IMS Replacement ?
 

This may seem like a ridiculous question, however, I need not know if the rear bumper has to be removed during the course of an IMS retro-fit ? I have an aftermarket bumper that I am not too keen about having removed (at least not by just anyone), and I want to take steps to ensure that it will be properly handled .

I don't know the answer, but Justin at Auto Engineering is usually helpful in answering these types of questions over the phone: 781-676-7700

I think they can leave the bumper in place, however access is a whole lot easier with it removed.

Because the exhaust system has to be removed, pulling off the rear bumper cover is normal. Leaving it on will actually add time and cost to the job; and depending upon the model year, OEM or aftermarket exhaust, and if the car has an OEM or "styled" rear fascia, pulling it becomes necessary to get the car apart.

Glad you're getting it done JD ! :cheers:

JD

Damage can occur if you leave it in place....my black ceramic coated by pass exhaust has suffered

when are you going under the knife?

Probably not...
 

My indie removed my (aftermarket) muffler with the rear bumper in situ to do my LN update, a factory muffler may necessitate bumper removal due to its larger dimensions.

Sometime in the next month or so . Waiting for good weather and clear roads .

Do you have any tranquilizers that I can have ?

I have stock body parts. But did not have to remove any body part to replace the exhaust system. With the two "U" shape pipes removed and the four bolts from the muffler mount on the end of the transmission it dropped straight out. It was snug coming off but allowed good access installing the new exhaust. As for the IMS bearing I did not remove any body parts, to take the Transmission down either. I did remove the entire exhaust first. With the exhaust mount off the transmission there was a foot of clearence to go back with the transmissinon and drop it down.

I did not remove the rear bumper when I replaced my IMS bearing. Stock muffler was one of the first things I removed.

chiming in a little late, as it was mentioned it depends on whether or not you still have your original bumper and how low your aftermarket bumper cover extends. If it is shorter than stock then there is a chance to get the muffler out without cover removal and if you have an aftermarket muffler then most likely they will not have to pull the cover.
Glad you decided to get it done. In the last few months I have replace a lot of IMS bearings and so far the ration is that about 50 % were going bad, even though there were no visible signs of it.
luck

Harry,
I wish that we lived closer so that you could do the replacement for me ! :)

When I did mine I also very much wanted to leave the rear bumper / fascia on, I quickly discovered while a PITA, removing it was going to make things overall MUCH easier. And it did. Have the shop use blue painters tape on all the fascia seams upper and lower, should help to minimize harming the paint during R & R. All this while I had a B & B exhaust which is small compared to stock. Good Luck JD.

I replaced my muffler to stock. It was a pain and such a tight space to wiggle things in there. In the time you waste trying to deal with the space constraints you are better off taking the rear bumper out. It is so easy even a caveman can do it! :troll:

JD..If your looking for someone close in your area, I highly recommend

Musante Motorsports | Porsche Service & Repair in CT

There in South Windsor, Ct..Customer service was excellent..I drove up and spent the day at the nearby shopping mall (they brought me there). By mid afternoon they had installed a LN IMS bearing, RMS seal and I was off..$1600! Great shop and highly knowledgable guys..

Wow, did you say $1600 ? Did they put your engine back together for that price ? That's incredible ! :confused:

Ok, $1659+tax=$1764.89

This also included 7 qts Motul 5/40 and oil filter..I was there at 8am and left by 4pm..Ask for Chris.

So if you deduct about $900 for the lns ims, about $200 for the oil change plus cost of rms seal that leaves about $500 for labour approximately. That is an amazing price and quick service. I have been quoted more than 2X that amount incl. clutch work. Gosh I wish I lived closer!Raby /LN engineering down in North Caroline(?) wants $3500 incl. clutch work. Good on u. And comes with a great recommendation.

That's impressive . Come to think of it, I believe that Overdrive had his done there also.


p.s. Only 7 quarts of oil . Where are the other 3 to 4 ? :)

Hah! Nothing gets by you! It took 9, I brought 2.
:)

I must say, $1600 is a pretty attractive price. Most of the quotes that I've been given have been around $2200-2300 . Also, Musante has an excellent reputation to boot .

Just the bearing and RMS? You don't want to replace the clutch and flywheel?

So what is "a lot" of IMSRs?

How many were replaced as a result of "just wants to" and how many because of some noise or diagnostic sounds?

I ask because a 50% "bad" figure is so far from what I've been able to glean that I'm wondering how there could be such a difference in our figures.

My vehicle has only 19k original miles . The clutch and flywheel are perfect . Don't jinx me Jagermeister ! :)

The statistical failure of this bearing can reasonably be set by the manufacture of the original bearing. When NSK made this bearing it was stated that it had a life to failure rating of B10. B10 is a failure rating in that infers that 10 percent of the bearing will fail at that load and whatever number of cycles that it is based on.

So the safe number to say how many of these bearing will fail is 10%. Lucky me, after having mine analyzed, it is in the earliest of stages of failure.

Oh forgive me, I sometimes forget that some on this forum just wash and wax their Boxsters. :) I put 19k miles on my Boxster in the last six months, how do you restrain yourself from jumping into your Porsche and tearing-up the streets??

http://986forum.com/forums/customava...tar14926_1.gif Perhaps its the blonde that's leaning on his shoulder?:D

I just like ogling it in the garage ! Seriously, though, as of the last 2 years or so, my permanent residence has been in a very rural area of Massachusetts . So rural, that the road that I live on is the most god forsaken unmaintained 1 1/2 mile stretch that you've ever seen. For that reason, I was unable to drive it for the last year or so. Fortunately, last summer I was able to find a garage that was close-by that I could rent . This season I hope to drive the Dangermobile all the way to California with flowers in my hair . :)

Now that will be a road trip! I will have a cold beer (or drink of choice) waiting for you when you get here.

I feel fortunate not to have seasons here in Southern California, in fact I was running the Air Conditioning in the Boxster yesterday (mid 70's). I really enjoy driving with the top down or windows down but my wife complains about it messing-up her hair... So on with the AC. :mad:

I don't like messy up my hair either !

JD - I'll make sure I'm not in the Berkshires this spring :). Only 19k miles you must be on a lot of secret assignments. If there is someone that can do this for $1600 while you shop at the mall that's a deal.

Anyway, I did mine with the car exactly 20inches of the ground, I am SO glad I removed the rear bumper. I can see if I could get the car up at standing height I might be inclined to leave it on. Note when I put my bumper back on just wearing a cotton (probably dirty ) sweat shirt put swirl marks in it, np though I buffed it back to beautiful again.

Cheers.

The tranquilizer is in how good you will feel as the work is being performed. One less
thing to have to worry about on your investment !!

Hi Johnny. My mechanic is working on the boxster as we speak. He called me down once he got the trans off. Clutch...toast. IMS....last stages of life. flywheel...toast. He did not habe to take off the bumper. Just the exhaust. It lasted 12 years, 72k miles.

i see you're in PG - where did you take it, if i may ask? feel free to PM if you're reluctant to name names. my guess is ima?

I was going to. But i work in Springfield, Va. There is a place on Backlick Rd called German Auto Group. they're doing the work. It's a little cheaper than IMA. They also picked up my car from my house and are going to drop it off. I'm also getting bilstien HD all the way around.:)