good work. Enjoy all your vids!

[@BurnersCars]

Thanks Tom! I'm definitely learning and studying the IMS. In the meantime, I hope this helps: burnerscars.blogspot.com/2016/08/sourcing-your-own-porsche-ims-bearing.html

[@toobad9946]

I've watched your video (and countless others) in an attempt to reach a decision. It's currently 06:00 on a Friday morning so you could even argue I'm losing sleep over it! Your 986 had 90k miles. My 2001 base has 143k and runs great (I've owned it for 11 years, since it had 33k miles). The dealer says they service several with over 200k, without IMS problems and the IMS failure rate is arguably less than 10%, so I believe them. The dealer checks the "numbers" everytime they service the car and they insist everything looks really good. I'm planning a paint job and several other mods over the next several months, so a couple $k doesn't really scare me. I intend to keep it. It is my wifes daily driver (the hard top is great in the winter). I'm also going to take over the service/mod installation myself. Note: Because I have an '01 the only way to becertain if I have a single or double row is to pull it out and look at it, which makes it difficult to buy certain brands of replacements. I have two questions. First the easy one...I'm all for making my own installation tools, which I would probably have done anyway after seeing the tool kit retail price. The cost of the tools alone is enough to make me reconsider a (Porsche) dealership installation. I'm being quoted $1,750 labor (plus fluids) but I have to supply the parts. They even advised me to schedule it just before I need an oil change! Oh, yeah..the question...Where did you find the specs to make the tools, especially the pieces that look like pieces of old door hinges (no insult intended)? The second question...I hate to continue to beat on the LNE solution but your chart doesn't allow for their DOF version, which is an outrageous $1,800, as others have mentioned. One of their nearby certified installers wanted $3,500/$3,600 for a turnkey installation plus another $600+/- for new clutch parts. I replaced the clutch at 75k but was unaware of the IMS issue at that time. Since I'm now over 140k, it's reasonable to consider a new clutch, even though there are no obvious problems. The LNE $1,800 version is (in my opinion) a GREAT permant solution and the factory should have done something similar to this to begin with, after all, the fixed bushing/race (instead of bearing) design was originally Porsche's. Even if the "bearing" did fail it wouldn't be catastrophic! If I take on the IMS repair myself, of which I am quite capable, the $1,800 becomes much more realistic. Back to the second quesion...Thanks to the internet, I have found another option called the "Eternal Fix". I'll include the link below (I hope I'm allowed to include links in messages). If you follow the link you will see a variation on the LNE solution/replacement for both single and double row IMS bearings. They are MUCH cheaper than the LNE version. Even the LNE version is cheaper from them than from LNE. The prices are still stated in Euros, even though the vendor is in the UK. Given the price difference, I'll pay the shipping charges! The top item on the page fits either single row or double row. It's currently on sale for 400 Euros, which currently converts to about $300 US. The LNE full kit (DOF system) is on sale for 1,285 Euros, which is $965 US. That is nearly half of the LNE, stateside cost. Back to the second question(again)...what do you think of the "Eternal Fix" vs. the LNE DOF solution (especially if I can get it for less than $1k (plus shipping, ofcourse)? For informational purposes one Euro is currently equal to 0.75 dollars. www.design911.co.uk/fu/pt856_1748_-cma81-cmo82/Porsche/Boxster-986-987-981/Intermediate-shaft/

[@BurnersCars]

Hi Jim, So for the first question, I couldn't find any specs for the tools, either, and ended up measuring the engine and doing a bit of trial and error. Once I did that, however, I wrote out all the measurements (as best as I could determine) on my blog: burnerscars.blogspot.com/2016/09/how-to-make-porsche-ims-camshaft.html. Of course this only helps you if you have the earlier 5 chain engine with the dual row bearing... the later engines require a different tool to lock both intake and exhaust cams. On that none, I think you can determine if you have a single or dual row by removing the camshaft plugs... If there's a slot on only the intake, it's probably dual row. Slots on the intake and exhaust and it should be single row. On to the second question: I do think the LNE solution is pretty good. I think it's the best of all solutions currently on the market as it eliminates the bearing and uses a system Porsche has used for years. It's pricey, but probably the best. When I made this video it was still very new. It's been out awhile, now, and it seems like a good (if somewhat expensive) solution. Right, on to the "eternal fix"... There's isn't a whole lot of detail about it, but I'm somewhat skeptical. One important note: any system that works for single and dual row cars is a single row bearing with spacers. This means if you have a dual row bearing, you're replacing it with a smaller single row. Since the single row bearings have a higher failure rate, this only seems like a good option if you have a single row car.

[@toobad9946]

Thank you, for the response. I'll talk to my contact at the dealer and ask him about your "camshaft plug test". They agreed with me initially that a visual inspection of the bearing was the only way to be certain if mine was a single or dual row. I was much more confident of my ability to complete the IMS replacement when I thought the tool dimensions were somewhat available. I now understand why you crossed your fingers (and cringed a little) as you started the car for the first time after the bearing replacement. I may just bite the bullet and buy the tools. I can always resell them to someone or possibly find a used set before I begin. FYI: LNE has specific requirements before they will warranty their installation. One of the questions was concerning the condition of the "cam chain pads". If the pads had not been previously replaced it was going to be necessary before they would proceed with the IMS bearing replacement. I'm not certain as to the direct correlation of the "cam chain pads" and a worn IMS Bearing but I just started this journey. If you haven't inspected or at least otherwise addressed them, you might want to check it out to protect your investment. Thanks, again! Jim

[@samt4186]

here is a note for bearing with seal on both side. IMS is submerged in very hot engine oil and the heat turns the grease into liquid oil and as the bearing spins at high speed especially porsche 7500 rpm engine, the centrifugal force push the oil toward the race of bearing and eventually sipps out of seal.. then the bearing runs dry

[@robkal56]

Well argued and well expressed. Both sell your case. My solution is literally out of the box: since I'm in the process of selecting my Cayman S, I'm only considering 2009-2011 (stretches the budget though). But I do appreciate good work and good info you put out there. I'll be watching for other useful ideas and maintenance tips. Thanks.

