Can u help me make a decision.... - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

recycledsixtie · 02-08-2012, 05:35 AM

on whether to go ahead and get the ln ceramic ims, new rms and clutch job done on my 2001 Boxster base. Mileage is 38k. Symptoms are: oil on rear of engine but no oil drips on garage floor. Rubber smell coming out of engine vents after I shut engine down(clutch?). It passes the clutch test in 3rd gear, park brake on , 2000 rpm etc and engine stalls, clutch does not slip. However there is a slight judder when going from rest and accelerating in 1st gear. I have had the ims guardian installed and no problems yet with the motor. I intend on keeping this car for at least 5 years so I dont mind spending the$$$$ on it. The downside of not doing anything is I would think is : destroy clutch and flywheel eventually and later more $$$$. Do I need to get a 2nd opinion on whether there is sufficient oil on rear of engine to justify rms, ims done? I will go along with what the majority of u say on whether to do it or not. Two separate quotes for the work done in this part of the world $3500!

Otherwise everything else is great

ryanwise · 02-08-2012, 06:38 AM

I was part of a recent discussion on this very topic. So not to start another do it---don't do it thread..........but my opinion is if your worried about it and your going to keep the car.......then have it done. My clutch engaged fine, and I had no oil leaks also............but at 62K miles, and keeping the car, I had it done. The clutch plate had about 10% of the material left until the rivets would have scored the flywheel. To me, I did an inevitable clutch replacement and saved the approx. $800-$900 for a new Dual mass flywheel plus I now dont worry about the bearing. Total cost was about $2500.

san rensho · 02-08-2012, 06:43 AM

If you have a significant leak, I would go ahead and replace the clutch, IMSB and the RMS. With the low mileage on your car, you have a good chance that you can save the flywheel (which is very expensive) at this point, but if the clutch starts to slip, there is a much higher chance that you will have to also replace the flywheel. Whenever you have a leak, it's best to replace everything in there, clutch, RMS IMSB, because if you cheap out, you could very well have to go in there again which involves a very expensive transmission removal.

The burnt rubber smell could be unrelated. The cam covers on these cars are notorious for weeping oil, which falls on the catalytic converters and burns, so I would check that out.

Jager · 02-08-2012, 05:32 PM

One thing to consider... Will you be taking long road trips? Your IMS Guardian will notify you if you have a problem but if you get an alarm far away from home (IMS replace/maintenance shop) it could cost you much more money.

thstone · 02-08-2012, 09:11 PM

If you have the money and the IMSB is worrying you, replace it and sleep better. If you're not really worried, then rely on the Guardian and spend the money on a PSS9/suspension upgrade. Then re-visit the decision on the IMSB when your clutch finally does need replacement.

Paul · 02-09-2012, 07:23 PM

I'd wait for the clutch to fail since your flywheel's rubber hub is probably out of spec due to its age so there is no reason to worry about saving it.

Bmod986 · 02-09-2012, 08:49 PM

My boxster has the same symptoms as yours but mine has 114,000 miles and counting. I haven't done that 3rd gear test but i feel my clutch still has some life to it and it doesn't slip except for that gitter like motion starting to move from first gear as you described it. And i don't have the IMS gaurd. My leak was located on the passenger side of the engine which led me to belive that one of the spark plug tubes was no good.

I already did the major service with new tubes and will look at the engine when i take off the wheels sometime soon to see if my theory was right. But i do get that burnt rubber smell. also i checked my filter and it was super clean so that means all the metal has completely shaven or the ims is still good.

In my case ill wait for the clutch to go and then do all those changes along with the ims. But I don't worry too much because if something were to go wrong well I would part my baby and use that money for another boxster. In the end i think that would be a cheaper solution then doing and engine rebuild or the ims change too early. But then again we do grow attached to our cars and it is always sad to see something go wrong that we could have avoided.

So in your case your car is still quite young and the best thing to do is what will help you feel safer. If you feel that not changing the ims will cause you to have horrible nightmare about a dead boxster then change it, otherwise wait for the clutch as thstone said. That is the best advice I can think of. Good luck.

recycledsixtie · 02-10-2012, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bmod986

My boxster has the same symptoms as yours but mine has 114,000 miles and counting. I haven't done that 3rd gear test but i feel my clutch still has some life to it and it doesn't slip except for that gitter like motion starting to move from first gear as you described it. And i don't have the IMS gaurd. My leak was located on the passenger side of the engine which led me to belive that one of the spark plug tubes was no good.

I already did the major service with new tubes and will look at the engine when i take off the wheels sometime soon to see if my theory was right. But i do get that burnt rubber smell. also i checked my filter and it was super clean so that means all the metal has completely shaven or the ims is still good.

