Yes, Another IMS Bearing Thread but hopefully with updated info....

[elgyqc]

You may have read my thread, at least you are asking all the same questions as me.
My IMS bearing replacement thread.
Another thread that I found more informative and less confrontational than most is this one.
sick of ims bearing
The proof is in the pudding though, I hope I will have the engine with the replaced the IMSB installed in a car in less than a month.

[nuvolari]

Originally Posted by elgyqc

You may have read my thread, at least you are asking all the same questions as me.
My IMS bearing replacement thread.
Another thread that I found more informative and less confrontational than most is this one.
sick of ims bearing
The proof is in the pudding though, I hope I will have the engine with the replaced the IMSB installed in a car in less than a month.

Yes, I've read most of your threads on the IMSB and related info and you are the one who inspired my latest interest in the NSK bearing so thank you for all the info, it is appreciated! How long did delivery from France take? It's very strange that it's so difficult to locate that bearing in the US, if at all. And I had the Porsche part number for their IMSB but now I can't find it and it's nowhere to be found online. Does anyone have the Porsche part number for when they actually sold the bearing? Do they still sell it? I know they didn't at first but did release one in later years.
My car presently has the NSK made in Japan bearing but I'm not sure if or when it was replaced. I think the Japanese bearings are not original but not positive. And my car has 160k miles so it's probably not original. The bearing seems in good condition but there was a lot of old dirty oil inside the IMS when I pushed in the center bolt.

Oh, that reminds me: if I go with the NSK option, I'd really like to replace the center bolt, preferably with one a bit stronger but I can not find anywhere that I can buy this bolt, whether OEM or aftermarket. Does anyone know where to find this?
Grant, have you located this or are you reusing your old bolt?
And it's good to know that the NSK bearing has the proper slot for the retaining ring exactly like the OEM version. Grant is the only one to post this info. I had thought that the groove was probably a Porsche specific modification and would not be on a generic bearing so it's good to know that a $60 bearing is all you need for perfect fitment.

Also, Grant, was there another part number on the box? The part number you listed doesn't seem to fit their normal identifying numbers and the searches in the States (and even on NSK's website) never show any availability so I thought maybe there was another number.

Thanks for the help & info....

[elgyqc]

Originally Posted by nuvolari

Yes, I've read most of your threads on the IMSB and related info and you are the one who inspired my latest interest in the NSK bearing so thank you for all the info, it is appreciated! How long did delivery from France take? It's very strange that it's so difficult to locate that bearing in the US, if at all. And I had the Porsche part number for their IMSB but now I can't find it and it's nowhere to be found online. Does anyone have the Porsche part number for when they actually sold the bearing? Do they still sell it? I know they didn't at first but did release one in later years.
My car presently has the NSK made in Japan bearing but I'm not sure if or when it was replaced. I think the Japanese bearings are not original but not positive. And my car has 160k miles so it's probably not original. The bearing seems in good condition but there was a lot of old dirty oil inside the IMS when I pushed in the center bolt.

Oh, that reminds me: if I go with the NSK option, I'd really like to replace the center bolt, preferably with one a bit stronger but I can not find anywhere that I can buy this bolt, whether OEM or aftermarket. Does anyone know where to find this?
Grant, have you located this or are you reusing your old bolt?
And it's good to know that the NSK bearing has the proper slot for the retaining ring exactly like the OEM version. Grant is the only one to post this info. I had thought that the groove was probably a Porsche specific modification and would not be on a generic bearing so it's good to know that a $60 bearing is all you need for perfect fitment.

Also, Grant, was there another part number on the box? The part number you listed doesn't seem to fit their normal identifying numbers and the searches in the States (and even on NSK's website) never show any availability so I thought maybe there was another number.

Thanks for the help & info....

1 I can't remember how long the delivery took, but it was not more than a week or two.
2 The bearing in my car would seem to be the original and it is exactly the same as the replacement. I would suggest that NSK was the original supplier to Porsche. I have never seen a Porsche part number for the bearing, but if there was/is one it would probably be for the NSK part, like they do for many other suppliers.
3 I used the original bolt. The only sources I found for an updated bolt are the bearing replacement kits. Buy the Pelican kit and just use the bolt, and if you want, buy the new flange from Porsche. I asked in the forum if someone had a bolt after uninstalling a pelican kit, one guy got back to me but then it seems he couldn't find it.
4 The only part number was the one in my post. It is even on the bearing seals (perhaps in abbreviated form).

Thanks for the appreciation of my contribution. I went this route accepting that I was taking a chance, but any replacement has the possibility of going wrong. Good luck with your project... but don't call me if your engine blows up!

[Homeoboxter]

Originally Posted by nuvolari

My car presently has the NSK made in Japan bearing but I'm not sure if or when it was replaced. I think the Japanese bearings are not original but not positive. And my car has 160k miles so it's probably not original.

The factory bearing is an NSK, so probably your bearing has never been replaced.

[nuvolari]

Originally Posted by elgyqc

1 I can't remember how long the delivery took, but it was not more than a week or two.
2 The bearing in my car would seem to be the original and it is exactly the same as the replacement. I would suggest that NSK was the original supplier to Porsche. I have never seen a Porsche part number for the bearing, but if there was/is one it would probably be for the NSK part, like they do for many other suppliers.
3 I used the original bolt. The only sources I found for an updated bolt are the bearing replacement kits. Buy the Pelican kit and just use the bolt, and if you want, buy the new flange from Porsche. I asked in the forum if someone had a bolt after uninstalling a pelican kit, one guy got back to me but then it seems he couldn't find it.
4 The only part number was the one in my post. It is even on the bearing seals (perhaps in abbreviated form).

Thanks for the appreciation of my contribution. I went this route accepting that I was taking a chance, but any replacement has the possibility of going wrong. Good luck with your project... but don't call me if your engine blows up!

Originally Posted by Homeoboxter

The factory bearing is an NSK, so probably your bearing has never been replaced.

Thanks for the info and help, guys.

Still undecided on which route to go regarding the IMSB but the time is rapidly approaching as I get ready to travel back to Nashville where the car is located. I'll post info about the IMSB once back there and I get it out. I was having trouble using the pilot bearing remover that many people have used but I suspect they were removing the single row bearing without the hidden lock ring. I'll fashion up a bearing puller once I get there, pull the bearing and see the condition. The old bearing didn't have any obvious damage or problems other than the gush of old, dirty oil that came out of the center opening from the IMS. Hard to believe that it's lasted 160k miles but maybe Porsche weren't so out to lunch when designing the M96.

I am leaning towards the new NSK bearing although with all the support items needed, it may not be the deal that it first seems as I may also need the Pelican bearing kit (for the center bolt) and possibly a new Porsche flange. With all that added, I'm up around $500 which gets me into EPS roller bearing range.

More research and thinking still needed, I'm afraid....