2003 Boxster S - prevent IMS failure?

[rick3000]

I didn't know there was seal on the IMS. If the IMS seal does leak, can that cause an engine failure?

[Jan67]

Hi,

I know about the porsche extended warranty. Since this is second car for me, i will drive it probably 2000 - 3000 miles à year. Porsche charges 2.370$ for a years extended warranty. I find that too expensive for the use i make of the car. The options i'm looking at now:
- just drive it, see what happens try to gain confidence and try to sleep at night
- try to take some preventive mechanical action, like fitting newer improved RMS and IMS bearing.
- sell the car and buy a BMW

At the moment i'm into the second option

Furthermore i agree on Tool pants comments. It's a pity. If this thing grows much bigger on the internet, Porsche is going to get its reputation damaged. I was planning on driving the 986 for 3 years and then move on to a 987. If i end up with major damage on this 986, my money will be going to BMW or Audi in the future.

Greetz,
Jan

[Tool Pants]

Here is the flange on my 1997. Since my car is so old I have the old style. I stuck a pick under the o-ring so you could see it better. You see a second much smaller o-ring - that goes behind the hole in the middle of the flange where the bolts is.

The seal for the intermediate shaft cannot leak fast enough to damage your engine. It just slowly seeps or drips. But when the bolt breaks off you have a hole in the back of your engine below the engine oil level, and sometimes the oil immediately dumps on the ground. Your engine then sounds like marbles in a can because the intermediate shaft is getting whipped around inside the motor. Then your engine dies and the check engine light comes on.

BTY to replace the bearing the engine is removed and taken apart. You cannot do it from the outside.

[Adam]

Have you checked out a BMW forum? I think there are posts about engine failures with those car too. Particulary the M models.

[Lil bastard]

Originally Posted by Adam

Have you checked out a BMW forum? I think there are posts about engine failures with those car too. Particulary the M models.

Not singling you out, but it seems that whenever there's a discussion about failures, especially design failures such as RMS or IMS, someone will inevetably bring up failures in other marques.

What bearing does that have to Porsche having failures? How does that let Porsche off the hook for something they should have addressed long before now (12 years and counting)?

I could care less how many BMW 'M' engines explode... my concern is that my M96 engine does not ... !!