You have the IMS update and the IMS retrofit confused... The UPDATE REQUIRES engine disassembly and IMS shaft mods to employ the HD bearings. This is a fully tested and developed unit and is employed in ALL our engines as standard equipment. It is THE ULTIMATE answer to the IMS issues and is what Porsche should have done from the beginning.

The IMS RETROFIT is the only arrangement that allows the bearing to be replaced with the engine in the car and assembled. I have not complete the testing for this unit as of yet, so it is not currently available. ***This unit can only be applied to the later 3.2, 3.4 and 3.6 engines that were equipped from the factory with a single row IMS that was designed to be changed with the engine in the car***

The IMS update and IMS retrofit are not the same products. They do not share the same components- to facilitate the swap-ability in the car compromises on bearing size was necessary when designing the IMS retrofit.

Its not smart to tear down an engine just to swap the IMS to the UPDATE unit as a preventive measure. When we go inside, we go 100% ALL THE WAY and apply every update we have. We can't afford to do any less.

The IMS retrofit was designed as a preventive measure that could be executed easily without full tear down necessary.

So Jake,

What year late model 3.2 are we talking about that can receive the IMS retrofit?

Also, did Porsche design the later engine blocks so that an IMS fix was possible without pulling the engine? Quote; "were equipped from the factory with a single row IMS that was designed to be changed with the engine in the car". If thats true why didn't Porsche just fix the original problem instead of designing an easy way in?

Put me down for one!

I've already ordered my filter adapter from the LN site...just changed my oil before "mothballing" the car for the winter, but will install come spring anyway. My oil is changed every 2-3k miles, but any insurance is valuable.

Thanks Jake and Charles...you keep my interest peaked.

Actually this is unclear. The 996 3.4 engines saw the single row bearing as early as 1999, while some 3.2s as new as 03 or 04 that should have had the single row unit did not. It seems that Porsche used what they had on hand to build what had to be built and there are no definitive times when changes were made.

Removal of the IMS bearing retainer is necessary to verify which unit is in the engine. If the retainer is pulled and a circlip is present, the engine has a single row bearing which is removable and can accept the IMS retrofit unit as a preventive measure. The parts can then be ordered from us and overnighted to you along with the install tool and DVD to walk the installer through the process step by step..

If the retainer is pulled and no circlip is present the engine has a double row bearing and you are stuck with full disassembly and can only use our IMS UPDATE.

We will be shooting an explanatory video on this at the end of the month and will upload it to youtube to assist owners with determining what unit they actually have.

Yes. Prior to this change they were "eating" complete engines when the IMS even partially failed while under warranty. The design change was made to savemoney as only a technician's time to swap the bearing was needed, not a full blown engine swap.

$$$$$$$$$$$... Anothger instance of German Accounting trumping German Engineering in todays world.

And the single row bearings are the units that are failing most because Porsche took away a tremendous amount of load bearing surface when going to a single row bearing.. Its an instance of what was best for Porsche while the car was under warranty, without much consideration of what would be best after that time..

So a single row bearing was employed so it would be easier to change.. But the bearing features LESS load capability.

Jake Raby
www.flat6innovations.com

Jake, the double row bearing is much less prone to failure, isn't it? What is the incidence of failure of the double row vs the single row?

i would be interested. what model of mobil1 filter is used with this adapter? :dance:

I won't touch that one with a ten foot pole.. as soon as I did some statistician would jump in and start a war. I am doing my best to stay away from percentages and any absolute statements concerning failure rates.

Jake,

Thanks for the reply to my questions, I think you've cleared up allot of the questions we all had of what the problem is and your fix. I can't wait to see the video on how to determine the unit that's installed. By the sounds of it do you really think that this is a DIY? For accessibility I'm sure the trans will have to be dropped because of the IMS retainers location just below the RMS, right? If that's the case, I'd say that's well beyond DIY for some.

There isn't a lot thats DIY on these cars... RThe video will be part of our training reference material for our program thats designed to help independent shops successfuly work with these engines. Enthusiasts can also benefit from some of the info, so some of it will be shared online.