[@BurnersCars]

Out of the box! HA! I get it! ;) Good solution. Many more projects and tips in the works. I'll be looking forward to seeing what you buy!

[@samt4186]

WOW great video .. we think alike.. i went through this issue 2 years ago. i purchased a double roller ceramic bearing for my porsche 911 IMS for $100 . i installed it as open bearing with no seal on either side, allow motor oil to cool it and lube it, the bearing is inside motor oil all the time, just keep the oil pan always full to top. .. you should know the 300 degree motor oil will melt the grease outa your sealed bearing and it will rely on engine oil as well, only to have seals on the side to restrict the oil flow.. that's my theory anyways.. my car runs excellent... i will check it at 120k miles again and put a new one again, ,,yes there are so many sharks out there sucking blood outa americans and their fears,,, thanks for your video...

[@namdarbolour9890]

Regarding the cylindrical bearing, it seems to me there is little thrust (axial) forces on the IMS. It is driven by a chain from the crankshaft, which helps to keep it from sliding for and aft, and then it drives more chains to the camshaft. I cannot see any great thrust forces. I am new to Porsche cars and currently looking to buy a used Boxster. I am a home mechanic, so maybe I don't understand everything about this engine.

[@taylerdamps3860]

People keep saying pre 2000 m96 engines are less to worry about regarding the ims due to dual row. But I just wanted to let you guys know that I have a 99 Boxster built in 98 and I have a single row that looked dried out and I replaced it with a DOF tunersmotorsport IMS. Just a heads up don’t always rely on your year change it before it’s too late.

[@frankburn6312]

if someone made a diy on how to modify the factory cover, drill and tap it and add a stainless steel DOF line, that'd be great!!!

[@Apexjuha]

There is one thing that I dont quite understand. Porsche manual says the oil capacity is 8.5 litres. When I filled it 8.5 I only got just the minimum digits in the oil level indicator. In the end I put over 10 liters and I am now two digits from top where I want it.. The oil level definitely has somekinda relation to IMS as the bearing (=oil pump shaft) should be completely submerged in oil. I always keep the oil level near the top. Maybe if the oil level is near minimum the "pedro video" effect can actually happen. I dont know. My double row was in perfect condition when I replaced it at 83 000 km / about 2200 hours in the engine ECU. No play, There was about 1 dl of oil inside the shaft, no grease left in the bearing. Insted there was oil as one would expect. I've always analyzed the the oil filter paper collecting with a magnet and otherwise. I've had no ferrous particles, a bit aluminium dust and little bits of brown plastic (chain tensioners).

[@harrycee656]

Thank you for doing this for the community.

[@BurnersCars]

Certainly! happy to help! cheers!

[@Patexon]

This video is great. I sent it to a friend of mine who just bought a 996. Thanks!

[@BurnersCars]

Awesome! Very welcome!

[@Steve_MFr]

Are you planning on selling these hybrid ceramic bearings? Or do you have a link? Nice vid. Long discussion. :-p

[@lrmcatspaw1]

I saw a video on no balls bearing and with nano diamond tech (plain bearing). Must be the best, Change my mind.

[@eddherring4972]

Ceramic ball bearings without DOF will wear (score) away the bearing races as they are harder than the steel races, they will ultimately fail. The IMS failure is a secondary failure caused by the process described briefly below: The issue with the IMS bearing is that the intermediate shaft is full of air which expands when hot. The expanded air pressurises the IMS seals forcing air out. When the engine cools the escaped air creates a vacuum drawing in air and droplets of oil. This cycle continues until you have a few ounces of oil in the shaft. This heats up and cools down until it eventually goes rancid and then acidic. The acid then corrodes the seals and the (steel) ball bearings and causes the bearing to collapse which throws the timing chains leading to catastrophic engine failure. The DOF solution is the only solution which will not lead to engine failure. Pedro’s solution is good for around 400,000+ miles with regular servicing and checks It takes less than a second for centrifugal force to spin oil out of an unsealed bearing so DOF is the only solution which provides a permanently lubricated bearing. All other solutions will eventually fail, either the seals will fail due to acidic oil or the bearing will run unlubricated and be destroyed by friction. You should also know that the reasons Porsche turned to the single row bearing was not due to cost saving. It was due to a high failure rate of timing chains. The single row bearing solved this issue and reduced noise but was prone to failure (with similar results) as described above. It is recommended that timing chains are replaced every 50k to 100k miles. Spending $800 to avoid the need to spend $3000 replacing the engine may be extortionate but anything else, steel balls, ceramic balls or rollers is a false economy and should not give you peace of mind. The ideal solution would be a xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (removed ).

