2008 Boxster ISM Bearing Fix - Follow Up Service

[scott_nichol]

Hello everyone:

I purchased a used 2008 Boxster S in March 2015 and seeing as how the original owner didn't do anything about the IMS bearing issue, I decided to have it evaluated. In April I took it to Specialty Cars in Allentown (they specialize in Porsche service and are very knowledgeable). For my car, they recommended removing the bearing seal to ensure the bearing is fed fresh engine oil. I had the service performed and everything seems good.

Their recommended follow up services included follow up oil changes to ensure that the engine is flushed of any metal parts that might have resulted from poor bearing lubrication. I took it back in May 2015 just prior to the RTR Track day at Pocono after a couple hundred miles and they changed the oil again. I've driven it since and took it back again just last week (July 28, 2015) after about 2500 miles and was mildly scolded because I should have brought it back within 500 miles for another change.

Each time they change the oil, they cut the filter open and evaluate it for any metal flecks. They've shown me what they've found each time and especially this time I honestly can't see the metal flecks he's showing me. There's a little bit of grit in the sample of oil he's showing me, but this is all being caught by the filter (i'm assuming).

At nearly $400 for a oil change (they're using Joe Gibbs racing oil, which they claim to be much better for the engine than Mobile 1), it's difficult to justify bringing it in again in another 1000 miles as they're recommending. I want to do the right thing to prevent an IMS failure, but I'm feeling like 3 complete oil changes should be adequate given what I've seen.

Has anyone else had experiences with IMS bearing service and the follow-up service regimens recommended by their preferred service center? Am I foolish not to follow their advice here?


thanks
scott

[Budman]

You need to do more research on IMS bearings and the new, more robust IMS bearing Porsche put in 2008 and 2009 cars. They really don't fail all that much compared to the older, pre 2007 and earlier engines. In fact the failure rate is reported to be less than 1% compared to an estimated 10% on pre 2008. I have a 2008 and wouldn't consider the procedure you've had done. Sounds to me like a real money maker for your mechanic. Even very experienced race car builders haven't seen the problem in 2008 and 2009 cars. It's why our M97 engines were excluded form the IMS bearing class action law suite that Porsche settled. One source in particular, who has developed a way to remove the 2008-2009 IMS without spliting the engine apart (older version IMS bearings could be removed just by removing the trans only) says he wouldn't even worry about it until somewhere around 125,000 miles, and then just maybe worry. Of the thousands of blog participants who own Boxsters and Caymans at Planet 9 blog, there have been 2-3 reported and confirmed IMS failures. It's an excellent statistical sampling with a less the a half percent failure rate. Doing anything on our motors is sort of like having a heart transplant to prevent a maybe heart attack somewhere in the future. Will it help? Maybe, more likely not. Probably won't make a difference one way or the other. Good luck with whatever path you decide.