The first thing I did when I got my 996 was replace the IMS bearing and rear seal. The bearing I took out at 64,000 miles was absolutely perfect. The bigger and real probs with the M96 engine are its open deck design and the shitty materials it made out of. I'm on motor three. The original spun a rod bearing and spit out the thrust washers. Motor two ended its life with a cracked cylinder wall. And engine three is a ticking time bomb, probably due to bore scoring. The M96 isn't made to be rebuilt. There are no aftermarket bearings, crankshafts or camshafts. You can't do anything feasible with the cylinder walls except have them sleeved or sent to Jake Raby for a new Nikasil plating. But I still love mine and love it and its ugly ass headlights enough to never want to sell it. Why? Go drive one:)

Applicable to 986 Boxsters as well. Humorous seeing this done on a very clean engine. I believe the LN Engineering procedure mentions removing one and loosening a second chain tensioner; not removing all three. FWIW. Locking TDC before and verifying timing after especially important on single row bearings. Mentioning that would be instructive. Also putting new bearing and insertion tool in freezer before installation is helpful and normal. It would also add value to mention all tools used and alternatives to the Porsche specialty tools when applicable (e.g. for IMS cover removal).

Great tutorial there. Thanks from France.

Good video well presented

VERY NICE AND INFORMATIVE VIDEO. Do you have a video to change the Cluth for a 2000 996?

Thanks for the video. Do you have the link to buy the IMS bearing tool kit?

Awesome, appreciate!

This is how you keep regular Joe Blow from owning a Porsche.

hello this is very nice i only have 1 question i have the 2000 996 and i have the ims tool 106-08-1.3 but i can find the tool setup and assemble manual and research on line and cant find it can you please add more photo of the tool thank you

Good overview... BTW, Definite Articles like "the" are free to use in describing the work ;)

There's an article from Autohaus Hamilton in Australia about the IMS. google “Autohaus Hamilton Porsche IMS” The article lists all the models and engines (with engine numbers) that are affected. "The Porsche models that are prone to IMS failure and should be replaced are: All 986 Boxster models. - 987 Cayman & Boxster models up to engine number 61504715 - All 996 models (not including: GT and Turbo models) - 997 3.6ltr with M96/05 up to engine number 6950745" Before 2000 Porsche used a double row IMS Bearing which had a low failure rate, then they switched to a single row until 2005 - 2006 and this single row has had the most problems. After 2005 - 2006 Porsche stayed with the single row but increased it's size and strength and this bearing has had the least problems of all three types of bearings used from 1997 to 2008. The upgraded bearing in the 997 and 987 is unserviceable, meaning you can't reach it unless you strip the entire engine down. Some of the early production 2005 - 2006 987 and 997 might have the pre-upgraded bearing fitted, that's why the engine numbers in the Autohaus article might be helpful in determining which type of IMS bearing is installed. Mr. Jake Raby from Flat 6 Innovations says he has only ever seen 3 M97 engines built after 2006 blow an IMS bearing (Link see comments @ Rennvision by The Knowledge Gruppe. Starting in 2008 Porsche introduced the new 997.2 and 987.2 and switched to a DFI direct fuel injection engine which doesn't have an IMS Bearing.

A mechanical engineer who sets a design for a shaft using both pressurized insert bearings that have clearance for riding on a film of oil along with a roller or ball bearing that essentially has zero clearance should have his ticket pulled and retrained. The ball/roller bearing will in effect be supporting the entire shaft until it gets pounded to pieces-and of course that is just what is happening. On a given shaft it’s either all ball/rollers or all pressurized. Too many parts to these engines especially all the chains; we’ve seen what just one split roller does-- total destruction. Design may look cool with the mass of moving parts, just as long as they all keep moving in their order...

I saw a repair that had a oil line that went to the bearing from a plate sandwiched between oil filter. This keeps the IMS bearing in oil at all times. A much better repair then this one.

The IMS bearing is on the flywheel end of the M96 engine (996/986). The intermediate shaft functions to drive the camshafts via chains. The factory sealed IMS bearing is subject to wear and failure. If the bearing fails in operation, the engine will be severely damaged. Porsche does not sell the bearing (comes only with a new intermediate shaft, ie. engine teardown required), The basis of this video is replacing the bearing only using an aftermarket bearing.

Tengo un problema con un 2000 Porche boxter 2.7 necesito ayuda alguien que me diga que puede ser ,. El ACEITE SE VA A LOS RADIADORES , Vivo en México No se que puedo hacer o qué le cambio

I rebuild transmission for a living and I an currently looking at 04 911 that the ims failed on.honestly this is pretty easy looking to do considering I'm a American mecanic and not a European mechanic.but I do believe they could of used a belt system for timing and left the mechanical parts pressured bearings

Is there a reason why you didn't use the bush with oil filter attachment kit?.

Thumbs UP. Enjoyed the video being a shade-tree wrench-turner :o) But I have to say that car is WAY to RICH for my blood.. Ouch. I guess I should assume that when purchasing a complete engine rebuild kit that a fully populated Snap-On roll around comes with it? But seriously folks.. Thank YOU FOR the video. It really was VERY informative.