[@pl7868]

Um so what you are saying is that this engine doesn't have crankcase ventilation , air moves let us agree a bit easier than oil, so if the crankcase has ventilation explain how that shaft is so sealed that at one end it's in an oil bath an the other is a sealed bearing with leaks an somehow air is trapped , go crack your eight grade math books again because you don't make sense just now. you might also explain how a weak bearing will extend chain life while your at it :)

[@eddherring4972]

@@pl7868 advice is free, take it or leave it that’s fine by me. FYI the intermediate shafts are hollow and so contain air. Good luck.

[@pl7868]

@@eddherring4972 yeps but how is oil getting in them,do you have advice for that, i'm listening to what your saying and thankful for anything you have to say about it, i'm not saying this to be a jerk , just to understand

[@eddherring4972]

@@pl7868 oil vapour passes through the seal when the engine is warm then condenses when it cools. I’m talking about tiny amounts which over time build up. This is why IMS issues most commonly occur in low mileage cars, 1) they aren’t driven enough for the owner to think about IMS damage and 2) the damage is caused when the car is cold and stationary, the acidic oil is dissolving the same area for a long time such as ‘winter storage’. If you’re really interested don’t come at me with your comments making out I don’t know what I’m talking about. You don’t know anything about me and you decide I must be an idiot.

[@pl7868]

@@eddherring4972 hum ok thx an sry for going overboard,looks like i will find out when the day comes to rebuild my motor anyway really

[@grumpyoldgit8254]

Done 70,000 miles on my LN, no seal and no lube, car now 120,000 total mileage, change oil & Filter every 5000 miles, you pays your money and takes your chance. part of the problem with the bearing was the inclusion of the seals, once the grease had gone you could not get enough lubrication in there, i would be interested to know where you sourced your hybrid ceramic bearing, as i should be replacing the current bearing.

[@bgroot100]

Thanks a lot for sharing your opinion. I am at the point of changing the bearing on my 1998 boxster. I would like to know where you sourced your ceramic bearing?

[@alioral1358]

Even E36 M3 , even now you helped me so much )

[@nathantheclark]

I've pretty much concluded that the Cylindrical bearing is the best option. I'm only debating the DOF option. Myconcern is the seems like the cheap DOF pull directly from the Oil pump so that would mean that it's pre-filtered oil? Opening up a seal would expose the bearing directly in a bath of pre-filtered oil, so I'm not really sure if there is benefit. If the bearing is in a bath of oil with seal removed I'm not really sure there is much of a risk of acidic oil building up or lack of oil for that matter. I've got a 2000 S, Is it safe to assume all of these are dual row, if so I may just leave it alone when I do the clutch.

[@BurnersCars]

It probably is dual row. You can inspect it (take of the flange and ensure the seals are in tact, try moving the center bolt for excessive play). If it looks good, honestly, I think I'd leave it alone.

[@mikea.2348]

Would be good to know where to get just the bearing that you decided on! Thanks in advance

[@mylesdarwin3000]

A tip: watch series on flixzone. Me and my gf have been using it for watching a lot of movies lately.

[@sincereharrison7329]

@Myles Darwin yup, been using flixzone for since november myself :D

[@hansschweikert9153]

Thank you for the discussion. I would lean towards Pedro's solution....IF it were priced anywhere near what it is worth in materials and machining, plus a reasonable profit.

[@BurnersCars]

Yeah, I like the lubrication idea, but I also wish it were priced more reasonably!

[@marksachse9027]

I love your content. Would love to see an update :)

[@pjfan173]

Thanks for doing this video. I'm thinking about buying my first 911 and are looking at a couple of 996's

[@samchan5011]

WAIT, you mean I can source a ceramic bearing for the replacment? Is there any recomendation. Like brand and model??

[@markr5132]

Excellent video and seems like a logical solution although I thing I'd go for the pedro kit in addition, I totally see your logic.

[@BurnersCars]

Yeah, I liked Pedro's solution, too.

[@Chitown388]

I also heard that revving the engine beyond 4K RPM will ensure that the IMS bearing get its splash of oil. Does anybody know if there is any truth to that?

[@hectorfuji]

Old question but I also heard the same, Whenever I take my 2002 996 out for a spin the thacomehter will reach redline at least once, no IMS solution yet, but plan to do so next year when I change the clutch.

[@edsim6021]

can you tell me who is the supplier, manufacture and part number. I really need to buy a ceramic type dual row but i havent gotten any where. i know a bearing supplier that can help me if i can get some numbers to start.

[@Ade2bee]

As an aircraft technician I can agree with you on the overpriced bearings and so long as you know foot correct dimensions type some part numbers then there shouldn't be any trouble. In aviation it's even worse prices being hyped up hundreds of times the amount they should be

[@BurnersCars]

Ah, yes, I can imagine. Same fear-based tactics: "You don't want your engine to explode?" or "you don't want to fall out of the sky, do you?"

[@kjeldmolvig5262]

So Burner, no mention of warranties. I was told last week that LN has a pro version with a 50% longer warranty than their standard bearing. Probably naive, but I think it matters. Any warranties on the other options?

[@BurnersCars]

Do you have a single row IMS? I think they have a dual row replacement for the single row... if that's the pro version, then, yes, I would definitely agree that it's worth it. I'm not all that interested in warranties--unless that warranty is going to buy me a new engine in the event of failure. I think some of the other options might have warranties (I can't remember the details off the top of my head), but any warranties they do offer are pretty limited... They might cover a replacement part, but that's about it... not much help if you have a dead engine!

