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MY06-08

IMS Bearing Solutions for 2006-2008 Porsche Boxster, Cayman, and 911 Models with the Non-Serviceable IMS Bearing

Removing the grease seal off the non-serviceable 06-08 Porsche IMS bearingWith model year 2006 through 2008 Porsche 987 Boxster, Cayman, and 997 911 engines, the intermediate shaft was redesigned and used a larger 6305 bearing. However the oversized IMS bearing used by Porsche in M96 and M97 engines manufactured in and after the 2006 model year is larger than the IMS flange housing bore which prevents replacement of this bearing without complete disassembly of the engine. This also means that replacement engines manufactured and sold by Porsche for Boxster, Cayman, and 911 engines in or after the 2006 model year will have the larger non-serviceable IMS bearing. Lastly, some late 2005 model year Porsche Boxster and 911 models were also fitted with the larger, non-serviceable IMS bearing, so if you have a 2005 Boxster or 2005 Porsche 911, there is a remote chance the bearing cannot be replaced.


Which Porsche models have the larger, non-serviceable IMS bearing?

Porsche models and their corresponding engine designations and displacements with the larger, non-service intermediate shaft bearing include:

M97.01 3.8 Liter 05-08 Carrera S, 06-08 Carrera 4S, 07-08 Targa 4S
M96.05 3.6 Liter 05-08 Carrera (997), 06-08 Carrera 4, 07-08 Targa 4
M96.25 3.2 Liter 05-06 Boxster S
M97.21 3.4 Liter 07-08 Boxster S, 08 Boxster S Limited Edition, 06-08 Cayman S (includes M97.22 engine designation)
M97.20 2.7 Liter 07-08 Boxster, 08 Boxster Limited Edition, 07-08 Cayman

Depending on when it was manufactured, a 2005 Porsche Boxster or 911 vehicle can have either the failure prone single row 6204 ims bearing or the larger non-serviceable 6305 intermediate shaft bearing, so it's best if you have a 2005 model year to have your bearing checked out as soon as possible, just in case you do have the smaller, weaker bearing. Here are the engine numbers provided by Porsche to designate the cutoff for serviceable versus non-serviceable:

Engine numbers up to M96/05 69507475 has the smaller IMS bearing and engine numbers from M96/05 69507476 has the larger revised bearing. Engine numbers up to M97/01 68509790 has the older IMS bearing and numbers from M97/01 68509791 has the larger revised bearing.


How common is an IMS bearing failure on a 2006-2008 model year Porsche?

The incidence of IMS failures in 2006-2008 Porsche Boxster, Cayman, and 911 models with the M96 or M97 engine is very low. We would estimate about a 1% failure rate, but as these engines with the non-serviceable MY06-08 IMS bearing age, failure rates will increase and should be upgraded whenever the engine is going to be rebuilt. LN Engineering's IMS Retrofit and IMS Solution for 2006, 2007, and 2008 Porsche Boxster, Cayman, and 911 engines utilize our exclusive adapter bushing which allows the late intermediate shaft to be serviced without engine disassembly.


What makes the intermediate shaft bearing non-serviceable?

As mentioned previously, Porsche revised the intermediate shaft to allow use of a larger IMS bearing. Normally, to change the IMS bearing, you can gain access to the intermediate shaft by removing the IMS flange. However, when they did this, Porsche did not redesign the engine case, so the larger bearing cannot be extracted from the engine without complete disassembly.

There is a procedure recommended by another company that bores out the IMS flange housing to allow for extraction of the 06-08 intermediate shaft bearing, however this invasive procedure is not only irreversible, but it also ends up spreading debris throughout the engine, leading to engine damage or catastrophic engine failure. As the failure rate for the oversized 06-08 Porsche IMS bearing is very low and simple steps can be taken to extend the life of the original bearing, there is no need to take extreme measures to replace the bearing unless it is done during part of a complete engine rebuild.


What can be done to prevent an IMS bearing failure in Porsche engines with the non-serviceable IMS bearing?

Owners of 2006 through 2008 Boxster, Cayman, and 911 (997) models don't need to rush out to have their engine disassembled to replace the IMS bearing. There are a few simple things you can do to reduce the chances of having an IMS bearing failure in these models as part of preventative maintenance on these 987 and 997 models.

When replacing the clutch or flywheel, the grease seal should be removed off the larger, non-serviceable IMS bearing to allow engine oil to better lubricate it. Remember, the intermediate shaft is submerged in engine oil during normal operation which provides more than enough oil to cool and lubricate the IMS bearing. While removing the grease seal off the IMS bearing, you can replace the triple lip seal on the IMS flange and the o-ring on the center stud as these can and often do leak. The RMS should be replaced using a genuine Porsche rear main seal at the same time. Owners of Tiptronic 987 and 997 models will just have to bite the bullet and schedule this preventative maintenance as soon as possible to extend the life of the original IMS bearing.

The larger non-serviceable IMS bearing found in MY06-08 Boxster, Cayman, and 911 engines has the same load capacity as the early dual row bearing. Since the early dual row and later MY06-08 IMS bearings have double the load capacity of the failure prone single row bearing, we wouldn’t worry too much about the IMS bearing after you pull the grease seal. As mentioned previously, there is no need for a direct oil feed for the factory IMS bearing once the grease seal has been removed as the bearing will be submerged in engine oil during normal operation.

There is a black plastic seal on the front of your Porsche's IMS bearing – you can use a dental pick or something similar to pop the seal out of it’s groove. Just be sure not to drop it in the engine when you remove it. This short video on YouTube that shows how to remove the grease seal off a ball bearing:

Note: All IMS removal procedures must followed using the IMS Pro Tool Kit before the flange can be removed which includes locking the cams, crankshaft at TDC, and removing the chain tensioners. Skipping any one of these steps prior to pulling the IMS flange can lead to loss of proper camshaft timing and engine damage. The Cayman Register has a step by step walkthrough on how to reseal your 06-08 Porsche IMS flange (bearing cover) including removal of the grease seal off of the larger, non-serviceable 06-08 IMS bearing.

After removing the grease seal, to further extend the life of your original intermediate shaft bearing, we recommend:

The above items can be purchased as part of one of our LN Engineering oil change bundles for Porsche Boxster, Cayman, and 911 models.

When installed as part of your M96 or M97 engine rebuild, the 106-08.30 MY06-08 IMS Retrofit™  makes the IMS bearing serviceable in the future without engine disassembly and replaces the original, single row bearing with ceramic hybrid, dual row bearing. Similarly, the 106-08.60 IMS Solution provides the only truly permanent fix to the IMS problem that can be fitted when rebuilding your MY06-08 Porsche Boxster, Cayman, or 911 engine. Installation equires the IMS Supplemental Toolkit (in addition to the IMS Pro Tool Kit) which provides 6 additional tools to aide in installation of the MY06-08 IMS Retrofit as well as the IMS Solution.

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