I emailed LN about my #1 and #2 questions below - I didn't even bother with the bad parts of their instructions that Pelican clears up in its own instructions using the LN tools. They say on their instructions that they don't help with installations. I was hoping that they'd just clear up the issues with their instructions. The response I got was to watch the video that I linked to below.

So, for #1, based upon the video, when their instructions say to turn it to TDC, they mean to rotate the crank pulley until the TDC mark lines up with the mark on the engine. Then check the cam ends. If they are not vertical so you can't install the lock, rotate the crank another 360 degrees until you can.

For #2, I wrote back that I had watched the video and I didn't see anything regarding the locking of the camshaft with the tensioners. They never responded. (as I've moved through this, and read it more, I think what they are saying is that after locking the crank with the pin and locking the left cam with the tool, you loosen the two chain tensioners that are accessible from the rear of the engine which relieves pressure on the IMS and may serve to further lock/prevent the cams from moving. LN says to loosen the chain tensioner found at the front of the engine only if certain problems arise.)

This is kind of frustrating this attitude from them. I have emailed with Chuck over the years too. I really don't understand why they have written the instructions this way or treat non-professional mechanics this way. Oh well.

Update: FWIW, so far I'm not impressed with the LN tools. First, the tool to install the bearing is not drilled deep enough for the nut to get any thread to hold it on. So they are basically two pieces. (This could be because the tool was designed for the single row bearing and I have the dual row bearing - you'd still think that they would make it deep enough for both. Although admittedly, as I indicated above, LN does NOT say to put that nut on - only Pelican does. So perhaps LN never intended the nut to go out. However, that does beg the question as to why they countersunk that hole, which would not have been necessary had they felt it not necessary).

Second, I have a 5 chain, which means that my upper cam does not have a slot and they have made a short tool to hold the lower cam. First, it needs grinding to fit. Where the top of the tool meets the boss/tab where it gets bolted to, the tool has a cut out to go up against the tab. But the cut out is not wide enough. Just by less than 2 mm. But still, I had to get out the Dremel to a $400 tool set. (To be clear, if I had not ground out that tiny amount, the tool still made contact into the slot of the cam. It just needed the grinding so that the tool was 100% in and flush with the base of the groove. I also could have ground off a tad bit of the boss/tab on the engine instead of the tool.) Second, because it doesn't straddle both cams, it can rotate out and away from the cam - making it useless. They could have eliminated that by having extended the top of the tool so that it would rest up against the top cam or top of the engine, anything, to stop it from being able to rotate out.

Third, turns out I had to modify the tool to hold the crank from turning. It is too long to fit between the firewall and the engine to slide in. I cut about a cm off. It wasn't enough. So I unscrewed the handle and then I was able to slide in the rod alone. (I am doubling back here to point out that the LN instructions actually indicate that the handle may have to come off to fit).

Wrap up. I put the bearing in today. It went fine, other than the above issues with having to modify the tools and understanding the LN instructions.

Also, when pulling my double row bearing, the ring that is in the groove in the bearing got itself jammed in between the bearing and the remover tool. I didn't know it at the time. Fortunately, it only scored the tool and not the engine. On hindsight, I would have pulled off the tool after the bearing made its first pop and motion to see if I could get that ring off.

I did not have any issue with the bearing installation tool not having the nut on there.

My cams didn't budge a hair (on a 5 chain system).

And of course my dual row bearing that I just took out is in beautiful condition. No sign of any wear or damage. Rotates as smooth as can be. No looseness.

Jay, I'm sorry you were displeased with the support my sales staff could offer. Often people ask the same question over and over until they get the answer they want to hear and if they don't, they are not happy. We cannot please everyone. Nicole gets exceptional feedback regularly and actually runs The Type 4 Store which we took over from Jake earlier this year. That day it turns out everyone was gone but her and she tried to help you as best as she was capable, being a sales person. As it says in the instructions, there is no support and our kit is for professional installation.

With regards to the tools, we've never had a single complaint and there have been thousands of tool kits made and they are made hundreds at a time, so it's unlikely you had one that was not made properly. They work just fine for all the professionals who use them - dealerships and even for the factory trained techs I work with. Yes, the TDC tool is long- we made the long version and yes, taking the knob off allows it to fit where the short tool is required. Problem solved.

Hi Chuck,

Thanks for the response!

