IMS warning light. Good idea or not?

[chatas17]

Anybody use this? Is it a good alternative to spending the $2500 and having the IMS replaced? FLAT 6 INNOVATIONS :: Engine Failure Detection Systems :: IMS Guardian. I saw it in another post.

thanks

[bell]

well.....if the light comes on you still need to change the ims bearing.......right?
so don't waste the $400 and just retro fit it.......

[tonythetarga]

Agreed...not sure where you get $2500 either. That must be for the IMS and clutch kit replacement, but it still sounds high. The bearing is about 600 bucks and another 400 should cover pulling off the trans and replacing. (the engine can stay in the car)

[FPB111]

Because the IMS bearing can fail catastrophically there are folks who are just not comfortable driving their 996 without some assurance that they can get advance warning of imminent failure. If you are one of them then the Flat6 guardian is one way to achieve peace of mind.

As stated above if it does light you will be spending an additional ~$1000 -$3000, depending on what else you do "while you are in there". However it won't be ~$!5-20K for an engine replacement.

Another option would be replacing the IMSB preemptively. There are at least 4 IMSB kits being offered. Pelican, Pelican uses a stock steel type bearing, LN and Casper Labs offer ceramic composite bearings that should be a more robust bearing, and there is the Engine Lifeguard out of Europe The ultimate IMS UPGRADE = ENGINE LIFEGUARD - Rennlist Discussion Forums.

All of the above options are still bearings that could fail. So even with a replacement bearing a Guardian may be worthwhile to some folks.

Data point:
I have a 2003 996 that does not have a "Guardian" installed. I do have a LN Engineering kit along with other bits (clutch, DM flywheel, RMS, AOS etc.) ready to be installed when my clutch needs replacement.

[DaveBerry]

Originally Posted by tonythetarga

Agreed...not sure where you get $2500 either. That must be for the IMS and clutch kit replacement, but it still sounds high. The bearing is about 600 bucks and another 400 should cover pulling off the trans and replacing. (the engine can stay in the car)

I was quoted around $2500 to just do the L&N retrofit. The same place that quoted this to me also charged another poster around $2500 to do the L&N, AOS and clutch.

My conclusion is to do the IMS along with the clutch. When to do the clutch? I have 35K on my 2000 Carrera 2.

[FPB111]

The LN retrofit quote may have included the Clutch, AOS and RMS as a matter of Indy CYA. Nothing worse than "You just did my IMS bearing and now you want more $$ to R&R trans to fix my leaky RMS broken clutch/AOS etc.." customer return.
When to replace your clutch:
1 starts to slip
2 gets much harder to push (assuming you still have the helper spring installed)
3 when the RMS/IMSB starts to leak oil
4 at 35k when you can't wait to update the IMS any longer.

I had my clutch replaced @~ 31K, with ~1/2 life left, while the RMS was being replaced under warranty. There were no IMSB replacements offered at that time or I would have replaced it then.

[dennish]

I got it because the previous owner had the clutch replaced just prior to me buying it. He didn't know about the IMS issue. So, I went ahead and installed the Guardian. Now I feel better. As stated above, it also warns of other impending engine problems.