Year: 2002
Mileage: 158k
IMS Bearing: Factory

 

My IMS bearing looked fine after 75k miles but the IMS shaft was filled with a thick, gooey, dark, very bad smelling oil. There was no grease in the bearing so obviously the seals were allowing oil past the bearing and into the shaft. I kept the bearing and it sits in my rogues gallery of various car parts from several vehicles I have owned.

From my observations of the on-line forums, most bearings that are replaced are ok. IMS failures are rare, but when they do fail, the engine is usually toast. I have always been proactive in my maintaining all my cars and this has served me well.

The Porsche 911, including the 996, is the most reliable sports car made according to several surveys. Anything mechanical will eventually fail though, and expensive toys are expensive to fix.

 

2000 2C 58k odo , just had the clutch replaced had the IMS, RMS, and AOS looked at all in good working order. No oil leaks driven relatively hard no track or autox as of yet.

 

congrats on the high miles. that's what they are built for!!

 

Year: 2004 40th Anniversary
Current mileage: 44,233 miles
IMS: YES @ 34,500 miles

 

2002 Carrera C2

RMS and Clutch was done for CPO at 45,000 Miles

I purchased the IMS bearing and will be replacing it within the next couple of weeks at about 116,000 KMs

 

02 C4S 50K replacing clutch, RMS and IMS Bearing tomorrow....

 

1999 C4 pursched in 2009 with 60,000 miles. Full inspection done and no problems! In the last 2 years I put 40,000 miles on driving all over the USA and having a great time. Recently decieded to put $20,000 in upgrades, Turbo Kit, Clutch and alot of other thinngs. Had them check and they said my orginal IMS is still in great shape at 100K, no leaks or play. But since its all apart, Im going to do it, only because the transmission is already out.

I believe the IMS problem has been way over played. I have spoke to so many Porsche Mechanics and they all say the same, only 10-15% of M96 Engines had the problem and IMS Failure happened quick, within 20,000 miles.

Almost anyone with a 996 with more then 40,000 miles on it should not have pre-mature IMS failure.

 

99 Carrera 2
88,000 miles on it when I did the IMS retrofit it was so close to failing. It was very loose and had metal shavings in the IMS tube and the oil pan. I cleaned it all up changed the oil again at 500 miles and hand almost no shaving on my magnetic drain plug. The car currently has 90,000 on it.

 

I did an RMS, IMS and clutch in my 99' C2 at 58,000 miles. The local dealership did that and replaced my air/oil separator and an air conditioning line for just under $5k.

They said my IMS looked fine, but I definitely have more fun driving the car knowing that I don't have the IMS issue hanging over my head.

 

NO,Drive it HARD, 100 K, 2002, Black the fastest (color)

 

2000 C2 Cab
89,700 Miles
RMS done @ PO's Clutch job.
No IMS either by me or via carfax (if it would even show). Thinking about the LN bearing and whether I can do it myself.

 

2003 targa
26,000 miles
No ims upgrade

 

2002 C4S
41,600 miles
Clutch, RMS & IMS replaced by dealer at 30K mi service.

 

2002 targa with 30k miles. Still under CPO. Original IMS , but will install IMS detection when it comes out next month.