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Jake has been saying beware of the metal impellers for years. So have others whose experiences with the insides of M96 engines is measured in multi hundreds. So who are we to believe, the experienced or the theorizers?
As for the mousetrapness of his "The Solution", recall that the phrase "better mousetrap" may just apply. We probably won't be able to know for another 10 years for sure and even then no one will keep statistics. Only forums that support ancient antique-license cars will come to a consensus.
Maybe all we can tell is it makes sense. More stability, larger bearing surface, used in other Porsche vehicles, lubed with just-filtered oil.
There are those who said the IMS wasn't a big problem, the law suite Porsche is settling says they finally agreed with Jake that, for some years, it really was a BFD.
I've know this bearing and its lubrication system was in development for several years and knew when it was first installed on high HP engines developed in his shop. Several others have tried to productize the same sort of idea (pressure oiled) some with flaws in their design, some without success and some with just a simple failure to pursue the idea once they realized the costs in development and the challenges of support. He expanded the idea of how to lube for longer life with the insight that it was a better bearing that also was needed. Good for him and for all those who try to come up with solutions for us.
How many people do you know are dissatisfied with an engine he built for them? How many product developers come right out and tell you the product isn't for everyone and here are those it isn't right for? Maybe the guy just really has a good reputation.
I've gone through the patent process, it is long, expensive and arduous. Try 2 years and a couple of hundred thousand lawyer dollars and that was with me basically answering all the patent examiners letters and doing all the engineering documentation. (I won.)
And as soon as he does put the details out in public, others will try to sell a product they claim is similar without incurring those expenses/delays. If he comes across as frustrated sometimes, he is entitled.
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