has anyone looked at these?

[wikan]

NC metallugist. anyone ever looked at MicroBlue race bearings?
another potential IMS replacement.
seems this bearing will act the same whether lubricated by oil or by grease.
Just wondering..

[Boiler Inspecto]

Sapientoni just finished the rebuild of his 06 Cayman S and used the microBlue bearing for his IMS. The car runs like it is supposed to. The bearings they sell are intended for engine applications so I think it will do fine. Of course, time will tell.

[Sapientoni]

I used the Micro blue bearing. It's a ceramic ball and uses a phenolic(plastic) cage. Part of the accelerated progressive failure is the chips coming from the cage as the cage is the softest metal in the bearing and will wear out before the balls and races fail completely. From my perspective, less metal available to circulate in the oil when it fails. ALL ball bearings fail eventually. The designed service life is the determining factor of your satisfaction. I personally handle all ceramics with kid gloves when installing. They require strictest adherence to proper techniques to prevent an installment instigated failure. I have over 1,200 miles on the engine now and it's doing it's job perfectly.

[wikan]

Originally Posted by Sapientoni

I used the Micro blue bearing. It's a ceramic ball and uses a phenolic(plastic) cage. Part of the accelerated progressive failure is the chips coming from the cage as the cage is the softest metal in the bearing and will wear out before the balls and races fail completely. From my perspective, less metal available to circulate in the oil when it fails. ALL ball bearings fail eventually. The designed service life is the determining factor of your satisfaction. I personally handle all ceramics with kid gloves when installing. They require strictest adherence to proper techniques to prevent an installment instigated failure. I have over 1,200 miles on the engine now and it's doing it's job perfectly.

is nice to hear am not the only trail blazer. mine is supposed to make it to the house today..Am curious, what is it made you opt for this. (looking for more reasons to support my decision!)
I liked the possibility of running cooler and less friction- also figured it HAS to beat the 4.97 OE one that is in there!
I have 175K on the original bearing, pulled it last night, and amazingly the thing would be difficult to tell from a new one.
Absolutely handle nicely- what proper techniques other than not hammering on the thing too hard do you reccomend?
Did yours come with seals/sheilds in place- am also curious what lubricant you used, and whether you have both sides sheilded or left one open...

[Sapientoni]

What model is your engine. My 2006 was done while I was repairing the spun rod bearing. The ceramic is supposed to give 300% more life than the steel. I was changing a ceramic wear surface in a Detroit Diesel supercharger and when I tapped it with a chisel to slide it on the shaft it cracked. I was not aware it was ceramic but ceramics are more brittle than steel and even steel balls will be "false brinnelled" if you pressure them into place incorrectly.

[wikan]

Originally Posted by Sapientoni

What model is your engine. My 2006 was done while I was repairing the spun rod bearing. The ceramic is supposed to give 300% more life than the steel. I was changing a ceramic wear surface in a Detroit Diesel supercharger and when I tapped it with a chisel to slide it on the shaft it cracked. I was not aware it was ceramic but ceramics are more brittle than steel and even steel balls will be "false brinnelled" if you pressure them into place incorrectly.

03 2.7 boxster, tiptronic. transmission went out at 175K miles. decided to do maintenance items while I have the trans out.
Just couldn't bring myself replace with a new 5 buck bearing, even though after pulling it- it looks like new. Also couldn't bring myself to spend half the cost of a used engine on 1 bearing with the LN kit. .
searched and found lots of ceramics out there, and then stumbled across the microblue. figured it has to be better than the OEM bearing, and since it has a history of performance in grease as well as oil, is worth the risk.
No chisels here- I bought the LN tools and right now the assembly is in the freezer...I should get to tapping it in over the weekend....My first impression is this bearing has less play than any I've ever seen. Was a trip down memory lane packing it by hand with the grease microblue supplied me...it's been years since I did anything other than use a grease gun and a packing tool...

[Sapientoni]

To clarify, I was actually using the chisel to get between the shoulder of the shaft and slide the old seal wear surface off the shaft. The new one slid onto the shaft by hand almost and I don't install with chisels. Point is, just a tap to spread the parts cracked the part which was ceramic.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Sapientoni

To clarify, I was actually using the chisel to get between the shoulder of the shaft and slide the old seal wear surface off the shaft. The new one slid onto the shaft by hand almost and I don't install with chisels. Point is, just a tap to spread the parts cracked the part which was ceramic.

I completely fail to see your point, unless it is to say don't hit your LN bearing with a chisel. Like many shops, we have many, many cars running the ceramic hybrid bearings without issue, and ones that we have had the opportunity to look at, some after 40K miles (many of which were track miles), and they all still looked like brand new.

[Sapientoni]

I was just clearing any chance of misreading what I said, I was working on a Detroit Diesel Supercharger and changing the supercharger seal wearing surface, which is replaceable by design. It was a ceramic sleeve. I expected it to be a steel sleeve. When I "wedged" it away from the shoulder with a small chisel, it cracked. It was only about 3 mm thick. I don't use a chisel in the assembling or disassembling engines. Just when it's necessary and the proper technique to move a part. Just ALWAYS use the proper tools and techniques for WHATEVER you are doing and you won't create a new problem. I haven't done pressure testing of ceramic balls to see at what point they fracture or shatter. I HAVE seen steel ball bearings that had small dents in the balls from improper pressing together and you could feel it when you rolled them. Ceramics might shatter or hairline fracture under improper handling, not the bearings fault, but it would probably bear the blame.