Newbee Q: Early Warning IMS particles in filter
 

Considering buying a 100,000 mile 2003 3.2l and very anxious about blowing a $6,000 engine...

How big of a mess would occur if you just drop the filter before draining oil? 2 liters??

Inspect/ change $10 filter every 3,000 miles... change oil $80 every 9,000.

Synthetic oil doesn't go bad in 3-4000 miles. Good for at least 10,000

Oh boy, a thread about IMS AND oil

Don't stress yourself out too much about it

But, in regards to your concerns, if you want to check regularly for particles just get a magnetic drain plug then do the vacuum-on-the-filler trick to pop the plug out and check it for debris.

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FWIW, I bought my 2002 Boxster S with 114,000 miles. Replaced the IMS, and the old one (the original) was like brand new - in perfect shape.

If you're serious about the car, change the oil and cut open the filter. If it's spotless, buy the car & enjoy it. Change your oil annually, and cut the filter open each time. Lather, rinse, repeat. As was mentioned above, don't overstress about it.

If you are going to worry about the IMS bearing every time you drive a Boxster I have two recommendations:

1) Don't buy a Boxster.
or
2) Replace the IMS bearing with whichever option will give you peace of mind.

Welcome to the forum.

...and one more thing, I do like to drop my oil filters occasionally to look at the condition of the oil and check for any particles. As JFP already kindly noted, if there's metal from the IMS bearing in the filter, the engine is gone, but bits of plastic or coolant can often indicate other problems that can still be corrected.

Out of a dozen cheap Boxsters I've bought three had bad engines and none of them had a failed IMS bearing.

You can drop the filter and not lose any oil except what spills from the filter housing and a bit that dribbles out from where the filter attaches. I ran a magnet over the filter, found no steel bits, carefully checked the filter's folds, nothing there. So I poured the oil from the housing back in the engine and reinstalled the filter.

He just has to add that he's thinking about a giant wing and he'll have a trifecta. ��

Why not add tires and make it a superfecta?

I'm a simple guy and like easy solutions. Have a 987.1 Cayman and ......

Change oil on each 5000-mile increment. I use Lubrimoly 5w40, but that's a different discussion
Inspect magnetic drain plug.
Inspect filter.

I also have a Blackstone analysis to look for any less evident issues.

Total cost less than $100.

Unless the seller has recently changed it?

///break///

He hasn’t broached the subject of bore scoring... [emoji2957]

Wow new record for newbie comments, over 50% :rolleyes:

??????????

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ync4C92vhkc

I only watched for 4 minutes and I want them back! I liked your original comment much better! :D

LOL. Yeah... I usually stew on certain comments after the fact. And... I kinda like the fella. Man... you're right on it, aren't you?

I can give you 3 minutes back! That's one of my boys... The Roadrunner Rockstar! Takes after his old man. ;)

Sorry for the hijack.

Your son, really? cool! Which one? I have to watch the whole thing with different goggles on! haha

The tall, handsome, tatted fella on the left. Raised to be a star. Not to brag, but he landed a 7-figure recording contract... one CD... toured the globe... then bowed out. "Dad, the road is not where a 23 year old should be spending his life." He's now 29, partner in a creative firm in LA... and presses the flesh with many A-Listers. I'm quite proud of him... even though he hasn't taken my advice to buy a GT4. :(

I only threw up that vid because it was so extraordinarily out there given the subject matter, LOL! It was the replacement for my original comment. ;) :cheers:

Very cool! :cheers: