People have written lots about the IMS Solution and IMSB. Here's a summary from my reading. It should help put the options in perspective. Please correct anything I may have gotten wrong from my review of bulletin board and web information
IMS Retrofit
- Benefit: Ceramic bearing life much greater than original design; still has multiple wear points.
- Availability: now
- Cost of part: about $650
- Installed cost: $2K to $3K depending if clutch / RMS replaced at same time
- Installers: independent shops, some dealers, DIY
- Reliability: High (dual row - no reported failures; single row - handful of reported failures, rate less than 1%)
- Result of Failure: Major engine damage perhaps catastrophic damage
- Maintenance: inspect at 50K or during clutch / RMS replacement whichever comes first
IMS Solution
- Benefit: New design eliminates many wear points in old design reducing the possibility of failure to almost nothing
- Availability: Unknown (estimates range from Spring 2013 to early 2014)
- Cost of part: about $1500
- Installed cost: $2.5K to $3.5K depending if clutch / RMS replaced at same time
- Installers: Now - Flat 6 Innovations; later independent shops
- Reliability: Predicted to be very high almost bullet proof
- Result of Failure: Minor - engine noise
- Maintenance: none
If you are greatly concerned that the IMSB might fail soon, ypu might want to replace it now with the IMS Retrofit now since the IMS Solution isn't generally available outside of Flat 6 Innovations. In 3 to 7 years, you can decide whether to upgrade to the IMS Solution or stick with the retrofit. If you aren't greatly concerned about a near term failure, but plan to replace the IMSB as a preventive measure, wait until IMS Solution is available. If you just want to get this all behind you now, schedule a IMS Solution job with Flat 6 Innovations.
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