I'm planing to buy 2005 Boxter and it has 91k miles and I what to know does this year model have issue with ims bearing failure and the owner of the car said they changed the clutch like on 88k miles and changed rear main seal and checked for ims bearing it looked just fine

how many years does this IMS maintenance be perform to the car? approximately how much will it cost?

After replacing the IMS bearing, keep your tools in a safe place because this bearing will fail again.... There is an upgrade kit that will make it a permanent fix. It is an IMS Bearing and Oiling System Kit, it will cost more than this fix, but if done right, it will not fail again..

Direct oil feed to this bearing is the most appropriate, unless you replace the bearing every other oil change. I stripped down my Bentley to its short block to fix the head gasket that fails at 50,000mls. I'm a can do guy but still shit my britches.

any source/link about sensor mentioned in 0:55?

In other words, take the whole damn car apart. Nice job Porsche.

Any idea on the time frame for this, my manuals are all giving very different times to even pull the transmission (5-14 hours) and then I'm thinking an hour for actual bearing replacement??

2005 was the model year of the 997

it would be a lot more helpful if you used terms like bank 1 and bank 2, that way people dont have to guess which side you're referring to when saying right and left, it would clarify imo

Is it the 996GT3RS and the facelift model if the 996 turbo the factory had upgraded the IS bearing or they are the same?

Can't see why you have to remove the relay to crank the engine without firing to build up oil pressure. Oil pressure will build up immediately if your oil level is correct. We're not talking long oil lines here.

I just picked up a 2000 Boxter for my wife. The guy had just had the clutch replaced, I wish he had known about this. Would have been the perfect time to do it. How hard a job is it?

Can anyone tell me if the risk is higher on a 14k miles 2000 Boxster or less ??? Thank you

I got ahead of my self and popped the bearing cover without locking the cams, I stopped there but I'm wondering if I can still rotate engine lock the cam and crank ?? anyone have any input on this!?I have not pulled the chain tensioner out yet

My 2000 Boxster blew at 120,000 IMS failure. and i am now having a l&n brand put in at Porsche as well as my RMS plus a clutch to save on labor costs down the road. If driving any of these models without an IMS fail safe it will leave you on the side of the road on a hill side in the rain during rush hour like it happened to me. Only problem I have ever had out of my 2 Porsches was that one blew up.

Did you say how much it costs to have someone do this replacement? I heard that it was about $900 and it looks pretty simple, if you are a porsche mechanic (I am not) but if I were to buy another Porsche, Id consider having this done up front - maybe with a new clutch - to get a fresh Porsche and avoid the killer fail. Please comment.

An IMS replacement bearing is around 30.00.

And I thought that open heart surgery was a difficult proceedure

The easiest way to avoid this issue all together is by avoiding any liquid cooled Porsche made prior to 2009, except the 911 Turbo. They had a different engine without the problem. Sure the early ones can be had cheap, but it's an expensive gamble that can be avoided.

catch oil with a rag lol, I don't know how big ur rags are but I got about 3 litters of oil out when I removed the bottom chain tentioner

For all of us concerned about the Porsche IMS Bearing issue - I found a very informative article from Autohaus Hamilton in Australia about the IMS. The article also lists all the models and engines (with engine numbers) that are affected. To read the article just type in “Autohaus Hamilton IMS” into google. The Porsche models that are prone to IMS failure and should be replaced are: - All 986 Boxster models. - 987 Cayman & Boxster models up to engine number 61504715 - All 996 models (not including: GT and Turbo models) - 997 3.6ltr with M96/05 up to engine number 6950745

Did he replaced the IMS Bering with a similar Bering

DEUTCH QUALITAT mdr !!!

What's a rubber mallet?

so basically take the engine completely apart and lay every part on your garage floor then kick all the parts around.

just buy a 2009 model and u dont godda worry about this ever.

there is an easier way to do this and u dont have to do all of this with engine in the car take old one out new one in your done.

What a totally fucked up design from Porsche. I thought the germans were at the pinnacle of engineering design; what the fuck is this shit?

I'm sorry, did you say "some Porsche workshops consider it a maintenance item". That is complete b.s. if they think that. Unbelievable. That would be like GM saying that camshafts are a "maintenance item".

Not really DIY, is it ?....

So much for the often touted superior German engineering prowess. German cars are money pit because if you don't spend hordes of money to maintain it, it will blow up in the worst opportune time, like driving your wife to the hospital. I have a BMW and love driving it but be prepare to dump money into it.

So a powertrain bearing is a serviceable part, more poor German engineering from the PoMoCo.

After finding out these engines fail due to this bearing irrespective of mileage, I decided not to buy Porsche Euro trash.

buy a Corvette these German cars a pos never seen a good car from Europe

don't buy Porsche this is piece of shit buy a reliable car buy a corvette please.

remove a brand new part with non damage obvervation and replace it for a no oem part with not a single % of guarantee about solve the problem (axis tolerances): PARADOGIC IMS BEARING AMAZING STORIES.