IMS Guardian Pre-order

[sasha055]

First of all, Thanks Jake. I think IMSG is brilliant! you should've done it before IMSR.

I really don't understand what are ppl ********************ing about.. There is a problem in our cars.. just like AOS, water pump, and control arms.. IMS bearing is one of the weak links, Jake just providing an "Aftermarket" solution.. don't like it.. change your IMS bearing with a new OEM one, it's only 70$
Also about 3000$ investment.. IMSR is 600$, try changing your IMS bearing with OEM one.. you will be down 2K$, Jake didn't designed the engine.. Porsche did.

That said.. I'm one of those ppl who will NOT change preventively IMSR, my car is worth 9K, with a blown angine 3-4K, paying 3K to update IMSR .. I cann't justify that.
However, I, just like about anyone else, when the time will come to change the clutch, will update IMSR with Jake's bearing. I could go with OEM and save 400$ but I will probably go with "aftermarket" one.

That's where we come to IMSG, I don't want to preventively update my IMS, my clutch is still going strong at 76K miles.. I want to wait until it gives up(clutch) before changing it.. IMSG is the piece of mind (if it works) I can get while waiting for my clutch to die.

If you feel that 400$ is a worthy investment for piece of mind... go for it.. if not.. don't

Nobody is screaming about aftermarket AOS.. ppl actually love it.. so why cry about IMS?

[mikefocke]

Does the detection device connect in any way with the DME?

Can it be removed/disconnected if desired in a trivial way?

Can it be used or should it be used with the LN IMSR?

What are the labor hours to install for a first time installer who is familiar with Boxsters?

Does it measure/compare camshaft deviations?

[insite]

i'd be interested in a list of the ten failure modes it looks for.


for what it's worth, i've been up to jake's shop & it really is a development center. it's a multi-building complex with an engine build center, a tear-down center, a full machine shop, and a research center. the research center has a chassis dyno and two engine dynos, one of which is M96 specific. i saw a host of diagnosis equipment, design & research tools, even a brand new 3.8L DFI motor in tear-down.

regardless of whether some think jake goes a bit overboard with doom & gloom, he really is doing the leg work he claims to do. regardless of whether any of us decides to purchase the IMS guardian, i don't personally believe that it's snake oil. i'd be interested in stats once we have some data (statistical type 1 & type 2 errors, alpha) to see how effective it really is, but i do believe it will at least to some extent perform what it claims to perform.

the fact that they, along with LN, developed a DIY IMS kit along with an in-car replacement method is a pretty big deal for the M96 community. the guardian may not be for everyone & the price point may be a bit off, but CERTAINLY there is demand for something of this nature. if it works, it will give a lot of people the piece of mind they need to further enjoy their cars.

if you want to bash him for the hard sell, go right ahead, but i don't think it's right to beat him up over developing a product that the market has asked for, ESPECIALLY if this thing winds up saving some motors......

[Jake Raby]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

Does the detection device connect in any way with the DME?

No, not at all. 100% stand alone. Two wires connect to the vehicle's wiring, thats it. One of them is a "piggy back" connection from pin#3 of ad adjacent Porsche rocker switch.

Can it be removed/disconnected if desired in a trivial way?

Yep, in less time than it took to install. Just reinsert the switch block off that was removed when the IMSG was installed and you can't ever tell it was there.

Can it be used or should it be used with the LN IMSR?

Yes it can be. one of my test cars has an IMSR and employs the IMSG.

What are the labor hours to install for a first time installer who is familiar with Boxsters?

One of my friends doesn't even own a Porsche, he installed the system in one of my test cars in 90 minutes with no assistance from me at all, only using my written instructions. The goal of that exercise was to test the instructions. He is about as mechanical as a cardboard box.

Does it measure/compare camshaft deviations?

Can't answer that question.

for what it's worth, i've been up to jake's shop & it really is a development center. it's a multi-building complex with an engine build center, a tear-down center, a full machine shop, and a research center. the research center has a chassis dyno and two engine dynos, one of which is M96 specific. i saw a host of diagnosis equipment, design & research tools, even a brand new 3.8L DFI motor in tear-down.

regardless of whether some think jake goes a bit overboard with doom & gloom, he really is doing the leg work he claims to do. regardless of whether any of us decides to purchase the IMS guardian, i don't personally believe that it's snake oil. i'd be interested in stats once we have some data (statistical type 1 & type 2 errors, alpha) to see how effective it really is, but i do believe it will at least to some extent perform what it claims to perform.

