Scared to Death of these cars !

[lowflyer60]

So, just bought a '01 S this week, looking for info on the IMS problem. What do you look for when you inspect the oil filter?

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by lowflyer60

So, just bought a '01 S this week, looking for info on the IMS problem. What do you look for when you inspect the oil filter?

Little silvery metal flakes and black plastic bits. The metal, no surprise, is from the balls and race disintegrating. The plastic is from the cage (which keeps the balls properly spaced).

I highly recommend replacing your stock oil drain plug with a magnetic one -- LN Engineering sells these. This is another way to capture metal bits ... at least the ferrous ones.

[Perfectlap]

^ and cut open the filter so that you can unroll it. The recent Excellence magazine article on the LN upgrade said that fragments the size of cracked pepper bits are cause for concern. They give the exact measurement of the bits.
Some people wait to change the IMS so that they can do the clutch at the same time. I personally don't think you should wait. Do it now. You may be prematurely changing your clutch but that is only a loss of less than $600 vs. the possible loss of a $10,000 for a new engine.

[willd]

Ok I'm probably alone on this,but what's an IMS?

I read a few posts on it, how important it is etc, but.....what does it do?

[Brucelee]

Originally Posted by willd

Ok I'm probably alone on this,but what's an IMS?

I read a few posts on it, how important it is etc, but.....what does it do?

Do a search. Jake Raby has covered this in great detail.

[extanker]

Originally Posted by willd

Ok I'm probably alone on this,but what's an IMS?

I read a few posts on it, how important it is etc, but.....what does it do?

its a shaft inside the motor....if the bearing it rides on fails it can destroy the motor