IMS Bearing failure mode?

[Jake Raby]

Lots of factors lead to Factory IMSB failures. The thrust of the IMS is controlled by the ball bearing, which adds insult to injury.

The reason why factory IMS bearings fail is because a ball bearing is less than optimum for this application.

Factory bearing failure isn't what destroys the engines the most, it's the loss of valve control and primarily foreign object debris that's generated when a component comprised of no less than 11 and as much as 22 wear components fills the oil after failure. This clogs the filter, opens the bypass and sends contaminated oil to every internally lubricated component within the engine.