When to change RMS/IMS?
 

Forgive me if this has been rehashed ad nauseam...BUT when should one replace the rms or the ims? Should I do both at the same time? I'm looking at either an 02 or an 03 S, with higher mileage; because i believe the problems have been worked out....as opposed to an S with 5,000 miles. Is there a way to have the VIN read in some magical database and see if the seals have been replaced? Thx for thoughts

There is no magical data base that will tell you if the RMS has been done, unless a dealer did it and it is in the car's service records, which they don't like to share.

As for replacing the IMS and the RMS; the IMS and RMS should be done whenever you are doing the clutch, or have reason to pull the gear box. While the RMS just causes a leak, the IMS fills the engine with fine grit before it fails, which requires a total rebuild.

what do you think of my higher mileage theory?

It is just a theory and nothing more. Why not buy a lower mileage car and do the IMS/RMS then you'll have the best of both worlds? Most of the other components that fail on higher mileage cars such as fuel pump, water pump, power steering pump and etc will still be in like new condition on a 5K mi. car.

When do you change the water pump? 50,000 miles?

When it goes and you will hear it before it goes. There is no set mileage for regular maintenance of parts like water pumps. Why buy a car if you're going to live in paranoia about it? You buy a car to enjoy so if you have a lot of concerns about a Boxster you may want to look at something else.

I don't think is has validity...............

because i'm a 964 guy and this would be my first foray into water cooled sixes....just don't wish to get burned....this ims/rms stuff is new to me...thx for info!

Ok well and good so you take the car to an indy shop or dealer you can trust and get a PPI done. Although it is not 100% they will be able to tell you if there is anything you need to be aware of. I bought my '99 with 74K on it and it just turned 104K. I had the LN bearing and updated RMS installed 12K later after tracking and AXing it for a year. With the exception of the upgrades I've done I've had to replace the water pump at 86K and just had the fuel pump go south, other than that basic maintenance and a whole lot of fun.

How much did the rms, LN bearing and water pump replacement/repairs cost? Thx

IMS/RMS was $1800 and I have a Tiptronic but that was two years ago. OEM water pump, new coolant and labor was around $800 also a couple of years ago. You do not want aftermarket water pumps. New fuel pump and filter with labor was just shy of $700. If you can do some of this work yourself you can save the labor which is typically half the cost of the repair.

Ok...thanks !! That's not too bad..... I thought the seals would be around the $5000 mark. I really appreciate your info!

why is rms / ims service tied to water pump? they are really unrelated

with rms, if it's not leaking, don't need to change it unless you are already doing the clutch or ims. whenever changing the clutch, i would definitely do the ims but may want to hold off on the rms since it's held up for 10 years.

rms seems to leak on garage queens. ims doesn't seem to be tied to mileage per se.

It's not....just curious of the cost of the repair

Plastic water pump impeller blades are known to degrade and break over time. Many suggest replacing them at 50k intervals. If they go south you can potentially lose your engine. I personally look at them as needing attention every bit if not more than the IMS. A new owner of a used Boxster would do well to replace the IMS bearing, RMS, and water pump if the car is older. Just my 2 cents worth.

Steve

Does this mean you're also considering an S with 5000 miles, or was that just a rhetorical statement? Most 5000-mile Boxsters are going to be no more than 4 years old, and in case you don't realize it, 2009 and newer Boxsters don't have an IMS -- problem solved. Plus, the direct-injection 9A1 motor is more horsepowery than the M97 that preceeded it.