The intermediate shaft bearing, commonly known as an IMS bearing, has a significant failure rate in the Porsche 911 and Porsche Boxster from model years 1997 to 2005. Its structure and design cause the bearing to break early, which causes a catastrophic engine failure.
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What signs of IMS bearing failure are there?
There are no early warning signals of IMS bearing failure, according to numerous articles we’ve read, and drivers won’t become aware of the issue until their Porsche has had catastrophic engine failure and they are left with a hefty repair expense.
There is a grain of truth to this because there might not be any outward signs of an issue developing while you are operating a vehicle. Well, not until you notice a loud rattle when you start the engine or accelerate; by then, the automobile has already sustained serious, expensive damage.
However, if you take good care of your Porsche, there may be possibilities to identify an IMS bearing issue early on.
Every time you replace the oil and filter, you may perform a quick and reliable inspection. Any metallic particles found in the used oil or oil filter almost probably came from the bearing’s balls, while any pieces of black plastic could have originated from the IMS bearing seal. Both of these are indications that the IMS bearing might be deteriorating, and you should have the car towed to a Porsche expert for a thorough examination and repair.
Because keeping to the suggested two-year plan on later cars will give you few opportunities to identify the early signs of IMS bearing failure, you might want to consider how frequently you change the oil in your Porsche. Since a Porsche is a sports car, it makes sense to drive it hard, therefore routine oil changes are still prudent.
The IMS bearing may not always be failing if there is an oil leak at the back of the engine. There are chances that the oil is leaking from the IMS flange seal, but the majority of leaks in this area are from the RMS (and can wait to be rectified if not creating oil deposits on the floor). Get it checked out by a Porsche expert to determine the exact nature of the issue and whether a repair is urgently needed.
When working on your automobile, the mechanics who maintain and repair your Porsche should also be on the lookout for any early signs. They might be able to link a seemingly unimportant vibration to the IMS bearing or discover a problem when they inspect the bearing, which can be done during a normal clutch repair work.
IMS bearing problem with Porsche explained
Porsche’s intermediate shaft bearing was one component of the new engine. This bearing, according to Autohaus Hamilton, uses chains to connect the engine’s crankshaft and camshafts. This prevents the chains’ lifespan from being significantly shortened when the crankshaft drives the camshafts. According to Car Throttle, the oil pump for the engine can also be driven by the crankshaft. Even air-cooled 911s have these shafts, according to RPM Specialist Cars. The component itself is not extraordinary.
But as Jalopnik noted, the Porsche IMS bearing has a defect in its design, which RPM Specialist Cars claims is related to the switch to water-cooling. The oil pump was assisted by the IMS, but there was no means for oil to lubricate it. It was forced to rely on the internal grease it already possessed. The grease would wear away and degrade with time. After then, its failure was only a matter of time.
Additionally, you would need to acquire a new engine for your 996 911 if it failed and you didn’t notice it in time. The 996 is often the least expensive 911 model because the Porsche IMS bearing problem is still a problem.
What model year Porsche has an IMS issue?
The intermediate shaft bearing, commonly known as an IMS bearing, has a significant failure rate in the Porsche 911 and Porsche Boxster from model years 1997 to 2005. Its build and design cause the bearing to prematurely fail, which causes a catastrophic engine failure.
What causes the breakdown of Porsche IMS bearings?
IMS bearing failure is a problem that affects Porsche vehicles quite frequently. The intermediate shaft, which runs the length of the engine, is supported by the IMS bearing (also known as the intermediate shaft bearing). In most Porsches, the issue is not the actual intermediate shaft. The infamous engine issues that beset this antique automobile brand are caused by the IMS bearing.
The IMS bearing in your Porsche could break down from regular wear and tear. However, mechanical errors account for the majority of this feature’s failures. Due to their older designs, the Porsche models 986, 987, 996, and 997 are more vulnerable to IMS bearing failure.
