Quote:
Originally Posted by newBgeek
I assume that you mean the additives which neutralize acidity in the oil. As I understand it, oil acidity can turn seals hard and brittle and ultimately cause them to fail. My understanding of IMS failures is that the seal fails allowing engine oil into the bearing. Then centrifugal force does its magic (like the spin cycle of your washing machine) and ejects all the lubrication. Without proper lubrication, bearing failure is imminent.
Jake, my question to you is how is the seal in the LN bearing different than that of the upgraded Porsche IMS bearing? Has the seal design or material changed in different revisions of the LN bearing? Mine is from early last year and I'm wondering which revision I have?
Also, why would you change oil that has only been sitting for 5 or 6 months? Oil is not hygroscopic like brake fluid. Just wondering if you feel that the additives are evaporating or whether it's just to eject the cob webs? I would be very hesitant to dump clean, acid free oil, though I do change oil in all my cars every 5000km (about 3,000 miles). If vegetable oil can sit in your pantry for a year, surely engine oil can do the same in your engine. No?
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The vegetable oil is sitting in an inert container, your engine oil is not. Engines see all kinds of contaminants such as fuel, water, debris from inside the engine, etc.; even with only limited run time on the oil. Some of these contaminants form acids while sitting and can break down both the additive packages as well as the base stock polymers given enough time. The acids formed can also attack critical engine components as well. This is why you get the contaminated oil out of the car before putting into hibernation for the winter.
The LN design IMS bearings only have a seal on the shaft side, the flywheel side of the bearing is open to splash lubrication.