LN IMS Bearing - Shoddy Previous Install?

[alexpinson5]

Hey all,

Finally found the time this weekend to drop my 2000 S transmission. As I suspected, I can see a bit of oil on the bottom of the crank where the RMS and crank meet and my clutch fork has zero grease on the two ball sockets which is likely the squeal I hear when operating the clutch at low speeds.

I'm afraid that I've opened a whole new can of worms though - the IMS bearing was replaced in 2021 (~4,000 miles ago) by a reputable indy shop with an LN Engineering bearing. It doesn't appear to be leaking (although it'd be very hard to tell, there was a lot of clutch dust + oil grime buildup around the bottom of the bell housing) but the outermost o-ring doesn't look like it's fully seated. The top left portion is OK, the top right portion is a little loose, and the bottom is completely loose (you can see in the pictures below).

I'm guessing I already know the answer to this, but is this something I need to be concerned about (i.e. replace the IMS while I'm in here, even though it's relatively new in terms of mileage)?

[JFP in PA]

You may not need to replace the actual IMS bearing, but you may want to contact LN and inquire about getting a replacement flange cover. Replacing just the cover requires prepping the car as though you were going to pull the bearing however (engine locked at TDC, cams locked, etc.).

[alexpinson5]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

You may not need to replace the actual IMS bearing, but you may want to contact LN and inquire about getting a replacement flange cover. Replacing just the cover requires prepping the car as though you were going to pull the bearing however (engine locked at TDC, cams locked, etc.).

Thanks, was hoping that was the case over a whole bearing replacement. Further searching shows they sell an o-ring and sealing bolt kit that is pretty inexpensive so I may not even need the flange. I'll reach out to them and see what they say.

[alexpinson5]

Finished up last night. Really took my time, locked the cams, removed the tensioners, all that fun stuff. The bearing seemed to be in great shape (which is what I expected with a relatively low amount of miles on it) so I'm leaving it in.

I was able to get the IMS flange back in without pinching the outer triple-seal like the last installer did. Once my new RMS arrives I can get things buttoned back up and start driving!

[Danimal]

Nice work!