[@heroze7724]

Good discussion. What was the size you settled on and source, please?

[@charlietao1]

Hi. Great video! I have a 1999 Boxster with 63K miles and an automatic Tiptronic transmission. Do I need to worry about the IMS bearings? Is this more of an issue with manual transmission styles? Thanks.

[@BurnersCars]

I don't believe transmission type has any "bearing" on failure rate. What does seem to matter is dual row vs. single row. Since yours is a 99, you have the more reliable dual row bearing.

[@333Lightspeed]

Thanks cool Work:-) But I do object your opinion: with the cyl. bearing solution. They providet a axial "constant oil lubed" guide. What looks very strong! You see that in one of the explanation videos. Only the "oilpump mod" dit allert me quiet a bit:-) That Porsche did not use lubed solution, may be of cost reasons??? When the engine 96 came yout, they where on the down row with the sales and famous name. And the 996/986 an new era, to cach new enthusiast/customers on affordable prices!??? I didn't yet the fixing/care of IMS in my 142tKm boxster 03. Unfortunaltly the alternator went bad, so that's priority. But i like that you "guys over there" dont hesitate to find own solutions. In Swizerland and Germany probably only few drivers seemes to do an oilchange on their own maybe. Uhh.. dont tuch a holy cow...:-)

[@johnash826]

Good video. You need the complete kit with the LN solution including the oil feed. Then it is the best. See Jake Rabey.

[@garyg9815]

I would like an update on the rout you picked since it has been 7 years

[@juhakivekas2175]

The capacities of the bearing types: 20 mm shaft , 47 mm bore Double row NSK:: .............Dynamic 19 600 N, static 12 400 N Single row NSK/SKF::.......Dynamic 12 700 N, static 6 550 N SKF Roller (2204) ::.......... Dynamic 29 700 N, static 27 500 N I dont have capacity numbers for the hybrid bearings. I dont know why the bearing manufacturers dont release them. I suspect that the ultiamte fatigue limits are not that different from steel bearings as the raceways are the same in the hybrids. The benefits of using ceramic balls is at least that the heat generation is smaller (= less friction), the ceramic balls can take alot more heat than steel balls and because the balls are so much lighter than the steely ones they load outer ring less. Also the balls are practically non-destructible and according to SKF non-sensitive to raceway brinelling. But, the raceways are still the same steely ones and they have a temperature limit at about 150 deg C and the strength of the steel. With the rings and raceways it is all about heat treatment. The surface needs to be in compression after the heat treatment. If the heat treatment is not perfect the bearing will fail. It does happen occasionally. Again I start to wonder about the proper oil level. With M96/01 is 8.75 l or the over 10 l that I put to get two digits from top? If the oli level is low maybe the "Pedro effect fan" really keeps the bearing dry.

[@alexibless3276]

Great and very well explained videos. Question: what's the best IMS for 2006 987 Boxster 2.7? Thanks in advance

[@viktor_klang]

Thanks for sharing your take on the problem & solution(s)! Since a lot of time has passed since this video, would you now be comfortable sharing the manufacturer, and perhaps even the order process, of the bearing you sourced?

[@BurnersCars]

Yes! I hid the info at the end of a recent update... along with a fair number of disclaimers. You can find the info here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIKWZHyuf7-ka5Y

[@viktor_klang]

Burner's Cars Thanks a tonne! Do you have a Patreon or similar so I could give you a couple of dollars in appreciation of your good work?

[@BurnersCars]

You're very welcome! And thanks for asking! This channel is largely fueled by coffee in my spare time, so if you want to buy me a cup you can paypal me a couple of dollars using my email address: [e-mail]. I've thought about starting a Patreon. I should look into it. It would be great to have more resources for projects!

[@viktor_klang]

Burner's Cars Donation sent! When sourcing the dual row bearing, if it is indeed shorter than the stock bearing, what are the requirements of the spacer, in terms of material and dimensions (radius mostly)? Stay awesome, √

[@BurnersCars]

You, sir, are a legend! You'll want a spacer in the shape of a washer with a thickness of 3.2mm (that's the important part). A bore or hole of 20mm and an overall diameter of about 28mm.

[@1eevahn]

Are you able to post where you sourced, and what bearing?

[@ianbarnes961]

Does Porsche still offer a replacement part for this? And is it worth considering?

[@MRMoore-st6on]

well done well said nice chart

[@jimv1484]

Great vid.......so am I screwed? 2001 base with 158k on it.....previous owner removed seal on IMS for splash lube recently......I think I would feel better if the IMS was just left alone after lasting say 145k before he got to it. Am I screwed? :)

[@davidwills3107]

My bearing was starting to break up and I had tiny flashes in the oil filter. When the garage went to replace the bearing it was the double, my car is a 2001. Porsche do not recognise the double as a failure and you cannot buy the bearing on its own from them, which is ridiculous. So i had to spend £500.00 on a 9products part Code: 9P-IMS-3RV upgrade. Plus fittings. Had it been the single it could have been replaced for £20.00 plus fitting. So why as it’s breaking up are Porsche not saying there is a replacement part you can buy as the bearing clearly breaks up.

[@goldpony10]

Can you please tell me which hybrid ceramic dual row dual sealed ims you purchased

[@zguy95135]

It's crazy how much more expensive the LN Engineering Solution is compared to Pedro's... $1,800 vs $800!

