Opinions are welcome on IMS issue. ...I know

[JFP in PA]

What I find particularly disturbing is that a supposedly knowledgeable shop told one of the posters above to run it until metal shows up in the oil and then call them. According to both Jake and LN dictum, once you have any signs of ferrous metal in the oil, the car is no longer a viable candidate for a retrofit. If that poster called my shop, he would be told as much.

The retrofit concept is one of being pro active; doing the retrofit before any metal shows up in the filter or pan. Once it is there, we would never retrofit the car.

[78F350]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

...
The retrofit concept is one of being pro active; doing the retrofit before any metal shows up in the filter or pan. Once it is there, we would never retrofit the car.

That reminds me of when I first read about the IMS Guardian. At first it made a lot of sense to me, like a chip detector in an aircraft, see the signs of a failure before it becomes catastrophic.
Then I realized: In an aircraft it may give you a warning in time to safely get to the ground, the engine or transmission is still going to need a rebuild. In an M96, it just lets you know that you are screwed and gives you a chance to pull over before you leave engine parts and oil in the road. You are still just as screwed as you would be finding metal in your filter at an oil change.

[911monty]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

What I find particularly disturbing is that a supposedly knowledgeable shop told one of the posters above to run it until metal shows up in the oil and then call them. According to both Jake and LN dictum, once you have any signs of ferrous metal in the oil, the car is no longer a viable candidate for a retrofit. If that poster called my shop, he would be told as much.

The retrofit concept is one of being pro active; doing the retrofit before any metal shows up in the filter or pan. Once it is there, we would never retrofit the car.

It is for this reason I question the value of the Guardian. IMO by the time enough metal has accumulated to trigger the Guardian your engine is already disqualified for IMSB retrofit.

78F350 Beat me to it!