How many have NOT changed IMS bearing on their 1997-2000 Boxster?

[McDuff]

Thanks don330, probably the best advice yet. Just enjoy it. Might just do that starting next weekend!
McDuff

[McDuff]

Thanks essexPorche, I had muscle cars in the 60's but the P 986 is a new animal, and I am learning. Appreciate the kind words. They are a great little car, and fun. The thread is very helpful.

Have heard two answers regarding whether the IMS is an issue for a tip tranny, i guess I'll call my mechanic and get his input.

Thanks McDuff

[Joshnich]

Although not in the years specified in the OPs question, I just had the IMSB replaced with a LNE retrofit bearing. I recently bought my Boxster, a 2004 special edition S that had only 19K miles on it. My intent is to keep the car for some time so for piece of mind it was worth it to me. The crappy thing is that I bought the car used at a Porsche dealer and they had replaced the clutch after the car was traded in. They did not replace the RMS or the IMSB and both proved to be leaking. To be fair, the car was a garage queen and had not been driven much at all so it is possible that the leaking started after the clutch replacement. I put a few thousand miles on it since the clutch was replaced and have been driving it more than likely a lot harder than the previous owner - who bought the car for his wife who, based on it needing a new clutch at 19K, must have learned to drive in it!

In my past I owned a 1995 BMW 540i, which some of you may know had problems with their engines. They were originally built with a Nikasil cylinder lining which reacted to high sulfur in gasoline that was common is some states. The result was total engine failure, not as dramatic as a failed IMSB but certainly not something that you wanted to deal with. There was no fix for this malady other than replacing the entire engine block with an updated one made with Alusil (i think that's right). The point is there really wasn't a cost effective fix. It was all hope and wish. At least with the the IMS on the Boxster there is a fix that is already bringing me piece of mind.

[Retirement Toy]

I have a 2000 base 2.7 Boxster with 98000 miles of which I have put 69000 miles. Always used recomended Mobile 1 oil and changed at 15000 mile intervals. Most of the miles have been put on with 100 or more miles at a time. Run the engine up to 7200 rpm regulary. Have not experienced any trouble other than the normal air oil sensor and mass airflow sensor.
Porsches are built to run!

[southernstar]

Joshnich, if I had your car: a single-row bearing engine with extremely low mileage plus leaks from the RMS seal) I too would have proactively changed the IMS bearing with one from LN Engineering. The situation, of course, is considerably different for the owners of cars with dual-row bearings (which is the subject of this thread).

Since my post a couple of weeks ago I have been able to confirm through the information released by Porsche in the course of the class-action suit, that my engine number and build date (a 2000 MY built in August 1999) was prior to the introduction of the single-row bearing. Yahoo! Previously I had thought that the single row bearing was introduced with the first 2.7 and 3.2 engines and that it was impossible to tell which bearing one had without removal! Consdiering an IMS bearing failure rate of well less than 1% on the dual row (versus 8-10% on the single row), oil changes every 5-7000 km (3000 - 4400 miles) and only 93,000 km (55,000 miles) on the clock of my car, I have ZERO concern about not changing out the bearing until I need to change the clutch, or unless I find any significant metal particles in the filter or on the magnetic drain plug during an oil change in the interim.

What is more, it seems that in this regard I am not alone as most owners of dual-bearing vehicles appear to be taking the same approach. Lets face it, especially when compared to early model year 2000 2.7 and 3.2's, the added reliablity of the dual-row bearing is probably the biggest difference from later 986's.

Brad

[Joshnich]

Sorry I didn't mean to post off topic!

I totally agree that if I had a two row bearing car I wouldn't give it a second thought. But would more than likely replace the IMS in the future in conjunction with a clutch job.

Interestingly, My mechanic told me that he has not seen a two row IMS failure but has experienced many on later model boxsters. His hypothesis is that in addition to the the two rows, the early cars did not have the power of the later models and hence tended to be driven in the higher rpm range facilitating greater lubrication.

Again apologize for the misspost.

joshnich

[Chuck W.]

2001 S with 22,000 miles. Original bearing. Wonder if I have a single or double row.

Edit; I have a single row based on my VIN.

[coreseller]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

97 box 2.5, 112,000 miles. New motor installed at 75k by PO. No imsb swap on the current motor.

I keep hoping the motor will implode so I can put an LS1 in it, but it keeps on purring like a kitten.