[@BurnersCars]

Indeed. of course, Pedro isn't selling you a bearing as I recall. Isn't he's just giving you a new flange and some tubing for an oil feed?

[@gingi801]

What size is the bearing and what's the part number for it?

[@Fangioparis]

What is the Timkin or SKF size of the bearing(s) in question?

[@bobbyjohnnascar]

Excellent presentation.

[@325roundel]

Thanks for the videos Burner. I'm gearing up for a DIY IMS replacement and plan to reuse the old center bolt and flange. I want to buy a new o-rings in viton but don't know the correct sizes. Might you be able to post the width and diameter of these o-ring grooves? Thanks!

[@BurnersCars]

Awesome! so I know the o-ring for the center bolt is 7 X 2 mm... not so sure about the o-ring for the flange. I think it was about 46X2mm

[@robertogibbs7365]

So what bearing did u use or recommend i am thinkin of buyin one but my mind says go for the lexus sc430 probably way better but still ....i honestly want to use the stock bearing and replace it every 3 yrs lol i keep hearing ln ceramic is controversial this is confusing

[@deemdoubleu]

Interesting discussion

[@toobad9946]

By the way, after my previous cost estimates (by using the present currency exchange rates) I realized there was an option to view items costs in US Dollars. The price is virtually the same as the US based suppliers websites. So...no savings but additional options! Sorry, for the $$$ confusion.

[@2Phast4Rocket]

So in the end, where is the supplier you got your IMS bearing from? Thanks.

[@BurnersCars]

I did a little googling and called around to different bearing suppliers. More details here: burnerscars.blogspot.com/2016/08/sourcing-your-own-porsche-ims-bearing.html

[@2Phast4Rocket]

Thanks for the link. I only watched your KZbin channel and don't realize you have a blog :)

[@Hansstuck]

Where did you get your replacement bearing? What brand and part number? Great videos! Cheers

[@BurnersCars]

Thanks! I found a supplier who specializes in racing bearings and would assemble a bearing to my specs. I haven't listed the supplier because 1) it's totally untested and 2) I'm trying really hard to avoid long, tedious technical arguments. If you want to do it yourself, get the technical specs of the bearing (I put them up on my blog here: burnerscars.blogspot.com/2016/08/sourcing-your-own-porsche-ims-bearing.html) and do a little googling for suppliers. You will find a few companies that will make a suitable bearing, but I'm reluctant to endorse any one supplier just yet.

[@adamflax1321]

EXCELLENT, RIGHT ON.

[@seanbailey8545]

Didn't Porsche bring our an updated IMS bearing in 2017?.

[@cecilnoriega1965]

Here here Burner! Quite a mark up just for a bearing. I enjoyed your lecture and I will probably take your advice. I own a 2001 Boxster S, with 77000 miles on it. I do my own oil changes every 3000 miles , with mobile synth. Knowing what you know and I know it's only an opinion. Would you hold out until the hundred thousand mile mark to change it out or should I do it now?

[@BurnersCars]

Thanks! Based on my experience, I'd be inclined to wait until you need to do the clutch (if it's a manual). However, with an 2001, you might have a single row bearing. Those seem to be a bit more problematic. Still, the whole thing seems to be much less of a problem than the sellers of the aforementioned over-priced kits make out.

[@chrisfrank8413]

Best indicator of an impending failure/bearing going bad is ferrite particles (iron based-(magnetic)) in the oil supply and you'll find them embedded in the oil filter. these are pieces of the ball bearings and races shedding off as they pit and roughen up. Normally you'll find black dust sized ferrite on your filter magnets (more on that in a sec.). once you start seeing shinny ~1/2mm flat particles that are attracted to a powerful magnet, your bearing is on it's way out. To see this, get these- lnengineering.com/oil-change-bundle-configurable.html , lnengineering.com/products/other-watercooled-stuff/billet-oil-filter-cutter.html , and lnengineering.com/products/other-watercooled-stuff/filtermag-ss300-for-use-with-our-spin-on-filter-adapter.html then check the drain plug magnet and inside of your filter for the larger pieces every 6 months or at every oil change, which ever is sooner. Change it out with your choice of a replacement part, considering the rollers, make your choice. i went with a RND Roller, just my preference. Make your own, informed choice, When you see the shinny particles or when you change the clutch, which ever comes first.

[@tmorrow4119]

Now that pelican offers a single/double kit for the 185 and in stock would it move it to the top of your list? PEL-IMS-1

[@BurnersCars]

I think it would be up there... IF I had a Porsche with a single row IMS bearing roughly 01-05... For the earlier cars with a dual row IMS... the Pelican Parts kit requires you to replace the dual row with a single row and spacers. Otherwise, it seems like a good product. I'm planning on getting a review up on the Pelican kit, soon.

[@cheepGeek]

Good choice. I would have chosen the same thing, except the previous owner installed the LN dual row just before I bought my 2001 Boxster S. He bought into the hype. He also had a lot more money than me :( Can you share where you sourced your bearing? Also, are you going to update your flange to the latest rev?

[@BurnersCars]

I think I'll write a blog post about the details of sourcing a bearing since there seems to be a bit of interest and it's a little complicated. Updates soon!

[@BurnersCars]

Oh, and yes, I'm updating the flange to the latest rev. I'm glad I am, too. The new seal design looks far superior!

[@protectandswerve]

I'm considering a 996 C4S with only 23K miles... Obviously not driven much. What is the newest news / best option for this now?

