I see many posts on this even went to youtube, but everyone just says they hear it etc.

What does it mean? is it like the m96 engine complete failure about to happen?

I am about to buy a 996tt and trying to do research and see the comments switch to delvac etc, but not sure if it is more of an annoyance or an actual problem.

 

Their have been countless posts on the cause and what it means. I will not go into the cause. The cliff notes version of it is run 5w m1 turbo diesel and make sure the noise doesn't get louder. Every oil change cut open your filter and make sure their is not metal there. And don't worry until the above changes.

As for all the details and the cause, you have tons of forum archives to search through. Rennlist has probably 50 threads alone on it and the same here. It has been discussed so much it is silly. And what is worse is nobody has any actual documented cases of it being any more than a nuisance.

Maybe the mods can start a sticky with links to all of the important IMS noise threads so this won't keep getting revisited.

I apologize to the OP for any attitude perceived to be directed at you, but this is not against you. You can not be blamed for being concerned. This has just seriously been discusses to the point that we are all blue in the face.

 

Actually VAGscum I think the OP is confused. IMS noise is normal on the 996 TT. This does not mean that your engine is about to fail or anything like that... It can be mitigated by using different weights of oils but it absolutely NOT mean that your engine is about to fail.

You are confusing the standard 996 with the 996TT. That has an IMS bearing Failure issue. The standard 996 and the turbo are built on completely different engine platforms. IMS failure is not an issue with the turbo.

 

IMS noise on a 996TT is completely normal. Almost all 996TT's have it, some worse than others. As was noted above, changing to oil to a heavier weight or to diesel oil (Mobil 1 TDT) should reduce the noise. It's pretty obnoxious if you ask me that's why I tried to remedy it with Mobil 1 TDT oil as have others on this forum.

 

I have to say this is probably the most informative thread about the 996TT IMS.

It's a breath of fresh air to know it is a normal sound...and that almost all 996TTs have it.

I already bought my 996TT, so any issues with it, I own. I learned there really isn't anything you can do if there is IMS failure on a 996TT except to rebuild...so I don't even bother checking the filter for metal (does it matter if you find metal? no...cuz even if you catch it early, you can't do anything to fix it...at least that's what I was told).

There aren't any documented cases where the IMS on a 996TT has failed on a stock engine either...the few that have seen had modified engines.

On a standard 996, it's a different story. For a 996TT, I'll keep living on the edge and not know if there's metal in my filter.