IMS Success

59coupe · 12-31-2011, 08:13 AM

Well, mission accomplished. L&N Engineering IMS upgrade, Clutch, Pressure Plate, assorted seals. This job is not too difficult if you have some experience, the correct tools and the time. I will connect the Durametric today and double check for any cam deviation of which I expect to find none. Took the Boxster out for a short test drive last night, ran great. A few notes for those considering this task:

1. Order all necessary parts well in advance, it is frustrating to stop in the middle of this job because you are missing something.
2. Double check you have all the necessary specialty tools to do the job, running to the tool shop to buy that special tool eats time.
3. Definitely have a transmission buddy or 2 when pulling or installing transmission!
4. Consider hanging muffler on the back of the transmission before reinstalling, this is challenging without some assistance.

Just a few things that would have made it a little easier, quicker. Feel free to add tips to this thread if you have performed this job.

The old IMS bearing had some minor shaft play in the bearing, nothing too serious , as has been said these things give very little warning so better safe than sorry.
85K on the car which I use as my daily driver commuting 125 miles a day.

A warm thank you to the posters on this forum who were always present when I had questions.

One last thing, set screws, if anyone needs them, I have a bag full!

Best Regards and Happy New Year,

Z

e-tek · 12-31-2011, 05:44 PM

Glad to hear of your sucess! I am a pro-restorer, so know my way around cars. I'm buying a Boxster S shortly and would do it myself as well. Is there a thread on the procedure? Will you be adding one? If/when I do it I'll put up a detailed thread....

WhipE350 · 08:01 PM

Nice work 59coupe! I had a journey to this point with mine. I finally got the bearing out and the new one in, both gave me fits even using the LN tools.

I'm trying to wrap things up but I've run into a snag (I'm posting this over on 986forum too, need to figure out what I'm doing wrong). I kept my flywheel and put in a new clutch, pressure plate, and throwout bearing. I was putting the transmission back in tonight with my Dad and we couldn't get it in far enough to get the bolts to grab.

I had my new slave cylinder in already and figured maybe the throwout bearing was pushing on the pressure plate so I removed the slave, no difference.

We were able to get a couple bolts started but then the others don't reach enough to grab. I could tell I had the input shaft into the clutch because when I turned the crank I saw the transmission spin the drives.

We did everything and couldn't get it in far enough so decided to drop things out and make sure we were messing something up.

So here is the weird part, the input shaft clearly made it into the pilot bearing because I could see the bearing marks on the shaft lithium grease. So we are thinking is the input shaft out from the transmission too far, or is my flywheel not in correctly. So I measured the following:

- The input shaft is 5/16 below the edge of the transmission.
- The pilot bearing is only 3/16 further out from the engine then where transmission mounts to the engine .

This gives me 2/16 which is a perfect fit, yet I could never get the engine closer then 1 inch from the engine.

This doesn't add up! How do I have pilot bearing marks on the shaft if I still have an inch to go?!! It also felt to us like the transmission wasn't going in far enough because it was pivoting on something. Again remember I saw pilot bearing grease marks on the shaft, so it really was like I had reached bottom.

I'll go measure everything again, but I'm really at a lose and this is so frustrating because I'm ready to get her back together and take it for a spin! This isn't rocket science. Like everything, do it once and second time easy...I'm not in easyville right now.

986ron · 01-01-2012, 07:14 AM

Hi WhipE350

Couple of questions for you. Did you use a clutch alignment tool to set your clutch disc and did it slide in and out easily after torquing the the pressure plate. Did you put the transaxle in gear and rotate the output flanges to mesh the transaxle input splines into the clutch disc? The weight of the transaxle has to be take up correctly and be parallel to the engine and in my case everything went in when the planets aligned. I used a floor jack and this took a littlejuggling but everything came together on our '98 986.
Ron

WhipE350 · 01-01-2012, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 986ron

Hi WhipE350

Couple of questions for you. Did you use a clutch alignment tool to set your clutch disc and did it slide in and out easily after torquing the the pressure plate. Did you put the transaxle in gear and rotate the output flanges to mesh the transaxle input splines into the clutch disc? The weight of the transaxle has to be take up correctly and be parallel to the engine and in my case everything went in when the planets aligned. I used a floor jack and this took a littlejuggling but everything came together on our '98 986.
Ron

