[big911fan]

I'm with you on the "drive it like it was stolen" theory. While not impossible I find it hard to believe that a bearing of any type actually has a better life span with hard or abusive use.

I can believe driving a car frequently stops deterioration on some parts like seals, gaskets, etc., etc. but not a bearing.

Sure the grease in a sealed bearing might get hard but I would think any type of use would soften it up. It's easier to believe the IMS bearing fails because of poor design. poor quality materials, or poor manufacturing. Or perhaps the stress from the bearing having non-centric stresses on it from the timing chain.

Bearings are mechanical items and subject to the laws of physics. They are affected by stresses, usage, wear. and thermal cycles like anything mechanical.

I'm not an engineer but I'd like to hear from either a mechanical engineer or bearing engineer that "drive it like you stole it" actually lengthens bearing life.

If an IMS bearing was defective from the factory in design or implementation it was going to fail at some point. Some earlier than others. At least that's my theory....