Most Porsche owners have heard the acronym IMS, and it tends to trigger a shiver of fear. You’ve probably scaled the internet trying to find remedies and solutions, but instead found contradictory information, which can cause more harm then it prevents. Allow us to settle the issue for you, once and for all.

Which Porsche models are known to suffer from IMS failure? 

1. All 996 Models (Excluding GT and Turbo models)
2. 997 3.6 litres with M96/05 up to engine number 6950745
3. All 986 Boxter models
4. 987 Cayman & Boxter up to engine number 61504715

 

So, what causes everything to go wrong? 

The answer to that is that there are many reasons that may cause an IMS Bearing to fail, oftentimes it is down to several issues at once. One of these issues is called Spalling. This occurs as a result of normal fatigue where the bearing has reached the end of its normal lifespan, but this is not the most common of causes of IMS failure. Spalling detected in the bearing can generally be attributed to other factors; a common cause of bearing failure is due to high load and lack of lubrication to the IMS bearing, causing continuous heating. This causes huge amounts of friction and heats up the bearing, bringing the bearing past the strength of the steel and fracturing it, leaving behind a jagged depression. Once this cycle begins, wear is greatly accelerated and the bearing will be well on the path to failing prematurely.

What is the worst thing that could happen?

The cam timing can be thrown off, which causes valve to piston contact. In this case the engine will not be accepted as a core, requiring the purchase of another core. Basically, you will need a new engine for your Porsche or to rebuild the existing one. Once your car has suffered an IMS failure there is no recovering the engine easily. Any attempt to simply replace the IMS will be thwarted by pieces of metal debris left in the engine from the failure.

What can be done to avoid this common problem?

In this case, being alert and pro-active to make sure you catch the problem before it has passed the point of no return.

What are the warning signs?

There are three warning signs which can indicate a bearing is failing. The main one is finding metallic bits in the oil filter when carrying out an oil change, or you may have found that there is an oil leak located at the rear of the engine or if you have started to hear knocking and metallic sounds coming from the rear of the motor.

If you have any of these warning signs then it very important that you stop driving the vehicle immediately. You then need to get it recovered to a workshop to get the IMS replaced.

We recommend purchasing a replacement from us for full peace of mind. Please take a look at the range of replacement IMS Bearings that we offer on our website. If you live near London / Brentwood, you can also get in touch with us to arrange for us to fit the part to your car professionally and correctly! You can find us and everything else that we offer at www.design911.com

Technical Information