In my case ill wait for the clutch to go and then do all those changes along with the ims. But I don't worry too much because if something were to go wrong well I would part my baby and use that money for another boxster. In the end i think that would be a cheaper solution then doing and engine rebuild or the ims change too early. But then again we do grow attached to our cars and it is always sad to see something go wrong that we could have avoided.

So in your case your car is still quite young and the best thing to do is what will help you feel safer. If you feel that not changing the ims will cause you to have horrible nightmare about a dead boxster then change it, otherwise wait for the clutch as thstone said. That is the best advice I can think of. Good luck.

Thanks, I have sent u a pm. Cheers

milliemax · 02-10-2012, 02:51 PM

I talked to another 986 2001 owner the other day and asked him about his problems. His responce was, "No problems ever since new. About to have a 135,000 mile service. Never heard of a IMS ???? , just regular maint. at the dealership". Daily Driver !!! . My P car has 92,000 miles on the original clutch. I do have a slight "Gitter/jutter/shutter when in 1st gear at stop/go. I would never subject this car to a "clutch test" as this test is a serious harming "friction'' test that results in taking away 5 to 10k miles of the life of your clutch if not more. Why would you ??? I am thinking about selling my car. At my age, I would like a "Cordoba" as I need to slow down a bit. Max

Brockmeister · 02-10-2012, 03:49 PM

I have '99 base with 72,000 on the clock. I've decided to go IMS, Clutch, RMS now as opposed to later. the clutch may go to 90k or more, but I don't trust the IMS. good bye tax money....

WhipE350 · 02-10-2012, 07:59 PM

If it helps you enjoy the drive more then do the IMS. You already spent the money to put on the Guardian to keep you safe, are you having doubts about its ability? I just did the full IMS/RMS/Clutch at 57k and all was good, only slight oozing of RMS. Try to isolate exactly where the oil is coming from, clean things up and drive for a few weeks. My oil issues were from the oil fill tube. After looking closely at the design and setup of the RMS I would think a lot are oozing enough to make it out and cause visible oil residue without actually dripping on floor. Odds are you'll open everything up and clutch will be fine, IMS fine, and RMS weeping a small amount.

In the end if you do decide to do it then shop around, I've seen some folks report they got a shop to do all 3 for < $2,000.00, not a bad deal.

Topless · 02-10-2012, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milliemax

I am thinking about selling my car. At my age, I would like a "Cordoba" as I need to slow down a bit. Max

Perish the thought Max. One of the top Porsche drivers in SoCal is 74 and drives the snot out of a fully prepared 81 911 race car.

recycledsixtie · 02-11-2012, 05:55 AM

I get the general impression that there are a lot of people who replace their ims out of fear that it might fail and destroy the engine. Yes I can understand their doing that because the results can be devastating. Conversely with the ims guardian installed, I feel that I cant justify spending $$$$ at this point just in case there is a chance that the ims might fail. How many threads have I read in these forums that that clutch job, rms and ims were done and found that in most cases the ims was still good. Legitimately there has been a whole new industry founded on Porsche Boxsters' ims failings and fortunately some bright people are stepping in to fix the problem. I know that this subject has been beaten to death but discussion does relieve anxiety and everybody has their own opinion on how to spend $$$ on their Boxster. I think that in the meantime I will keep the $2-3k in the Boxster savings account for when the clutch goes. Then the ims can be replaced. I do appreciate all your opinions.

WhipE350 · 02-11-2012, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by recycledsixtie

...and everybody has their own opinion on how to spend $$$ on their Boxster.

Yes on some Recaro Sportster CS Seats

Brockmeister · 02-14-2012, 04:37 PM

Mine's at the shop getting it all done now. '99 with 72k. the flywheel and clutch are TOAST. IMS was on it's last revolutions.......not a moment too soon.

Brockmeister · 02-14-2012, 04:41 PM

Oh, by the way. My clutch didn't slip, sqeal or smell. But when thy cracked it open, the rivets were worn down eating into the flywheel. Other that the action being a liitle high on the pedal, I would have never known.

tonycarreon · 02-14-2012, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brockmeister

IMS was on it's last revolutions.......not a moment too soon.

figure someone will ask soon anyway, so... how do you know? was it leaking/no grease? seal gone? rattle? shakey?

Brockmeister · 02-14-2012, 06:21 PM

Having 3 944's, when the clutch action gets high on the pedal, it usually means that it's time. Or close to it. Plus it rumbled a little in stop & go traffic on the Beltway. I was just waiting on tax money.
To tell you the truth, whenI saw it with my own eyes, I was suprised that the flywheel was breaking down. they said that they could resurface it, but the play in it would make the clutch chatter. Better x dollars now that 2x or 3x dollars 6 months from now.