[@BurnersCars]

For a low mileage valuable engine, like yours, I think I'd probably go with the LN's IMS Solution (This is a pretty new product that completely eliminates the bearing). It's an expensive fix, so I wouldn't put it on a high mileage 2.5 Boxster, but for your C4S, definitely worth looking into.

[@protectandswerve]

Thank you Sir. I haven't purchased the car yet. Actually considering a996 Turbo instead. More power and Mezger engine with no IMS issues anyway. But I appreciate the reply in case I go back to the C4S decision.

[@BurnersCars]

Interceptor1255 Happy to help! The turbo is brilliant if it's in your budget!

[@protectandswerve]

Burner's Cars budget? What is that? Lolol

[@victormorris986]

Where can you buy that bearing hybrid bearring

[@Elizebeth20]

Where did you get the bearing?

[@chrisfrank8413]

You missed the RND SSF Roller option. Where did you source the bearing? After opening my Dual row stock bearing after the mechanic changed to the roller, i found one row of ball bearings completely pitted, and a 3/4" line on the inner race equally pitted on one row, a 1/2" pitting on the other. I recommend a roller, Ball bearings don't have the load capacity, and the lateral loading is provided for in the design.

[@BurnersCars]

Truth be told, I didn't spend much time on the roller options. They were just a bit too far from the original design for my comfort. How long have you had your roller bearing installed?

[@chrisfrank8413]

Only for about a month, but i don't like the ball bearing for this design. As long as the vertical load is accounted for, rollers should be a better fit, i think. I've heard of the magical LN bearings failing after only 20k miles. Takes the whole engine with it. We'll see how this roller holds up, like you said, engines are only 3-4k. Cheers!

[@Apexjuha]

+Chris Frank "Ive heard". ... where did you hear this from?. Charles Navarro of LN Engineering told me they have never had a double row fail. It is very important that if you spread dirty rumours you can prove them and give a reference!

[@Apexjuha]

Rollers have a higher capacity radially but they also have a tiny bit less friction compared to deep grooves. With radial load a typical friction factor for a deep groove is 0.0015, double row deep groove 0.0024 and for rollers 0.0011 [SKF General Catalogue 2005 ]. Friction turn to heat. But one could think that the oil temperature dominates here. But a question is raised: Why does the bearing overheat in the first place (raceway damage is usually sign of that). Oil level? The other option is that the surface treatment of the raceways is not homogenuous from bearing to bearing... quality control. My original was made by NSK. Then there is also the theory (by e.g. Pedro) that the oil trapped gets acid.

[@chrisfrank8413]

It's not a 'Dirty Rumor'. What he told you was that there has never been a failure when installed at thier one shop, with cherry picked Engines that exhibit no problems what so ever. There bearing has had many failures. rennlist.com/forums/996-forum/869599-ln-engineering-ceramic-ims-bearing-failure-at-30k-miles.html , forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-996-997-991-forum/731825-ln-engineering-intermediate-shaft-bearing-failure.html, another had a LN bearing failure at 20 k miles. Don't believe the hype, and look into roller bearings... lol

[@jmh3455]

Where do you buy a ceramic ball bearing for a 996???

[@javierclift9991]

Where did you locate the hybrid ceramic bearing? Very good Intel. Thank you for you opinion.

[@BurnersCars]

Thanks! I've been slow to provide specifics because it is such a divisive issue, but hopefully this helps: burnerscars.blogspot.com/2016/08/sourcing-your-own-porsche-ims-bearing.html

[@waiting4aliens]

Part number of the ceramic bearing please? good video, thanks.

[@BurnersCars]

Sorry for the late reply! If you haven't found it already, I give the details (and warnings) toward the end of this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIKWZHyuf7-ka5Y

[@KosmicHRTRacingTeam]

Is this a DIY type of service?

[@americancitizenlincoln5919]

where and what do I get the ceramic bearing you are taking about?

[@BurnersCars]

I'd recommend talking to different bearing manufacturers and finding one who you trust. You can have your choice of bearings from most manufacturers for under $200. Here's more info: burnerscars.blogspot.com/2016/08/sourcing-your-own-porsche-ims-bearing.html

[@sagethomashablian9473]

Does anyone know how to tell if i need 1 or 2 rows for my 00 carerra cab?

[@Apexjuha]

Couple of notes! 1) Google "Eisen class act" and research the docs. There is stat. data from the US import cars.. Double row failure rate has been below 1% whereas single row between 4-8% (California even up to 10%). Charles Navarro confirmed me that twinrows actually aren't problem. "2) The double row has a weak point though. It is the center bolt. It is known to fatigue and break. Sometimes it has broken when the bearing has been pulled out. The LN hub has a stronger bolt. 3) Porsche never designed the seals to keep oil in! The idea is maintenence free grease sealing. But it didn't work as planned in that environment and the motor oil does get in and flushes the grease out. IMO the outer seal (facing to clutch) should never be used. 4) There are actually at least two cylindrical options. One by Vertex and the other by someone .. you can get that one from LN too. 5) LN also has a DOF solution. I ended up with LN twinrow with hybrid ceramic, after reading Eisen docs.

[@BurnersCars]

Thanks for the details!

[@chrisfrank8413]

1% Failure rate on the twin row, i just had mine changed on my 2001 S, it had a twin row BUT, it was failing. One row of ball bearings were completely pitted,and the bottom race was rough in a spot about 3/4" long. On it's way to failing.