You crack me up Randall. Ever notice in the Renegade videos featuring LS motors they gingerly ease off the start and through first gear, shift into second then roll into the throttle, makes me wonder about the torque limits of the Porsche trans-axles.

As others have noted, it's wise to address the IMS bearing when other work is needed in the area. Otherwise, if you're fine playing the percentage numbers which are in your favor, leave it be. If it worries you and the cost isn't too prohibitive, have it done or for that matter do it yourself, it's really not that tough if you follow the procedures.

[V-Rod]

My '99 base is in the shop now getting a new clutch kit, RMS & LNE IMS installed this week. Even though mine has the dual row bearing, I felt it was a piece of mind expense to do it while getting a fresh clutch.

[BDBoxster]

Does anyone know the chronology of single row then double row bearings? I thought single row started in the earliest cars ('97, '98, '99, '00) then double row in 2001 - 2004? AND what kind of bearing (single or double ) did they put in from 2006 -2008 that is called the "largest" bearing and cannot be swapped out without a total engine tear down?????

[southernstar]

According to Porsche factory Technical Bulletins (reprinted on Pelican Parts techarticles under "Boxster Intermediate Shat Bearing Replacement and Upgrade"):

All 2.5's have double-row bearings.
All 2.7's had double row bearings until engine # M 651 12851
All 3.2's had double row bearings until engine # M 671 11237

Thereafter, some engines may still have had the double row bearings due to parts supplies. In addition, if the engines in the above cars were replaced by Porsche (or had the IMS, or timing chain replaced and 'updated' by Porsche) after the single row bearing was introduced, the earlier engine may have the 'updated' single row bearing.

The original single-row bearing apparently continued in use on all 2005 Boxsters and some 2006's when the larger bearing was introduced. Sorry, no engine numbers. In addition, the proposed class-action suit has more accurate numbers from Porsche for which the settlement is intended to apply (it does not apply to double-row bearings).

Brad

[McDuff]

I just spent some time on the phone with a Bosch mechanic. He has been in the Porsche business for a long time, and he told me that he has read about the bearing issue, but has never had to replace one. Good news for a change, and seems to support the 1% comment that few have had an issue.

For what it's worth.

[southernstar]

Sorry BdBoxster, I negelected to answer the last part of your question. The larger IMS bearing from 2006 through 2008 was also a single-row bearing.

[BDBoxster]

Thanks for the info, Southernstar. I guess I'm asking myself why they would use a single row bearing in the last and "larger" bearing? And, there seem's to be a very, very low failure rate???

[jotoole]

2000 2.7 base. build date 04/2000.
96,500 mi
single row imsb per vin list provided on another thread.

[kjc2050]

Where can I find my engine #?

aarrgghhhh... see below. Engine # is on the side of the engine near the sump plate.

[Franco]

1997 with 100,000 KM. put in new clutch, flywheel and RMS last week mechanic said everything else was OK.

enjoy the summer...

[cardiffgiant]

I picked up a 2002 S at the end of the summer last year. I am taking it out of storage tomorrow and then have an appointment to have the LN bearing done the second week of May.

[kjc2050]

Originally Posted by southernstar

According to Porsche factory Technical Bulletins (reprinted on Pelican Parts techarticles under "Boxster Intermediate Shat Bearing Replacement and Upgrade"):

All 2.5's have double-row bearings.
All 2.7's had double row bearings until engine # M 651 12851
All 3.2's had double row bearings until engine # M 671 11237

Brad

Brad,

Thanks. This is helpful. For the uninitiated, understanding your VIN and engine codes can be a bit confusing. Here are a couple of references which should help:

Wikipedia: Porsche VIN Codes

Porsche Club: Understanding Engine Numbers

The 2nd link is to a pdf.

My engine # is M9672167Y01963

To understand this in terms of the info Brad posted, the final 8 characters are the ones which matter - 67Y01963. "67" is the engine type and version; "Y" is the model year: Y = 2000; a 2001 would have a "1" in this position; the final 5 characters are the engine serial number.

Comparing this to Brad's info, my engine preceded the range above for 3.2 engines with the single row bearing. Woohoo!

-kjc

[thom4782]

2001S. Not sure if it's single or dual row. 104K miles. Original bearing. Clean oil filter at last change. Will switch to Motul and a magnetic drain plug at next oil change in 2K miles. Will replace IMSB with IMS Solution when the Solution is available in the aftermarket.