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

[Jamesp]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

F...with the bearing partially submerged in oil, and the shaft itself cooling and pulling a very slight vacuum on the IMS bearing as the engine cools after shut off, slowly washing the grease into the shaft and out of the bearings. This is the reason that the every shaft we have ever seen during a retrofit is at least partially flooded with oil.

+1. The real design flaw.

[10/10ths]

....just change the damn thing.

If you want a 986, just know that you will replace the IMS. Period. Just add $2,000 to the sticker price. Done.

Easy.

Change.

The.

IMS.

Just do it and start enjoying life.

Now I'm done. Gotta drive.

[Dave S.]

I used to worry about the IMSB failing. Replaced the IMSB, clutch and RMS in my '03 at 25k miles for $2100, and now I don't ever think about it. The ceramic bearing is good for 50k miles and the clutch should easily last that long so it will have to be done again at 75k miles.

I found a local independent shop that had done a bunch of them. They showed me boxes of failed parts from ones that didn't get it done and few near failures that they replaced just in time.

It's a real issue and if it bothers you, get it done and never worry about it again. I'm glad I did.

[mikefocke]

What pray tell did the "near failures" look like. I've always heard that once the metal starts falking, it goes everywhere including very narrow oil passages and some inventors of these things won't install any IMS in such an engine. So I'm interested in how they determined it was "near failure" but OK to install a new bearing.

[Dave S.]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

What pray tell did the "near failures" look like. I've always heard that once the metal starts falking, it goes everywhere including very narrow oil passages and some inventors of these things won't install any IMS in such an engine. So I'm interested in how they determined it was "near failure" but OK to install a new bearing.

Mostly rubber seals on the bearing failing. Oil intrusion, no grease left in them.