Poll:IMS related engine failure - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Ken Cowin · 10-21-2008, 01:00 PM

Well, I bought the Boxster! It's awesome. I took all the great back roads home in the north Georgia mountains, North Carolina and Tennessee - so it's already had quite a workout. I have looked in to getting the "aftermarket" Porsche warrantee to help protect against the cost of this engine failure. The cost of the warrantee itself is pretty reasonable - $1000 for 3 or 4 years - but it expressly does not cover cars used on the track. Since I got this car specifically for track days as well as a daily driver it sounds like they would give me a tough time with a claim, even if the failure occurred on the street - let alone the track.

Nineteen89 · 12-11-2008, 10:00 AM

I tried to look around here and on other sites but found nothing (maybe I just ddin't use the correct terms but I did use M96) so please don't just respond with a simple "search the forums" please =)

Am I correct in understanding that the IMS failure affects every and all boxsters regardless of year or trim? (since someone with a 987 has had it) So basically the newer the car, the less likely, but still probable chance of getting IMS?

MikenOH · 12-12-2008, 05:57 AM

It's my understanding--some experts can chime in here--that there have been IMS failures on all years through 2005 reported.

IIRC, there was a change on the IMS bearing assy. made in 2001(?) because of a different chain set up (?) to lessen the noise, which may have made for a weaker IMS assembly. Looking at the reports from all the forums, I see more cars reporting IMS failures in the 2001-2004 years than any . Having said that, there have been a number of 2005 owners that have had their engines replaced due to IMS problems.

Sometime in late 2005--10-11/2005(?) a change was made to the IMS shaft--larger diameter--in the hope that would lessen the failures; more things may have been changed that I'm not aware of. So, if you buy a car produced sometime after Jan. of Feb 2006, you've got a good chance of getting the latest IMS "fix. The real fix is a car with the DFI (direct fuel injection) motor which does away with the IMS altogether and is being released with the 2009 3.4L engine in the Boxster.

BTW,this problem has been reported on the 2.5, 2.7, and 3.2L motors.