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Originally Posted by Russdawg1
IMS Bearing - Seems to be the big ticket item. My research has shown that on the 1997 year which uses the dual row bearing, the failure rate is a measly 1%. Im willing to take the 99% chance of a Porsche that will function fine, but will be looking to replace the bearing if and when the clutch needs replacing as its $400 or so for peace of mind. Thoughts?
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If the engine made it to 80K - 100K miles on the original IMSB , then the engine will likely make it to around 150K miles when something else will cause the engine to fail.
However, if you simply cannot sleep at night because of worrying about the IMSB, then bite the bullet, spend the money to replace the bearing, and get some sleep.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russdawg1
RMS - This is less important, obviously excessive leaking is bad, but replacing it is only laborious and the seal is like $20. If it is barely leaking or not leaking at all, I am golden?
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You can live with some seepage and a couple of drips on the ground until the clutch needs replacement. Replace only if you find a puddle of oil under the car.
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Originally Posted by Russdawg1
Cylinder liner - Someone had said that this was a problem only in 1998, the first 1997 year, didn’t have this problem, and it was addressed in the 1999 year on.
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Ignore this concern. Only applied to early cars with brand new engines. Any car now will have tens of thousands of miles on it so its not a concern.
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Originally Posted by Russdawg1
Checking for oil emulsion and/or coolant mixing. If I see this, is it fixable? I wasn’t able to find too much on this. All I’m aware of is if I see the mayo of death around the cap, find a new car to purchase.
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Yes, intermix is fixable. The only question is "at what cost?". Sometimes its simply the oil/water cooler (or the seals) that need replacement. Other times, its something major inside the engine. Mayo is good on a sandwich, not so good in an engine (and if found in the engine, skip that car).
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Originally Posted by Russdawg1
Coolant leaking in the back (damp or wet trunk area) - New tank is $600 or so, knock that off the price and still purchase?
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Correct. DIY of the tank is a royal PITA. You'll need the extra $250 for beer during the job and whisky afterwards. And don't have any young kids around during the repair because you will definitely be cussing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russdawg1
Anything else I need to be aware of? Most of my reading has led me to believe that this is a fabulous car other than these problems, which are generally quite expensive and would be extremely deterring if it wasn’t for the fact that it’s labor that costs the most, not the part. I can supply free labor  ! |
There are no cheap Porsche's. Parts AND shop labor are both expensive. Plan on the occasional problem and repair needing to be done and you'll be fine.