[@Apexjuha]

+Chris Frank Well, it's life was coming to end. The 1% failure of course relates to a certain time. All engines and parts get older and wear out. But, had it been a single row, you'd already had total loss. I recommend you put the LN hybrid and keep the oil level always near max. and the bearing is submerged in oil.

[@Apexjuha]

+Chris Frank Did you check the spindle bolt? You also say the raceways were damaged. Was the damamge in the center line of the raceways or angled (axial load)? The doulbe row can be theoretically weak in axial load it the inner and outer raceways or not perfectly aligned. In that case only one row carries axial loads. However, in the IMShaft the axial loads are small.

[@chrisfrank8413]

I've had 40 y/o Chevy 350s, and there parts don't just 'get older and wear out' in 55k miles, or even 100k. A 1% failure rate is at least 100 to 1000 times too great, and that's the 2 row!. Replace with Roller, is my theory. The Rollers are just now being installed in greater numbers, so we'll have to wait for their longevity to be proven out, but Ball bearings have had there say, and it ain't good. All wear was vertical and in line with the bottom of the races, on the inner race, ~3/4" on the channel with the bad balls, and ~1/2" on the channel where the ball bearings appeared to still be good. There were small shinny flakes (~1/2 mm being the largest) in the oil filter media, which you could gather by dragging a rare earth magnet across the pleats of the filter media, once you cut the filter open. Very hard to see, but there. Once i installed a Magnetic drain plug you could also see the flakes there. You could easily miss this completely, if you weren't looking for it. Once the bearing was pulled, it looked and rolled as smooth as ever, looked as good as the one here. I could not see anything wrong until i cut the outer races in half in 2 places, holding the bearing in a vice, using a angle grinder with a steel cutting wheel installed. Once in half, the damage was obvious. I used the RND roller as a replacement.

[@meirschwartz8554]

not sure i follow. you are not sharing the information about the bearing you used, and promise to do so in a separate blog? what is the problem to just post a link to the part here ?

[@BurnersCars]

Yeah, you're right. The truth is I'm a bit gun shy. I'm just a regular guy who works on his car. I'm not a bearing expert or anything. If 15 or 20 people buy the bearing I used, one of them will probably fail. When it does, that person will be really mad, and he'll come after me. It's like I'm assuming all the risks of making a kit without any of the rewards. I still intend to post the information but not without a full disclaimer!

[@meirschwartz8554]

you are probably right. the guys at the renallist forum are already slicing and dicing you :( however. as you mentioned, you are just a regular guy showing his point of view, and i think you explain that very clear in your videos.(and if i might add, your point of view is very interesting) there are some people out there that are considered as "professionals" or "experts" and i still take their opinion with respect, and grain of salt. just like i take yours. the difference between you and them, is they are trying to sale us a product. are you trying to do the same? if you post a link to a bearing you found on Amazon or Ebay lets say, and someone decided to you use it, and his engine blows up, that's his problem. you just gave your opinion and showed what you did on your own car from a "regular guy"/Enthusiast point of view. it's not different than posting your thoughts and experiments on one of the porsche forums. that's my personal opinion any way. if you have an intention of selling the bearing thru your blog/website, that that a whole different ball game.

[@BurnersCars]

I'm growing a little more confident. Still not sure I want to take the plunge into the shitstorm... but hopefully this will help: burnerscars.blogspot.com/2016/08/sourcing-your-own-porsche-ims-bearing.html

[@dcc460ut]

Please let us know the name of Ceramic bearing. or at least send me a message . I have a 1998 Boxster with a very low mileage so I need it to change the IMS one day.

[@waltheisenberg5620]

Can I ask where you sourced a dual row sealed ceramic hybid bearing?

[@BurnersCars]

I've been reluctant to share specifics (as I explain here burnerscars.blogspot.com/2016/08/sourcing-your-own-porsche-ims-bearing.html). But I'm starting to get worn down, so I think I might provide specifics (with many many disclaimers) in the near future... let's say, a week from now?

[@waltheisenberg5620]

Thanks. That would be helpful to us dual row owners. Of course you would not be responsible in any way. It would be a "duplicate at your own risk" thing. Just to get your opinion, I am working with an eBay seller who currently has the LN Engineering singe row solution kit for $1499.95 including shipping which $265 plus tax less than what LN sells it for on their website. They appear to be a drop shipper so the kit ships from the LN Engineering supplier. Volume sellers have access to deeper discounts per unit than the public from LN and that is confirmed directly from LN Engineering. He is able to get the dual row solution kit for the same price. Would you do it at 1,499.95? There are many who have done the single row solution kit and have no reported issues so far unlike the ceramic bearing.