I guess, after seeing all the stories of hack jobs by professionals, I'm not sure why you put so much credibility in "professionals" and are so strongly dismissive of individuals who are just as good as, if not better, than many professionals - especially those that take the time to step by step make sure everything is done perfectly. There are plenty of examples of professionals who just rush through a job and miss things.

I'm sure you've got countless stories of owners doing far worse than professionals - and I'm sure they are 100% correct. The strong odds are that the average owner is a disaster compared to the average professional. However, I don't think that is reason to give such short shrift to all non-professionals, especially when valid points are raised.

But, again, I appreciate all that you've done and the product you sell.

Best regards,
Jay

Thanks Jay. I'm glad you got it all resolved and again sorry I wasn't available to help Nicole with your issues.

I hate to say it, but all the warranty requirements we put in about the procedure and registration are to protect the consumer. I see it all too often that cars are retrofitted then immediately sold to an unsuspecting consumer with a time bomb on their hands. We try to document those cars and shops on our end when we do find out, but I'm sure for every one we find out about there are probably a dozen more we don't know about.

Jay,
This has been a good read. I just used the LN tools over the weekend and they worked perfectly. Sadly my two row bearing was making metal, so for me it's time to regroup and make a plan.

Jay, itd be a great help if you could detail your install for others to follow.

I basically followed the LN instructions, except with the tool modifications and better explanations as indicated above. I'll provide more details later.

This is my 1st post to this site .. but after reading all about the single and dual row bearings I thought I would post my findings. I have a 2000 Boxster S and at 69K my mechanic and I decided to go ahead with the replacement.
I had no problems or indicators that my IMS bearing was bad .. just did it out of caution.

When the bearing came out it was the dual row and it would barely move but once you started turning it, it would start to rotate. I could see a bit of bluing on the bearing surface like it may have spun in it's mount .. something got it hot!

So I have the old IMS bearing om my work bench and to clean it up I shot it with some WD-40 .. the bearing immediately freed up and spun without effort .. my bearing was dry and dying!!! I caught it in time.

Al

I have a 2006 Cayman S 3.4 and need to replace the clutch. While doing so I want to inspect the IMSB and remove the outer seal.

There seems to be reams of information about locking the cams on M96's but little on M97's.

1. What tools are needed to lock the cams on the M97?
2. Do all 4 cams need to be locked?
3. It seems that the end of the left side exhaust cam is not easily accessible like the other 3.....does this one also need to be locked?
4. If so, how do you lock it?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Ken

There is an important aspect to the IMS upgrade task that gets little mention. It is the "while I am in there list". RMS is obvious but making the correct wear measurement of the DMF is also important. If you have gearbox issues like pinion bearing this is the time to address them.
Here is an easy comparison of worn DMF vs new:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoxK1bgJI0Y

Another "while you are in there" is the AOS. It is right out in the open with the trans out, particularly with the Tiptronic equipped cars.

AOS -great suggestion.Not an expensive part but what a pain to install normally. And the potential for expensive engine damage if a defective one is neglected.
Here is the DMF 'play' measurement clearly shown. The center bearing on my DMF was perfect after 90k miles .The free play on the circumference was double the maximum despite having just had the IMS and clutch done ! I asked the 'mechanic' who did the job why he reused a badly worn DMF .He had no clue how to asses DMF wear. And that is why you need to use a competent Indie .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1CQ4Zyc1_U

To Pelican's credit, both the flywheel and air oil separator are mentioned in the 101 book as items to consider while doing this.

In the 2006 engines, while doing the clutch/flywheel, as a roller bearing student of 30 yrs., I suggest you at least rotate the "stub" that holds the inner bearing race 180° if you aren't taking the engine apart. This presents a fresh rolling surface to the balls, and it's this inner surface that's the smallest, takes the worst beating, and initiates failure.

WHy the OTHER end doesn't fail?
 

The main reason "the other end" never fails is simple. There is only one set of valves putting pressure on that end of the shaft. The IMS bearing end is absorbing the crank to ims pressure (which drives both cam banks) and also drives one bank of the engine. The oil pump end may also have the pressure side of the oil pump pushing the IMS away from that driven side of the engine, so the IMS is floating on that oil pump pressure cushion, or maybe not. For sure there are more chains on the bearing end.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1423918406.jpg