My car just passed 100K miles on the original IMSB, clean oil filter every time I check. I'll likely end up changing it for an equivalent bearing when I do the clutch, but until then I will enjoy it without worry.

Do you mean via Mt.Baldy Rd?

Anyone have an ideas when GMR will be open? The official source is saying by tuesday and I found this indicating a bicycle event yesterday- the road must have been cleaned...
I took a look at the gate after attending the CA festival of speed- cant wait to get out on GMR
:cheers:

I purchased my 99 ocean blue metallic with 103k on ODO. Previous owner was still a co-owner of a porsche shop when he still owned it. Since he replaced the transmisison with a rebuilt one ($2,200 worth), he did the IMSB with LNE
since the tranny is already out. At 101k on ODO, the original dual row bearing was still in very good shape. Good I got a 99 instead of the 2001 that I was checking during the time when I’m buying.

not all 2001 have the single row some of them have the dual row installed, you just never know

Yes, I just charge up Euclid and enjoy the views.

If you are a seller just wait for an uneducated buyer to come along and blow off those that are fretting over the IMS :) If you are a buyer just look for one that has already been upgraded (that is what I did) or factor it into the price. You might get a $2000 discount on a $10k or $15k car but most people aren't willing to come down more than 10% so its usually a waste of time.

Here's what I don't get about those who want to run away from the whole IMSB thing...Given the bias most of us share is the pure pleasure of working on our cars, what is so different about the IMSB? We swap motors, do clutches, talk to our cars with our laptops etc. Why is the IMSB so different? It seems like just a weak point in an otherwise excellent mid-engine sports car. You do not even have to remove the engine and the multitude of available fixes, videos etc. should make it a perfect DIY project.

I don't think anyone is running away from it as an issue, but if you have been on this forum for a while the majority of new user at some point will post something like, "I just bought a 986, I'm super excited, but I heard about IMS should I be worried?" It's tiring and annoying, and got old several years ago. I agree with the other posts that called the IMS fix a job you might consider if you are "already in there," but not something you need to rush out and do immediately.

Although I’ve worked on cars for years, I am new to the guitar. Fortunately for me, more experienced guitar players are patient and answer my newbie questions without expressing annoyance. Perhaps musicians are more tolerant than Porsche People. :cheers:

I don't begrudge people for asking questions that have been asked before. But this thread isn't from a new owner, it's a thread about the perception of the IMS issue. I understand why IMS is so scary for new owners. But that's why I was saying I wish IMS wasn't hyped up to be so scary. It is a known issue, but it's not a ticking time bomb, which is what a lot of people act like it is. :cheers:

Perhaps sell your Porsche and buy more guitars? :D

The annoyance (for me) is more with the parade of responses by the same handful of bad actors that purposely play on and reinforce people's fears.

it's all about risk tolerance; a large expenditure of time/money vs protection from 2%-10% failure rate. where it is all blurred by year of car and type of original bearing, failure modes, misdiagnosis, potential failure of new bearing, multiple aftermarket solutions available that address the issue in different ways, etc.

unfortunately, the internet is not a good place for finesse; if you don't have the same level of risk tolerance as me then you are wrong. and there is some hidden (porsche?) economic hoightyness too; if you are unwilling to spend thousands to replace your bearing then you are wrong.

ultimately, i see it as a periodic maintenance item not initially identified by porsche, similar to the 15k oil change interval, water pump, tensioner paddles. further, the high-end cost of which is what, 25% of a new engine, so i, like kram, would rather save my pesos and pay the incremental cost for a bigger engine when/if the time comes. last time i had my transmission off i did not replace the bearing.

PW,
All this "annoyance" goes away by simply closing the 986 Forum which I will do next. I will then go to my shop where I must choose Porsche, guitar or lunch - retirement is a beautiful thing!
BTW, I have enjoyed your postings for many months. I just went through the headlight decision tree which was not as involved as that for the IMSB, but still fun.
Regards
BL

It would be nice to have someone make a plane bearing like Jake's without the oil feed cheap in easy,..

They can't, the design is patented.

Plus a plain journal bearing needs a constant supply of pressure fed oil to keep the two metal surfaces separated by a thin film of oil, otherwise the bearing will fail immediately.

I totally agree that the IMSB issue is overblown. If you are a Wrencher a engine is a engine whether it be a Porsche or Toyota. I read all the hype about this but couldn’t let it scare me from owning one and experiencing it. I have since sold the car after TB, 987 Airbox, and 997T upgrade but would not hesitate to buy another 986/87 if a nice one comes my way.

Porsche would have done that if it were cheap and easy to begin with. Externally feeding oil is the only way to get oil back there since there are no oil galleys drilled in the block.

Jake actually tested what would happen if the oil feed failed by disconnecting and plugging the line, the answer after a prolonged period of running was “nothing”. Oil feed cools and prolongs the life of the plain bearings, but the splash oil mist seems to do a pretty good job in the short term.

Actually the oil film is mostly provided as the shaft is submerged in oil, mist and splashed oil would not be enough to keep a plain bearing alive for too long.

It did during his tests, but no one really knows how long it can run that way.