Replacing your IMS yourself - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

truegearhead · 08-29-2011, 11:15 AM

I'm thinking about doing the IMS bearing upgrade myself, I've done engine swaps and clutch jobs before but never on a car I'm making payments on. I really hate doing big jobs on a car my bank owns, but I don't hate it as much as I hate $3,000 dollar labor bills. After reading the Pelican DIY on transmission removal it doesn't look so bad. Those of you that have completed the job is it that painful, or just a lot of wrenching? What do you guys recommend me buying to complete the job? I think my car has a new clutch in it, its got 80,000 miles and the clutch is rock solid with a release point right off the floor so I was only going to replace the disc itself.

Jager · 08-29-2011, 05:28 PM

Give yourself a couple days to do the work. You will not know for sure what bearing you have (single or double row) until you remove the flywheel. Here was my adventure [url]http://www.986forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28694&page=1&pp=20&highlight=ims+replacement[url]

Paul · 08-29-2011, 05:39 PM

Go for it, it's easier than a 944.

I got a complete Sachs clutch set for $335 shipped on eBay. It included the disc, the pressure plate, the throw out bearing and the pilot bearing.

The IMS takes less than 30 minutes, in fact I fooled around more with the RMS.

Perfectlap · 08-29-2011, 08:03 PM

Theres a 996 guy on Rennlist who did the job without any previous experience on transmissions. He took step by step pictures. No lift or special tools other than the extraction tool. He also has a 928 so he's probably no stranger to taking things apart for the first time. I think it took him about a week putting in a couple o hours a day.
I'm not sure this a job i'd do to save money. An experienced Porsche mechanic can do it in 6 hours. Well worth it imo

ReallyDirtyThirty · 08-30-2011, 07:15 AM

Truegearhead,

Make sure you factor Miller Lite consumption into your repair timeline and cost estimates. I see it working out like this:

1. For every day you spend doing this repair, you (but mostly I) will consume approximately $18 of Miller Lite.

2. For every $18 (or one day) of Miller Lite you (but mostly I) consume, you will increase the duration of this project by one half of a day.

Under these assumptions I predict it will take about 7 weeks to finish this job and you (but mostly I) will consume around 275 cans of Miller Lite as result of this project. Check my math and get back to me...

Johnny Danger · 08-30-2011, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReallyDirtyThirty

Truegearhead,

Make sure you factor Miller Lite consumption into your repair timeline and cost estimates. I see it working out like this:

1. For every day you spend doing this repair, you (but mostly I) will consume approximately $18 of Miller Lite.

2. For every $18 (or one day) of Miller Lite you (but mostly I) consume, you will increase the duration of this project by one half of a day.

Under these assumptions I predict it will take about 7 weeks to finish this job and you (but mostly I) will consume around 275 cans of Miller Lite as result of this project. Check my math and get back to me...

It's a good thing that you're not a scotch drinker .

manolo · 08-30-2011, 07:53 AM

Its really not that bad. If youve done clutches before, you should be fine. This was my first Porsche clutch and by the end, it ended up being much easier than I thought it would be, theres nothing exotic or special about it being a Porsche, its just a series of bolts that get unfastened and refastened. Make sure you have a triple square socket for the lower tranny bolt and that you have new flywheel bolts as they are one time use. Same goes for the clutch bolts but I think the Sachs kit includes them. I did mine over the weekend as its my daily driver, so I had to make sure I had all parts before beginning. I also did a clutch slave while I was in there, but I also started the whole job because the clutch went out in the first place.

j.fro · 08-31-2011, 02:56 AM

I did the clutch on mine this past winter. If you want some help, PM me.

KevinH1990 · 08-31-2011, 07:03 PM

Truegearhead,

If you decide to do the job, send me a message. I'd like to assist and see if it is something I want to try myself.

jcb986 · 09-01-2011, 05:45 AM

Sounds like you have enough experience to tackle the job. Here is the link to Pelican Parts on DYI for the IMS bearing. Good luck and be sure to keep us informed.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_Tech/14-ENGINE-Intermediate_Shaft_Bearing/14-ENGINE-Intermediate_Shaft_Bearing.htm

JFP in PA · 09-01-2011, 10:38 AM

There is a little too much “mystique” about doing a DIY IMS upgrade; it really is not that bad a project. Yes, it is easier on a lift, but it is also not that bad on the ground. Just be sure you have all the necessary tools, and read everything you can find on the subject at LN and FlatSix’s websites; follow the steps exactly as there are no shortcuts that lead to anything good. Take your time and follow the directions, and you will be fine. Most people that get into trouble skip one or more of these suggestions, those that follow them do not have problems.......

jsceash · 09-20-2011, 01:26 PM

I just finished a clutch IMS and RMS replacment. total time into the project was about 12 hours. I do have a MaxJax lift in my Garage. So this is a definite advantage. The IMS bearing was a single row. It was replaced in about 1 hour maybe a little less. I purchased the bearing from Pelican part along with the IMS tool kit that worked perfectly. In reality the hardest part of the hole process is removing and installing the transmission. Between the bently book and the 101 projects book from pelican the instruction are good.

mallai · 09-20-2011, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truegearhead

I'm thinking about doing the IMS bearing upgrade myself, I've done engine swaps and clutch jobs before but never on a car I'm making payments on. I really hate doing big jobs on a car my bank owns, but I don't hate it as much as I hate $3,000 dollar labor bills. After reading the Pelican DIY on transmission removal it doesn't look so bad. Those of you that have completed the job is it that painful, or just a lot of wrenching? What do you guys recommend me buying to complete the job? I think my car has a new clutch in it, its got 80,000 miles and the clutch is rock solid with a release point right off the floor so I was only going to replace the disc itself.

If it's still a money issue, I just had an IMS/RMS/oil replacement done for $1700.00 from a very reputable northeast Porsche tuner..3 grand is outrageous, if thats what your area is charging..

Dave928 · 09-20-2011, 04:12 PM

$3k is nuts. my shop is spendy and they quoted me only $1500 labor for the job and a little bit for for doing the clutch and bearings at the same time.

jsceash · 09-21-2011, 04:50 PM

truegeargead, If your serious about this this is what you will need 4 good jack stands if you don't have a lift. A floor jack. a transmission jack but that not a requirement the floor jack can be used. Torques bit to T55 combination wrenches 10mm to 19mm plus a 32 MM wrench. I used snapon unversal socket set for most of this. A set of allen sockets or a minimum 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm. I used a blackhawk set with 2" bits. I bought 4, 3-square bit from my local auto parts Federated it cost $10. A set of torques sockets. A torque wrench. The engine support special tool (a 2x4 eyebolt and small turnbuckle). A internal snapring tool good to 55mm. The LN toolkit from pelican and the LN bearing kit. I did not find it that hard as I said before, but I repair printing equipment as a daily job.