If you were in my shoes, what would you do?

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by thstone

buy an 80K mile replacement engine from a salvage yard (mine cost $1,800) and have a shop swap it in ($2,500) and you can be back on the road for another 60K+ miles for around $5K. If you can do the swap yourself, you can get it done for ~$3.5K.

not if you spec racing guys keep buying up all the 2.5's!

You got a deal there.

[Timco]

Gosh, I'd start with a good therapist, and work out the whole rotor edge thing ASAP...

Oh, wait. Just read post. Sorry.

I'd pull it out, trans filter & fluid, referb guides and tensioners and all that engine general stuff, and reinstall. Profit.

[KRAM36]

Originally Posted by Timco

Gosh, I'd start with a good therapist, and work out the whole rotor edge thing ASAP...

Oh, wait. Just read post. Sorry.

I'd pull it out, trans filter & fluid, referb guides and tensioners and all that engine general stuff, and reinstall. Profit.

Yeah I was thinking of just waiting until the rotors cut through the IMS.

I don't have the tools to do the job. I could buy them, but with the cheapest price on the IMS Solution at $1,698.75 then buying all the tools and replacement fluids I'd probably be close to the $4,000 mark.

Originally Posted by Jager

Another option:
IMS Guardian

Always wanted to know if you had your IMSB upgraded?

Originally Posted by cas951

I had my 2002 S IMSB replaced at 140k miles a couple years ago.its also a Tip. My cost was $1200. The engine did not have to come out to do the job.

Btw the old IMSB was perfectly fine. I had it changed cause LN and JR did a great job marketing their product.

That crosses my mind too, spending $4k and the bearing is fine.

Originally Posted by Topless

Take good care of your car with frequent oil changes and drive it like you stole it. When it finally goes, you had to take the motor out anyways right? Just replace it with a shiny 4.0L

I like your thinking!

[Bruce Wayne]

Or you could consider roller bearings or .. or...

[KRAM36]

Would the IMS Guardian trigger in time to save the engine? Install that and the screw on type oil filter to keep the debris out of the engine?

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by KRAM36

Would the IMS Guardian trigger in time to save the engine? Install that and the screw on type oil filter to keep the debris out of the engine?

No. In order for the system to alarm, there has to be a minimum amount of ferrous debris circulating in the engine, which means it is already all over the inside of the engine, which has to come out and apart.

While the spin on filter will do a better job of trapping materials than the OEM style, you need to remember that the debris starts off inside the engine and gets picked up by the oil, and carried to the filter; so it is already spread around before the filter even gets a chance to remove it.

Neither of these products are designed to prevent catastrophic failures, that requires preemptive steps by the owner, such as replacing the IMS before it starts to crap out. Both the Guardian and the spin on filter can help reduce the amount of damage from an IMS failure, but cannot prevent it from happening.

[KRAM36]

Geez, just checked on the IMS Guardian and it's $439.00 for the system.

I have a magnetic drain plug. What about doing the spin on filter, that's supposed to keep metal from getting into the engine, right?

[KRAM36]

I've decided not to do the IMSB upgrade. I want to see how many miles I get out of it, at 117k miles right now.

Honestly, I think there is way too much fear mongering going on about the IMSB. Not the part that if it goes, it's a catastrophic engine failure. It's the people saying you need to replace it right now, that is the fear mongering.

An engine is going to eventually give out. One day I will replace this engine, that's a given because I plan to keep this car until I die or it doesn't get involved in an accident.


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