Thanks Jake. Just thought I would ask. I have been listening to the IMS bearing area on my 2000 S for the last 5k miles with a stethoscope. I just purchased the car and it is always difficult to tell a bearing noise from the timing chain moving across the sprockets. The noise hasn't changed after two autocross events and daily driving for those 5k miles. Gathering a new clutch and will be giving you a call to get a bearing and puller soon for piece of mind anyway.

Thanks for developing products to hopefully avoid a possible issue these engines have. I will keep autocrossing and using my porsche like it was intended. 78k and climbing. Have anything against shell rotella synthetic oils? I use it in my turbo 5-cylinder audi and it keeps it nice and clean. Think it will agree with this flat 6?

There is no OEM IMS bearing available from Porsche. What the dealership quoted you was probably a flange reseal, which consists of replacing the seal on the IMS flange - that's why the job looked so cheap. That's it.

There is no part number associated with anything IMS related other than a complete IMS assembly (complete shaft, 3rd revision) OR the flange, seal, and nut. Bearing and bearing support (stud) don't have part numbers, as they were never intended to be replaced.

Can someone educate me on what the roll of the intermediate shaft is or point me to a good link to how the engine is designed.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_Tech/14-ENGINE-Intermediate_Shaft_Bearing/14-ENGINE-Intermediate_Shaft_Bearing.htm

There is also a very good series of articles on it in Excellence Magazine, I think June, July & August of 2010.

After reading the pelican article all it seems one needs to do is check the oil pan during each oil change. If you see metal get the car checked out.

Once it gets to that point I think you are toast....or at least the motor needs to be torn down in addition to an IMS replacement. Metal floating around in the motor = not good.

Well the car is in the shop, got my fingers crossed that the retrofit goes well. :dance:

Hey Jim.. I have driven my 2002 S from brand new..I racked up 92k miles in 8yrs by absolutely driving it like I stole it from day one. This car has been driven in all types of weather including snow. I also had a 99' that I drove in the same manner..I put 36k before getting the S. I had no engine problems with either car!

A sample of one is a pretty small sample
 

and that is what so many of us have to judge from. If it happens to you, it's common. If it hasn't, it must not be. And if it didn't, then your way of doing things must be right.

Somehow my statistics professor would laugh at our drawing conclusions that way but we all do it.

(And my sample of 2 isn't much better!)

How's this for the professor: Common enough to cause the Porsche factory to support a replacement program as well as IMS replacement specialists as a sub business but not common enough for a consumer recall class action lawsuit.

Seems like every Porsche engine I have owned was spinning some power robbing Jimmything you wish it wasn't, last time it was the anti vibration counter balancer.

Well, the bearing is replaced. First of all the guy who did it, Ralph at Ralph's auto service in Owings Mills, MD said the people at LNengineer were the nicest an most helpful people he has ever dealt with.

He said the procedure went very well. And now for the drum roll. He said the bear looked fine (double row) and turned smooth. He agreed it was better to find it in good shape than in some other condition. While in there he replace the RMS and since the clutch was 2/3 spent I had him replace it also.

I'm overall glad I had it done. So, I'm good to go. I now plan to drive this thing as a good weather daily driver and enjoy. :cheers:

And the bad news is
 

you get it back just as the weather turns and you have to begin to look at road surface temperatures and the kind of tires you are driving on. 40F is the critical number if you have summer tires!

Freeze warnings tonight in mid-NC the day after I washed the car in my shorts.

whats your car doin in your shorts ? :rolleyes:

Pretty much the exact same news I heard back from Porsche on mine. Bearing looked perfectly fine, had them redo the seals, clutch stayed in as it was > 50% good (I'll have it replaced in a couple of years, having the AOS and water pump done next year around this time), replaced a couple of spark plug o-rings, the oil filler tube, did an oil change and basically went over the car with a fine tooth comb looking for anything that needed work. The car passed with flying colors so I'm very pleased I pulled the trigger on this Box!

Isn't it great to hear a few good tales about the infamous IMS now and again.......

So, in the last month that's 3 IMS assemblies (mine, Sok and now Jim Miller) that have been replaced and found the old unit still servicable.

I guess Mike Focke's statistics prof won't like a sample of 3, but its a hell of a lot better that adding them to the 4 that Jake Raby had delivered to his forecourt earlier this week........

I too, have been worried about possible motor implosion and the associated costs of repair or replacement. As of yesterday my car has been dropped off for a new clutch assembly & IMS replacement. Should be back in a few days & will let you know if mine was good or otherwise.
The guys doing the work just replaced the IMS in a 2001 with 60000KM and the hardening was worn of the bearings...very lucky.

Wondering about the "new" engine:

My car was built in Finland at the tail end of 98'. I had the infamous catastrophic engine failure at about 8k miles. This would have been in the 2002 time frame. Is there any way I can determine what engine I had mine replaced with? And, most importantly, is my IMS 'more' at risk, still?

Apparently all engines up to the new generation (MY2010?), where there is no IMS, are subject to the same problem.

OK, I have my car back.
2001 Boxster S 66,000km. Had a dual row bearing.
Dual mass flywheel was U/S, had 20mm movement. Clutch face about 50% worn, thrust bearing OK. All now replaced. IMS replaced with LN unit.
A few observations, clutch action alot lighter, timing chain rattle on startup now gone.
Total price $4699 AUD.
While alot of $$ it gives me peace of mind that there is one less thing to go wrong.

Picked up my car after new IMS, RMS and clutch. Enjoyed driving it home and parked it in the driveway. Moved it to the garage and noticed I was leaking oil. Bummed. Goes back to the shop tomorrow morning. I just want to get out and drive this thing.

Still glad I replaced the IMS but the car didn't leak oil before I had the work done.