[Jake Raby]

If the IMS flange was pulled with the tensioners in place, and/or without the crank locked at TDC #1 cylinder the engine must be re-timed.

You must take this seriously as their is virtually zero margin for error.

Even if the engine isn't far enough out of time to experience a piston/valve collision it has definitely seen camshaft timing deviations between the 1-3 and 4-6 banks of cams which will lead to low fuel mileage, poor performance and general lousiness.

This procedure must be done in a progressive manner, the first thing that is accomplished is crank locking for TDC #1 and the second is tensioner removal. If not done in this manner expect issues.

Someone did not heed my warnings last month and ended up with 3 busted pistons.

The IMSR procedure is not difficult, but it must be done in a prescribed manner, which just happens to be the simplest manner as well.

If you found no grease inside the bearing when the seal was removed, then the bearing has worn to stage II and the seal has been compromised, allowing engine oil to wash the grease from it. This would be fine if the seal hadn't been impeding the proper amount of engine oil from finding its way to the balls. To properly inspect the bearing it must be removed and taken apart, worn races can't be seen with the bearing intact. Worn races lead to spalling of the balls which leads to failure.