My 6-speed 1999 C2 did not have any RMS, IMS issues. I sold it with 78K miles, with the original clutch still working fine. I only had a water pump go bad after 42K miles. Having said that, the major reason why I sold the car is because of the lurking problem described in this thread. I no longer felt comfortable, did not want to risk a detonating engine and being forced into an engine swap. It is clear that the problem will only grow worse over time (mileage). That these bearings will fail gets to be a major annoyance and bank account drainage exercise and I would like to pass on that opportunity. In fact, I won't buy another Porsche with an engine that is so poorly designed. For the same reason I will never buy for instance a Corvette because of it's transverse rear suspension is just not the right solution for a modern sports car. As far as Porsche goes, I will be looking for the Metzger engine which clearly is designed and build to last as long as the rest of the car. Remember how people talked about the English cars, the oil leaks and the Lucas electrics?? I am afraid, the Porsche 996/7 C2/4's fall into that category too. Sad but true!!

 

It is remarkable (to me) how many 996 owners simply pay the $15,000-20,000 to recover from an IMS failure. They end up with $35,000-45,000 invested in a car that has a resale value of $17,000-25,000. Not good.

I think that many early 996s look so good at 10-12 years old that buyers come to believe the mechanicals are bullet proof too.

 

Cheaper than getting a new Porsche. And you get a Porsche. It does not make financial sense of course.

 

I had the upgrade done on my 2000 C2 Tip Cab. In my case it was a double-row bearing, though I believe some MY2000's had single-row bearings. Not sure about MY2001, but LNE would probably be able to tell you. I had no issues with the old bearing (38k).

I expect that the symptoms would be the same as with a 6-speed: metal in the oil filter and/or the sound of marbles in a tin can. By the time those symptoms become evident, your engine may already be beyond repair.

The upgrade will be significantly more expensive on a Tip than on a 6-speed because you can't offset the labor costs by combining with a clutch replacement.

 

I agree with you a !00% its called being belly up owing more or investing a good deal of money in a liability with a low resale value is never a good sign.

 

My mechanic charges more hours for pulling a tip versus pulling a 6-sp too. In any case make sure that you discuss other preventative work that should be done while the transmission/engine is out. e.g. Starter, AOS, valve cover leaks, etc.

 

Yea I like your second point, The car I bought looked perfect not one cosmetic blemish, even the undercarrage was clean. But as for it being a bad investment OF COURSE IT IS!!! Its a sports car, thats why i bought a 12 year old car, I wouldnt be afraid to drive the **** out of it and put a few dings in it. You have to look at it like water under the bridge and move on.

 

Yes, agreed. As long as you know what you are getting into.

I have met people who bought a 996 for $25,000 thinking it is the same price as a Miata or 350Z--only to be surprised to learn the $18,000 exploding engine lesson. Do your homework!

 

Well, I just heard back from the mechanic. Turns out the leak was indeed from the IMS bearing which has started to fail. The RMS was fine. In his words, "its a good thing we're doing this." Bullet dodged!

 

I've heard some people claim that the color of the leaking fluid can be used to discern RMS from IMS seal leaks. Not sure how that can be since the volume of the IMSB is so small--once the seal fails I would think the tiny grease charge would be gone in an instant and all that would be seen is crankcase oil leaking.

Glad to hear that your IMSB was still functioning. What's next? Has your mechanic done the LNE retrofit before?

 

Thanks - in this case he couldn't tell which one it was until the transmission was off.

This mechanic has done a number of LNE retrofits - he's on LNE's list of approved dealers. He was actually referred to me by my regular mechanic who has not done one.

 

Sounds like you are in good hands. I know someone with a MY99 C2 who paid for a clutch and RMS job last year... then experienced IMS failure a couple months later. The owner had never heard about the IMS issue and his mechanic didn't mention it when the clutch and RMS were done. Does it get any worse than that?

Good luck.

 

so um... since each shop charges differently, how much would y'all estimate the labor hours with changing the ims? seems like for the tiptronic folks (like me) the labor associated with it would be isolated?? would getting the ims done the same time the motor mounts are being replaced be a good time?

thanks.

 

There is no shared labor between motor mounts and IMS, so having them done at the same time won't save you any money.

I estimate that the IMS upgrade on a Tip would be $1500 to $2000, including the parts. When mine was done, I had other things upgraded at the same time and the total bill was $3200 including tax.

LNE IMS Upgrade (double-row)
RMS
Low Temp Thermostat
X51 Oil Pan
Oil and Filter

Btw - motor mounts are an easy DIY.

 

Well, my 99 C2 is finally coming home today after getting the IMS refit. Also had the RMS, clutch, flywheel, oil cooler seals, and AOS replaced. So far, there is no indication of cracks in the cylinder liner or heads, thank goodness! Next up, low temp thermostat and replace the ancient PCM 1.0 nav unit. I think I will hide the credit card bills from the wife for a while ...