Lack of lubrication causes the bearing to repeatedly overheat, which eventually leads to IMS bearing failure. The only real defense against this is to get your automobile serviced on a regular basis by qualified mechanics and to get an oil change every two years.
IMS bearing failure may not be completely preventable, but any mechanic with expertise in Porsches will be able to spot any little details that might point to this system malfunctioning. To avoid a complete failure, they will give you advice and make improvements while conducting inspections.
Which Porsche vehicles are affected by IMS?
All Boxster, Cayman, and 911 vehicles from MY1997 to MY2008, with the exception of Turbo, GT2, and GT3 variants, are susceptible to IMS bearing failure.
But over time, the types of bearings utilized changed, and some of them were more likely to fail than others. According to statistics, the Boxster 986 and 911 models built between model years 2000 and 2005 are the most likely to experience IMS bearing failure, whereas the odds are extremely low for a Boxster 987 or Cayman built after a stronger bearing was introduced in late 2005.
In terms of mileage, there is no clear trend in the failures; some owners were unfortunate enough to encounter IMS issues at less than 20,000 miles, while others assumed they were safe only to have the bearing fail at 130,000 miles. In summary, you should be aware of potential issues if you now own or intend to purchase one of the versions with the weaker bearing that were in use from 2000 until late 2005.
The base engine (3.6) bears the designation “M96,” and depending on your engine number, you may have the smaller IMS or the revised bigger bearing:
Engine (3.6) number M96/05 69507476 has the larger updated IMS bearing, while Engine (3.6) number M96/05 69507475 has the smaller IMS bearing.
The “S” Engine (3.8) is designated “M97” and features a choice of a smaller or bigger upgraded IMS bearing:
Engine (3.8) numbers beginning with M97/01 68509791 have the larger updated IMS bearing, whereas Engine (3.8) numbers up to M97/01 68509790 have the previous IMS bearing.
What occurs if IMS fails?
The internals of the engine are typically polluted with debris as a result of an IMS bearing failure, necessitating the engine’s removal, rebuilding, or replacement. Extreme failures might impair cam timing, resulting in valve-piston impact and the necessity to rebuild or replace the complete engine.
Are Porsche 997s trustworthy?
Almost all of the car is trustworthy and has a classic appearance. Prices for the 997 have dropped even further as a result of the introduction of a new 992 platform. This daily supercar offers outstanding value and outstanding dependability.
Has the 2007 Boxster got an IMS problem?
They have to get their engine removed right away so the IMS bearing can be replaced. A number of
Failure of these models during routine maintenance on units 987 and 997
models. The grease seal ought to be taken out prior to replacing the clutch or flywheel.
off the bigger, non-serviceable IMS bearing to improve lubrication with engine oil. Keep in mind the
During normal operation, the intermediate shaft is bathed in engine oil, which supplies more than enough oil to cool and lubricate the IMS.
bearing. You can replace the triple lip seal while removing the grease seal from the IMS bearing.
can remove the seal from its groove using a dental pick or a similar tool. Simply remember not to
As soon as you take it out, drop it in the engine. This little YouTube video demonstrates
how to take a ball bearing’s oil seal off
engine damage and timing. The Cayman Register provides a tutorial that walks you through each process of resealing your
The early dual row’s load capacity is equal to that of the larger non-serviceable IMS bearing used in MY06-08 Boxster, Cayman, and 911 engines.
bearing. Since the later MY06-08 IMS bearings and earlier multi row bearings have double the
Once the grease seal has been removed, engine oil will be used to lubricate the bearing.
The 106-08.30 MY06-08 IMS RetrofitTM, when fitted as part of your M96 or M97 engine rebuild, makes
The original, single row bearing is replaced with a ceramic hybrid, dual row bearing in the IMS bearing, making it maintainable in the future without requiring engine disassembly.
bearing. Similar to that, the 106-08.60 IMS Solution offers the only real long-term solution to the IMS issue.
engine. In addition to the IMS Pro Tool Kit, installation requires the IMS Supplemental Toolkit, which comes with six additional tools to help with the MY06-08 IMS installation.