Now for the funny part. When you came to visit an IMSG system was sitting on top of my black tool box right by the chassis dyno. We were two feet from it talking all about cars and engines and you never noticed it.. :-) Thank you for the compliments, glad you were impressed with our facility and what we have in work. The 9A1 engine is now finished that you saw and the results were impressive.. I'd dare say that no one else in this country has carried that work out to date, it was very challenging to say the least!

Ok fellas, my time to sit behind the computer is over.. For the last two weeks I haven't been able to get out of the Office due to paperwork related to the IMSG. Just today our final test car arrived and I need to get into the lab and get things set up to blow the engine up on purpose while under the watchful eye of the IMSG and on video with all our data logging gear in place. I need to do this test next week, before we close down the entire week of the 4th for our summer shut down.

I will pop in when I have a chance, but no more page long stories from me until after we return on July 11th.

If you want to buy the IMSG and believe in it, thats great and we'd love to sell it to you.
When we return from vacation it should be time to let the cat out of the bag. I appreciate your support and even the negative statements, reality is thats just life.

[jbs986]

Originally Posted by blue2000s

Totally out of curiosity, not criticizing or judging at all: Why are you looking at buying the detection device where the only end result is the purchase of the bearing anyway? Why are you not interested in just buying the bearing now and getting it over with?

The old owner of the Boxster I own, had replaced the RMS and clutch at 60K miles, If he had not, then I would have replaced the IMS and RMS when I needed a new clutch.

The way I see it is, my clutch is good for another 60K before I need to replace it, when I do I will replace the IMS W/Jake's, until then it makes sense to have this IMS Guardian on my car.

[pothole]

Originally Posted by Jake Raby

The IMSG gives the advanced notice that an issue is imminent and no other device or process to date has been able do this. That advanced notice is what allows engines to be saved before collateral damage occurs that takes the engine out.

Either someone sees benefit in such a system, or they don't... Those that do see benefit buy it and the others do not, that's the freedom that we all have as Americans.

It's not that simple, though is it? Some kind of explanation and demonstration of how it works is necessary to make a rational decision over the merits of the system.

Originally Posted by Jake Raby

That's said, the first 500 units are almost already spoken for in less than one week of pre-sales with zero advertisement and people still don't even know how it works. The do know what it offers and that's enough to captivate them.

All they know is that you claim it warns of IMS bearing failure and ten other undisclosed (as far as I know) problems. The fact that they buy it on spec I assume reflects their desperation to avoid this problem more than anything else.

To draw a slightly unfair analogy, faith healers still do a roaring trade in our supposedly enlightened age by promising to help desperate people. But they're still fraudsters exploiting the vulnerable.

I'm not accusing you of anything remotely that sinister, but the way you tend to present your solutions with a general tone of "my stuff works and you'll have to take my word for it, everyone else does" I personally find a little arrogant.

I absolutely hope your failure detection device works as advertised, if so it's a great innovation. I just wish you came across as a bit more open and forthcoming and that your tone wasn't a bit redolent of someone making hyperbolic claims. I'm sure you and your company do some great work, but your tone is a bit off putting.





Believe in it? Great, buy it.
Don't believe in it? Don't buy it.
Its that simple.
That's said, the first 500 units are almost already spoken for in less than one week of pre-sales with zero advertisement and people still don't even know how it works. The do know what it offers and that's enough to captivate them.

I was basing nothing on the 3 cars here now except the fact that all of them could have been saved if advanced warning was given and the proper action was taken. When the female owner of one of them saw the technology employed in one of our test cars she asked why in the world we didn't come out with it sooner.
The IMS bearing failure isn't what generally drives the stake in the heart if the engine, it's a primary mode of failure that leads to collateral damage that is much worse and not able to be solved without complete engine teardown.

The female driver we were referring to has an IMS bearing that is still intact, but has failed. What took her off the road was a rod knock that was created from collateral damage. Her IMS bearing could be retrofitted today and she would still have a rod knock, if caught early enough the whole situation could have been much different and instead if 15k, she would be looking at 3k with a credit applied from my company if she had the IMSG employed.

The choice is yours.[/QUOTE]