[@BurnersCars]

I like the LN solution. I think its superior to any bearing. It's still kind of new, but it claims to be the only permanent solution. If you're willing and able to spend the money, I'd seriously consider it. Of course, I think you have to do a cost benefit analysis based on your particular engine. If you have a well maintained, low mileage engine, it probably makes sense. On the other hand, if you have 100k on your engine, you may need or want to rebuild the engine in 50k miles. In that case, it probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

[@waltheisenberg5620]

After months and tons of research on this topic, I’ve decided against any type of ball or roller bearing and instead ordered the dual row solution plain oil feed kit today for a more reasonable $1276 from www.importecwarehouse.com. Many sites are deeply discounting the solution kits and I'm guessing it’s due to it not selling as quickly as the LN ceramic upgrade bearing due to lower initial cost. My reasoning for the oil fed plain bearing solution is, 1. a plain bearing is what’s at the other end of the IMS shaft and 2. I do not like the ceramic upgrade with the flange side seal removed. Consider it's splash fed and that any circulating debris in the engine, even smaller particles, can enter between the balls and race and cause accelerated wear or even failure. There are number of already documented failures with the ceramic bearing on Reenlist and other Porsche sites. My take is if you are not going to do the solution due to cost and you're not keeping the car long term, install a sealed ball bearing like Burner and Porsche did and change it out more often. Don’t rely on clutch replacements as the clutch could easily outlast the bearing. True my car has 102k however I plan to keep it indefinitely. Even if I do a preventive rebuild at say 150k-200k, the IMS should still be usable or hopefully LN will offer the kit’s components a la carte and I will just replace the bearing and flange.

[@samt4186]

you also can make the puller to pull the bearing out easily with average tolls sitting around in garage . no need to pay 350.00 for a puller ... another scam to steal your cash...

[@blakechesbro3602]

Why would you not provide us with the part number on the 200 dollar ceremic berring ?

[@Steviee8]

Obviously if your original bearing lasted 90k+ then sticking to the stock one or ceramic one that you found should be good enough. I think the IMS got a bad rap since it was I think like in only 2% of the many cars they made. It could've been a bad year or day at the bearing plant or something stupid or it could've been that some people using crappier oil. Like taking it to their local oil shop and being sold Dino oil and not synthetic like they were told. Who the heck knows. My 03 996 came with Pedros DOF (previous owners engine blew up at 30k luckily under warranty. And Porsche replaced the engine. The owner decided to put the extra insurance into a DOF. ) lucky for me but I'm sure the price I paid was a little on the high side but I looked at it as a little insurance for me. Which brings me to one point, if and when ever go to sell it a 800 DOF might get you a better price in the end. Just saying. Thanks for the videos. I really enjoyed them and now subscribed to your channel.. Peace!

[@arensel84]

Steviee8 there's KZbin vids showing 90k plus miles cars having IMS fail.

[@Steviee8]

arensel84 oh. I did not know that. I wonder what the percentage is compared to engine miles. Good to know. In that case I would've spent the extra 800 for DOF while I was in there. Especially if I could do it myself. (Helps on resale value as well) thx for the info

[@davidkasserra184]

So what bearing did you go with in the end?

[@BurnersCars]

I talk about it toward the end of this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIKWZHyuf7-ka5Y. I've buried the info in a video, so you have to sit through the disclaimers 😂

[@davidkasserra184]

Cheers. Great videos. Waiting for some new ones on maintenance.

[@Chitown388]

This video speaks to concern of many. Thanks for that. Does anybody know if this IMS problem affects a 2008 987.1?

[@dansokyrka8803]

As far as I've researched Porsche changed the IMS bearing issue in 2009 or late builds in 2008.

[@neilanderson891]

So, you chose your own $200 ceramic ball-bearing solution? What about installation labor charged by your Porsche dealer? Did the work yourself? How long did it take? Why not give some details on your chosen solution? How many hours did you put into your research? Can't you sell your research (including details on your chosen solution) for $25 a pop? Seems to me a successful solution might be worth more money than you think: your used "96,000-mile engine" is worth $3,000 to $4,000 because it has an IMS problem that overwhelms all other risks. Any fix that demonstrably resolves "the IMS problem" increases the value of your used "96,000 mile engine substantially. How much does "substantially" mean? --> Well, what's the value of a 2009 engine with 96,000 miles on it? That's a good proxy. The real problem is that no one can know for sure that there is a "fix" at all. Figuring out which fixes are good, and which are best, requires a large survey of owners which would probably mean that Porsche Club would have to sponsor it. I don't think Porsche dealers want to admit there was ever a such a problem ... they prefer to say it's just an urban legend. BTW, I have a '007 911 C4S, and an '06 Boxster S. Love 'em both.

[@GregKerr301]

can you link us to your solution?

[@GregKerr301]

Help.. lol

[@TheMikesylv]

well done

[@BourneAccident]

What about the pressure differential created in the IMS? That is the cause of the problem in the first place whereas it forces grease out of the bearing. Check out James P on YT. He drills two diametrically opposed holes in the IMS to isolate the bearing from this process.

[@BurnersCars]

Just when you think you've heard every theory... I searched James P, but couldn't find the video. Do you have a link? It sounds interesting.

[@BourneAccident]

One more thing. I am not exactly correct when I said that the pressure differential forces grease out of the bearing. What actually happens is that the air in the IMS get heated and forces out through the bearing seals. When the engine cools, a vacuum is created within the IMS and it sucks some oil into the bearing, which in turn dilutes the grease, which in turn allows this thinner grease to be spun out of the bearing during operation, thereby drying up the bearing. If that's not bad enough, it also traps oil in the process, the oil becomes acidic and corrodes the bearing itself. That's why the cars with low mileage that sit in garages are particularly in danger... like my car. My engine hasn't blown up yet, but I am considering Pedro's solution to lubricate the bearing. My only concern is whether or not the IMS fills with oil and causes other problems like rough idle, etc.

[@TrailVapor]

Value rigidity-a demon

[@DavidTorres-hs6hd]

Burner buy both LN and Pedro oil feed. peace of mind I think.