IMS Failure is not a Myth.

[Splitpin]

There are loads of brands that have issues, BMW diesels that ingest parts of the intake manifold, Minis that go up in smoke or just eat themselves as the timing chain tensioners fall apart, Ferraris have been catching fire also, alfas and landrovers having timing belt tensioner castings shear off. Porsche is not alone at all

[fivepointnine]

Originally Posted by Splitpin

There are loads of brands that have issues, BMW diesels that ingest parts of the intake manifold, Minis that go up in smoke or just eat themselves as the timing chain tensioners fall apart, Ferraris have been catching fire also, alfas and landrovers having timing belt tensioner castings shear off. Porsche is not alone at all

and 98-up Saab's with the 2.0/2.3 turbo that will randomly lose all oil pressure while driving down the highway, the E46 M3's with the crank bearings, etc

[nieuwhzn]

Originally Posted by fivepointnine

and 98-up Saab's with the 2.0/2.3 turbo that will randomly lose all oil pressure while driving down the highway, the E46 M3's with the crank bearings, etc

The Saab problem is because of sludge buildup. Change oil every 5000 miles and you're fine.
But yes, practically all cars have their little gremlins. The ones that don't usually get destroyed because their drivers fall asleep at the wheel

[fivepointnine]

Originally Posted by nieuwhzn

The Saab problem is because of sludge buildup. Change oil every 5000 miles and you're fine.
But yes, practically all cars have their little gremlins. The ones that don't usually get destroyed because their drivers fall asleep at the wheel

right but the sludge is caused by an inherent design flaw in the engine, just like the IMS.....I change the oil every 3500 with rotella on our Saab.

toyota's also have a sludge problem...

agreed most cars have gremlins that most normal consumers are just not aware of, I would venture to guess 70% of M96 owners don't even know what an IMS is.

[ohioboxster]

A little off topic, but the new Mustang transmissions are made in China and failing. For the last few years I've read so much about IMS, if I never hear those three letters again I'll be happy. They're the reason I sold my favorite car of all time. It was a 2002 Targa 911, what a car. I didn't know my TT wasn't in the IMS failure pool when I bought it. My plan was to just drive the car and enjoy it while keeping up on the oil changes and looking in on the filter.

[landrovered]

It is like having a history of heart disease in your family. It could kill you any minute and you can be proactive about it and do preventative diet and exercise and it can still kill you. Then there are those that have no idea they have a history and drink and smoke till they are 95 years old. It is a crap shoot. IMS is like that. I believe in being proactive but don't let the potential run or ruin everything in your life.

[Series9]

Here's the latest.


The engine went up to Flat 6 Innovations, where it was torn down. This bearing had been failing slowly and let debris into the engine.

This upped the total repair bill to $20k and the owner of the car called it quits.

Game over.

He told me today "The sad thing is that I know of two other (M96) cars sitting in garages with blown engines right now, and the owners don't know what to do with them. Mine makes number three, that I know of in this area."

[papasmurf]

these engines repaired/upgraded. I am sure LN, Flat Six Innovations and the like do excellent work, but the costs of their services and parts pretty much rules out the financial sense in repairing any 986 model boxster when the costs approach 20k...there just are not many/any 20k dollar 986's left out there.

Originally Posted by Series9

Here's the latest.


The engine went up to Flat 6 Innovations, where it was torn down. This bearing had been failing slowly and let debris into the engine.

This upped the total repair bill to $20k and the owner of the car called it quits.

[Gilles]

Originally Posted by Series9

This upped the total repair bill to $20k and the owner of the car called it quits.
Game over.

Series9,

You don't have to spend $20K to get your Boxter back on the road,

If your friend keeps his eyes open he could find a Cayman S 3.4 engine from a salvage yard for $6-8K

.

[pothole]

Originally Posted by Gilles

Series9,

You don't have to spend $20K to get your Boxter back on the road,

If your friend keeps his eyes open he could find a Cayman S 3.4 engine from a salvage yard for $6-8K

.

True. But then you're left with a used factory engine that might go pop itself.

There's no easy answer, but I think the harsh reality is that in terms of the bald numbers, it makes most sense to sell the car on as a non runner / basis for a project.

[jacabean]

i was on another forum earlier today and there was a fellow up there with a 250 thousand mile boxster . bought it brand new in 2002 replaced many parts but the I.M.S. was not one of them. figure that one out ?

[Jager]

Originally Posted by jacabean

i was on another forum earlier today and there was a fellow up there with a 250 thousand mile boxster . bought it brand new in 2002 replaced many parts but the I.M.S. was not one of them. figure that one out ?

I replaced my IMS bearing at 210,000 miles. I had to replace the RMS so thought might as well get the IMS bearing while I'm in there.

[Series9]

Originally Posted by Gilles

Series9,

You don't have to spend $20K to get your Boxter back on the road,

If your friend keeps his eyes open he could find a Cayman S 3.4 engine from a salvage yard for $6-8K

.

This is a 3.6 out of a 2003 911.

[feelyx]

Did you get any Pics of the bearing and seals?
Thanks

[amschnellsten]

Here is the deal, it does and can happen but it is in limited numbers. This hysteria has killed the market. Last year a close friend of mine had purchased a 21k 2002 Boxster for $1600. The PO had the car from new and all of a sudden the oil pressure light came on at idle, the owner shut the car off and sent it to the Dealer. The Dealer could not find anything wrong but changed the oil pressure sensor and the oil light continued to light up. They told the owner that these cars have a high rate of IMS failures and that is probably what has happened and they would need a new engine. Needless to say the PO ditched the car and a my Friend picked the car up for pennies. He was planning on just swapping the motor out at his VW Audi tuning shop and resell it. He took it back and decided to dig into the car a little bit as he already had a motor on its way from a local yard. He found that some pressure relief spring had cracked, he went back to the dealer and purchased the spring for $7 his cost and installed it. Light was gone and the oil pressure was back up to spec. It makes ya think what hysteria can do.

[Saw76]

Originally Posted by thstone

As expected, each individual shop will see different numbers. Its the aggregate that makes up the big picture.

But please do not take my comments out of context. For the owners of cars with failed IMSB, the fact that it happens at all (and twice to one car) is obscene and Porsche really should do something about it.

And thanks for the pic's. Very informative.

Two in one car. I'm no mechanic just a weekend wrench guy with more experience in 914's than anything else and a new guy to the boxster world (2000 boxster 2.7 with 77,000 miles) is there any way this ins failure could have anything to do with a misalignment of the tranny to engine ? Causing unneeded stress on the bearing seals of cars ? Just wondering and just a thought.


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[armandodiaz]

I was told the IMS failures are seen more in the 2002 > 996s because of the added horsepower/torque these engines produce.