Transmission is out. Should i replace the IMS and RMS?

[tcleaver]

I just got a '99 996. It only has 47K miles. Took it in because the clutch was making a noise. After a review the mechanic has advised replacing the clutch and a few bearings in the transmission. He also checked the RMS and IMS and they both looked fine with no sign of leaks. My question is should i follow the 'if it isn't broke don't fix it' approach or should i be proactive and replace them both since the transmission is out anyway?

[txhokie4life]

I just got a '99 996. It only has 47K miles. Took it in because the clutch was making a noise. After a review the mechanic has advised replacing the clutch and a few bearings in the transmission. He also checked the RMS and IMS and they both looked fine with no sign of leaks. My question is should i follow the 'if it isn't broke don't fix it' approach or should i be proactive and replace them both since the transmission is out anyway?

The RMS is a $30 part tops.

The IMSR is ~$500-600 and a lot of peace of mind.

Here is a picture of a 03 S which failied at 30k miles

Mike

Edited November 3, 2010 by txhokie4life

[tanny02996]

I went through these same questions about a year ago when I bought my 02C4. There is no simple answer as this topic serves up plenty of debate and opinion. There don't seem to be any people complaining about an upgraded IMS and based on how Porsche has evolved the design, it would seem that there is plenty of evidence to support moving away from the IMS design you have now. FWIW, since my IMS showed no signs of degradation, I chose not to change it. If you choose to do it, you are probably looking at approximately $5k of work for everything you have listed. I believe an unknown is whether or not you will need to reset the cam timing as well, which can add a few hours of labor to the job. At a minimum, an upgraded RMS is a nominal incremental investment at this point for you. Also note the IMS upgrade has an estimated life of 45k miles so it's not a "permanent" fix. If nothing else, there does seem to be consensus that frequent oil changes are a cheap way to mitigate the risk of an IMS failure. I change my oil every 6 mos or 5k miles. It's way more often than spec, but cheap, fast, and downright easy to do yourself. Good luck with your decision and please keep us all posted of your decision.

[phillipj]

Great advice Tanny...:clapping: