which ims bearing upgrade

[boxster]

Originally Posted by Jake Raby

They never end....

This has turned into such an interesting thread,I learned so much from this already!
So if I fit the retrofit, do you also suggest I plug the ims shaft or will it be ok with an open shaft? Will the engine be starved of oil when the shaft fills with oil?

[Jake Raby]

Originally Posted by boxster

This has turned into such an interesting thread,I learned so much from this already!
So if I fit the retrofit, do you also suggest I plug the ims shaft or will it be ok with an open shaft? Will the engine be starved of oil when the shaft fills with oil?

Unless you are using the IMS Solution, then no plug is required with any other LN Engineering product. Why? Because the bearing has an inner seal that does a great job of keeping ANYTHING out of the IMS tube. Oil, air, gases (insert laughter here) or even smoke, after the engine explodes!

I have extracted many classic single, dual and Single Row Pro LN IMSR bearings and to date oil has NEVER been found inside the tube of an engine fitted with these. Not once, not ever, and that takes into consideration the removal of the very first IMSR bearing at least two dozen times to check it during development.

The IMS Solution is a different story, as it's journal bearing delivered oil into the shaft, and fills it within seconds after start up of the engine, if the plug is not in place.

In short, follow the directives of the manufacturer of what you are using. Don't try to out smart them, as its the quickest way to shoot yourself in the foot. of course, that only pertains to truly developed products, not those that are cobbled together in someone's garage.

[boxster]

Originally Posted by Jake Raby

Unless you are using the IMS Solution, then no plug is required with any other LN Engineering product. Why? Because the bearing has an inner seal that does a great job of keeping ANYTHING out of the IMS tube. Oil, air, gases (insert laughter here) or even smoke, after the engine explodes!

I have extracted many classic single, dual and Single Row Pro LN IMSR bearings and to date oil has NEVER been found inside the tube of an engine fitted with these. Not once, not ever, and that takes into consideration the removal of the very first IMSR bearing at least two dozen times to check it during development.

The IMS Solution is a different story, as it's journal bearing delivered oil into the shaft, and fills it within seconds after start up of the engine, if the plug is not in place.

In short, follow the directives of the manufacturer of what you are using. Don't try to out smart them, as its the quickest way to shoot yourself in the foot. of course, that only pertains to truly developed products, not those that are cobbled together in someone's garage.

Oh, so if I'm understanding correctly the bearing is only open from the flange side,and it has a seal on the shaft side. So that also eliminates the acidic oil that gets accumulated in the shaft with the original bearing,right?

[911monty]

[QUOTE=Jake Raby;472579]Unless you are using the IMS Solution, then no plug is required with any other LN Engineering product. Why? Because the bearing has an inner seal that does a great job of keeping ANYTHING out of the IMS tube. Oil, air, gases (insert laughter here) or even smoke, after the engine explodes!

Last I looked Air is a gas, comprised of 78% N2, 21% 02 and various other gasses.

The gases in Earth's atmosphere include:
Nitrogen – 78 percent.
Oxygen – 21 percent.
Argon – 0.93 percent.
Carbon dioxide – 0.038 percent.

[boxster]

Originally Posted by Jake Raby

They never end....

I know I might sound stupid and that this has been discussed many times, but what about the ims retrofit bearing together with the oil fed flange from the ims solution? I know you obviously thought about this,but why is it better to run the retrofit on splash oil, would more oil do it more harm than good?

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by boxster

I know I might sound stupid and that this has been discussed many times, but what about the ims retrofit bearing together with the oil fed flange from the ims solution? I know you obviously thought about this,but why is it better to run the retrofit on splash oil, would more oil do it more harm than good?

The LN bearing is designed to work without an oil feed system, and the flange from the IMS Solution will not fit with any ball bearing unit, it is designed to only be used with the Solution solid bearing.

[Luv2Box]

I lay awake most nights worrying about whether or not my license plate light is working.

[boxster]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

The LN bearing is designed to work without an oil feed system, and the flange from the IMS Solution will not fit with any ball bearing unit, it is designed to only be used with the Solution solid bearing.

Oh ok. But my question is, what will happen if you add something similar to the retrofit bearing, will more oil end up doing any harm to it? I'm asking because I was always under the impression that any rotating part works better when it has oil being fed to it. Are ceramic bearing that much different to steel bearings in that just splash oil will do?
What would be the results if you had to compare a normal retrofit installation compared to one that is fed oil, which one would last longest? Most probably Jake has gone through this already,just curious to know what the results will be.

[thstone]

Wow! Been gone a few days and come back to an IMS Battle Royal!

Next week - tires!!!!


(and note to the OP: Remember doing nothing IS a valid option. Many of us have run cars to over 150,000 miles on the original IMS bearings)

[boxster]

Originally Posted by thstone

Wow! Been gone a few days and come back to an IMS Battle Royal!

Next week - tires!!!!


(and note to the OP: Remember doing nothing IS a valid option. Many of us have run cars to over 150,000 miles on the original IMS bearings)

I know, but my car is not used on a regular basis, and since those are the ones that statistically suffer the most,I'm getting really concerned now!!

[thstone]

Originally Posted by boxster

I know, but my car is not used on a regular basis, and since those are the ones that statistically suffer the most,I'm getting really concerned now!!

If its already lasted 72,000 miles, it is HIGHLY likely that it will last quite a bit more.

At your mileage, I'd be more concerned about 15 other things that are more likely to fail in the engine than the IMS bearing.

Have you worried about your cam chain tensioners lately?

[boxster]

Originally Posted by thstone

If its already lasted 72,000 miles, it is HIGHLY likely that it will last quite a bit more.

At your mileage, I'd be more concerned about 15 other things that are more likely to fail in the engine than the IMS bearing.

Have you worried about your cam chain tensioners lately?

Nope I haven't! Thanks for giving me something else to worry about �� what could go wrong with them,should I change them?

[10/10ths]

......stop worrying and start enjoying life.

We are all going to die someday.

You can drive yourself crazy worrying about a meteorite strike, an IMS failure, or the heartbreak of Psoriasis.

Just ship your car to Flat 6 Innovations and have them do for you what they did for me and start enjoying that car and living life.

Just do it.

The sooner you do, the sooner you can sleep at night.

[Jamesp]

Originally Posted by thstone

Wow! Been gone a few days and come back to an IMS Battle Royal!

Next week - tires!!!!


(and note to the OP: Remember doing nothing IS a valid option. Many of us have run cars to over 150,000 miles on the original IMS bearings)

You missed oil.

[Smallblock454]

OK, now i think we need a list what can fail in the engine compartment.

IMS bearing
chain tensioners
chain rails
Lokasil coating in cylinders - seized-up piston
AOS
ignition coils
…

Any other "horror" ideas?

So don't drive your car.

Regards
Markus

[boxster]

Originally Posted by Smallblock454

OK, now i think we need a list what can fail in the engine compartment.

IMS bearing
chain tensioners
chain rails
Lokasil coating in cylinders - seized-up piston
AOS
ignition coils
…

Any other "horror" ideas?

So don't drive your car.

Regards
Markus

All cars have their weak points, if you look at other forums you'll quickly realise that. I'm just gonna change my ims bearing and try not to read any of the other "what ifs" that come up on forums. When I see people driving their boxsters and I know for sure that they know NOTHING about the problems that may arise in their engine I feel jealous of them, a pure case of "ignorance is bliss"!!
Btw, if I remove the green cam cover plugs to lock the cams,why cant I use them again, will they be totally destroyed? I dont feel like running around for what looks like a cheap piece of plastic!

[thstone]

Originally Posted by Smallblock454

OK, now i think we need a list what can fail in the engine compartment.

Here is a short list. These are NOT what-if's. These are real world failures that can and do occur.

Now you know.

Of course, I am not doing this to scare anyone. I'm just saying that there is a lot of other things that can cause engine failure that have nothing to do with the IMS bearing. I'm the guy who has never replaced an IMS bearing in the three M96 powered cars that I have owned and all have gone over 145,000 miles.

M96 Failure List
1. Cylinder D-chunk
2. Cracked cylinder
3. Loose cylinder sleeve
4. Porous engine case
5. Spun rod bearing
6. Rod bolt failure
7. IMS bearing failure
8. IMS gears not fixed to intermediate shaft (press fit failure)
9. Timing chain failure
10. Timing chain tensioner (paddle) failure
11. Valve lifter failure
12. Valve lifter carrier failure
13. Crankshaft failure
14. Cracked head
15. Head gasket failure
16. Oil starvation (high g cornering)
17. Variocam servo failure
18. Blocked oil pickup (excess engine sealant, aka spaghetti)
19. Oil pump drive shaft failure (hex shaft)
20. AOS failure resulting in oil hydraulic lock in cylinders

[Gelbster]

Mr Stone gets us back to the facts.
And the useful extension of these sad facts is to list the solutions/preventative measures.
The dismissive assertions to drive it like the Dr.Ing. P intended ,don't magically solve many of these issues.
The good news is that there are remedies for most of these issues. But to address them is a economically non-viable. I know only because(illogically) I have done most of the remedies. So has Mr.Stone. It is painful.

[boxster]

Originally Posted by thstone

Here is a short list. These are NOT what-if's. These are real world failures that can and do occur.

Now you know.

Of course, I am not doing this to scare anyone. I'm just saying that there is a lot of other things that can cause engine failure that have nothing to do with the IMS bearing. I'm the guy who has never replaced an IMS bearing in the three M96 powered cars that I have owned and all have gone over 145,000 miles.

M96 Failure List
1. Cylinder D-chunk
2. Cracked cylinder
3. Loose cylinder sleeve
4. Porous engine case
5. Spun rod bearing
6. Rod bolt failure
7. IMS bearing failure
8. IMS gears not fixed to intermediate shaft (press fit failure)
9. Timing chain failure
10. Timing chain tensioner (paddle) failure
11. Valve lifter failure
12. Valve lifter carrier failure
13. Crankshaft failure
14. Cracked head
15. Head gasket failure
16. Oil starvation (high g cornering)
17. Variocam servo failure
18. Blocked oil pickup (excess engine sealant, aka spaghetti)
19. Oil pump drive shaft failure (hex shaft)
20. AOS failure resulting in oil hydraulic lock in cylinders

There's also the solenoid, which I have had to replace just after I bought the car,because it was idling rough. That was a BIG expense!!

[boxster]

Can someone please tell me if ill be able to reuse the green cam plugs. I dont think they come with the retrofit so if I dont reuse them ill have to buy them separately,and the agent doesn't even have them in stock!