When did Porsche change over to the bigger IMS?
 

Got a friend looking at a 2005 Carrera S 3.8L and he asked me if the IMS could be upgraded with the LN unit. I do not know when the M96 motors changed over from the smaller IMS that can be pulled and replaced to the bigger IMS that cannot without tearing down the motor. Anyone know?

From LN's web site:

"Can I replace my IMS bearing?

LN Engineering offers three IMS solutions, two of which can be done without disassebly of the engine while the engine is still in the car:

* single row IMS retrofit kit (fits MY02-05 M96 engines including some MY00-01)
* dual row IMS retrofit kit (fits MY97-99 M96 engines including some MY00-01)

The last option, our IMS Upgrade, requires engine disassembly and the complete intermediate shaft to be sent in to us to be reconditioned and upgraded with our triple-bearing upgrade. A separate upgrade service is available for the updated M97 IMS as well.

But before proceeding with an IMS Retrofit, you first need to identify which IMS you have! "

The IMS was removable into model year 2005, from 2006 on, the engine requires disassembly to remove it. To my knowledge, the only possible problem with the 2005 car in question is that (as with most things) there is no clear demarcation for when Porsche made the switch, so a later 05 could have the big IMS...............

That's what I was afraid of. He's familiar with my IMS failure so I don't think he wants an M96 car that the LN procedure can't be done on. He was debating on just waiting to pick up a 2009 model used in a couple years....that's probably what he'll do.

Charles has said
 

when I asked him what 987 year was best for the IMS retrofit...

Quote

The MY02-05 should be a single row bearing, but like I have on there (mike adds - his web site), we have seen some MY05 cars with the new style IMS (MY06-08m, which cannot be serviced because the bearing is a larger diameter than the hole in the rear of the case) and even some with dual row bearings (I don’t have an explanation for that!). But being that I’ve only ever seen 3 engines that don’t fit the norm, I’m willing to generalize that the MY05 is single row.

Yes, the housing bore in which the bearing resides, along with the casting for the sprocket and ims flange are significantly different in the MY06-08 cars with the revised (3rd) IMS.

If the IMS has a dual row bearing or smaller single row bearing, both can be serviced with our retrofit kits.

Endquote

Jake of flat6 sells a cpo engine which has about a half dozen of the most serious potential failure parts replaced with better parts (including the IMS) ...buy a great car with a blown engine and swap out the engine.

I have an 06--10/05 build--and recall something in Pano a while back that the change over to the new design was mid October 2005 so that early 06 models had the old design.

Reinforcing that view, the fellow that runs the Cayman board had engine work done on an early build car (12/05?) and he found out it had the single row bearing.

I would think--short of dropping the tranny and looking at the outside of the IMS flange--that any 987 car built prior to say 3/06 had a good chance of getting the old or older style IMS setup.

We are aware of late 05's and early 06's that went both ways; the only way to know for sure is to pull it apart and look................more than just life “is like a box of chocolates”................

me too
 

i have an early 06 with a build date of 06/2005,

this question has been bugging me too, i want to be proactive but it sure would be nice if it was clear cut...