Ron - Thanks for the reply. I used the clutch alignment tool. I'll double check it still slides back and forth OK. It worked great and made it easy. I also rotated the transaxle in gear so get splines to mesh with disc. I figured that was my problem but it didn't seem to help. Ya this makes no sense, I figured this would be a 2 out of 5 compare to the rest of the job, now it is a road block and to top it off I pinched my neck putting that darn oil fill tube in so I'm delayed. I'll take pictures and remeasure. So strange because we had everything lined up so good, even used a guide insert to keep the bellhousing and trany bolt holes lined up. I told my Dad that folks even do this with just a jack and no trans adapter on it. Let me go takes some pics.

WhipE350 · 01-01-2012, 09:04 AM

Posted these on 986forum also. Getting good advice there too. I'm going to pull pressure plate back off and remount it.

59coupe · 01-01-2012, 11:36 AM

e-tek, Wayne has posted a comprehensive tech article in the library with lots of photos. With your background I don't anticipate you will have to look at it more than twice.

WhipE350, Hmmm, I don't know what to tell you except I had both of my sons in the garage for the install and we took 3 runs at it achieving success on the third try. Nothing special here, just a floor jack and a couple of blocks of wood. Pay close attention to the angle of approach; it sounds like you have a trans adapter of some sort for this job? Using the floor jack gave the ability to adjust angle of approach on the fly. As 986Ron stated, when the planets align, in it goes. I am puzzled how you could seat the input shaft fully into the pilot bearing and still have an inch though? Barring an oversight, like installing the clutch disc backwards (which might explain the inch) or something it makes no sense to me? All I can possibly suggest at this point is; study and re-look everything.

Happy New Year,
Z

986ron · 01-01-2012, 12:18 PM

Hello again WhipE350
As memory serves me the disc cannot go in backwards. I had lowered the rear of my engine a bit and that allowed the transmission to elevate that little bit more. Remember to hold one transmission output flange while you rotate the other trying to get the splines engaged. You mention using a guide insert to try to align the engine and transaxle. Maybe if you let the transaxle float up a touch more without guides you will get success. Do not expect the bolts to help. Once the splines engage it will really pop in. As 59 coupe noted I used the regular lift plate on a floor jack and manually worked while the height was adjusted. Hope you can report success after another try.
Ron

WhipE350 · 01-01-2012, 03:04 PM

Hey guys, believe I have found the error of my ways! It isn't in yet but I took the day and did other things then took a more relaxed look at things. I'm actually glad it didn't go in because I made a rookie mistake.

- There are 3 pins that stick out of the flywheel, they have to fit into the pressure plate properly. This would not have been a problem probably until I started driving the car...but I'm so glad I found it and correct my mistake.

- I practiced putting a clutch on to the input shaft and notice it will completely not go on if the two are not meshed up perfectly. I also just learned what you said, have to turn both transaxles at the same time or I can just tweak a small turn from the drive shaft from inside the car. I'm sure as soon as they mess up it will slide right on.

I basically simulated all my theories that were wrong and thus learned.

One thing having survived cancer taught me...that adversity in life should always be treated like an adventure.

59coupe · 01-02-2012, 08:05 AM

Sometimes it is good to slow down and take a look at the situation. Anyone can make a mistake when they get in a hurry. I had my share while doing this task, Stripped Triple Square, Set Screws, etc.
I am on to other tasks now, oldest son had a deer strike in his Mitsu Evo 8 last night, nothing too serious, mostly cosmetic. Just when I finished with one, for now...something else comes up.
Let us know when you have accomplished the mission and drop a few tips for the next person.
Happy New Year,
Z

WhipE350 · 01-15-2012, 09:02 AM

I never did post final update. I was also posting on 986forum but maybe folks aren't members over there. Here is the link: Advice for my winter project - Page 3 - 986 Forum - for Porsche Boxster Owners and Others

Anyway I was successful and all the prices are listed on the last page of that link. Thank you everyone that helped, it really got me through the touch periods. It was just my luck I had a hard to pull and hard to put back in bearing. I wish the rest of you an easier time.