How Worried Are You About IMS?

[C Three PO]

I LOVE my 1998 986 with now...44K miles.

Was very excited to bond with the other Boxster owner at my company.

But, a couple of months later- I ran out to see his newer model (by a few years, albeit with some more miles) being towed away (with the big pool of synthetic being soaked up on the ground).

Like a bad crime scene, it's hard to get out of one's mind...

Clutch/Lt. Wt. Flywheel/Bearing Upgrade for about $2300 (when my clutch has more miles before needing replacement) or a Commuter Car to relieve the miles and some of the risk?

Again, I love the car...I appreciate it more every time I drive it or wash it.

I don't love the possibility of an engine failure that costs as much or more to fix than what I paid for it.

The IMS failure possibility is real to me. My car was not driven hard nor was the one I saw towed away.

So, my current plan is to get the IMS upgraded + an inexpensive commuter car + drive it hard when I want to.

Will be more than I bargained for, but the Boxster has turned out to be better than I bargained for too.

Hope it all turns out well.

[Overdrive]

Well, C Tree PO, more often than not it seems that driving the car hard is actually less risky than putting around at low rpms in high gears. It's not necessarily 100% fact, but those who have had experience with receiving/repairing cars with this failure have found that the cars were not driven hard or driven on track. Keep the RPMs over 3,000 (but below 4,000 until the engine warms up), and drive it however you like from there. Babying the car may bring about exactly what you're trying to avoid. Besides, the engine sounds way better past 4,000 RPMs.

[C Three PO]

Bump. In the road and for this thread...

Paranoia? Rough spot in engine-feel consistently at around 3500 RPM.

I keep it at around 3K-4K unless in the mountains (or having a little fun around town) but I feel a "rough spot" at around 3500 RPM .

My IMS "Spidey-sense" keeps kicking in.

I did my budgeting today and since I really don't want to be forced to commute in the Boxster during the Winter (okay, it will be just a little bit of California rain) and stop-and-go traffic- I have decided to buy another old Acura to try and protect my '98 986 (now about 45K mi).

I plan on upgrading the IMS next Spring (and replacing the clutch unnecessarily + going to lightweight flywheel + possibly an RMS).

Just don't feel comfortable driving it hard OR easy...that's pretty tough.

I hoped to be able to do both!!

BTW, Overdrive...thanks for the reply and I find that that the engine sounds better when hitting the throttle fast/hard enough around 4K to hear that intake!! Also better when driving next to something so the sound is reflected

[Overdrive]

You may find some folks on the forum recommending against using a lightweight flywheel. If you're getting vibration around 3500rpms it's pretty likely to be your motor mount, definitely fixable and not the most expensive thing in the world.

The way I see it, driving the car the way it was meant to be driven isn't going to end the car's life any sooner than trying to be nice to it in hopes that it will overcome a possible IMS failure. I'm just making sure I get my money's worth out of this great car.