Engine Serial Number

[HalM]

Guys, I hate to bring up an old topic, but I think I may have a new twist and need clarification.

My car is a 2004 911 40^th Anniversary edition.  Thus, it has the X51 package.  It suffered an IMS failure under warranty and was replaced in 2006 by a Porsche dealer.  This is documented, not word of mouth.

The serial number on the new engine is M96/03S665….  The “S” means it is a X51 package.  But, it is not M96/03SAT665… with the “AT” signifying a remanufactured motor.  

Did Porsche ever replace motors with brand new, not remanufactured units?

This is my 4^th M96 car and I have no complaints.  The car is the best of the water cooled I have owned.  Just trying to figure out this serial number oddity.    

THANKS!

[DBJoe996]

More than likely you got a brand new motor.  Porsche did not "reman" engines, they simply replaced them. If it was done by a Porsche dealer under warranty, they only use Porsche parts, like a motor.  I forget what the AT stands for in German, but AT is a replacement motor.  From my reading, Porsche did not take failed motors and remanufactured them, particularly if it had total catastrophic internal failure such as with the IMS bearing.  It is a bit confusing, but I would consider your good fortune in having a new engine.

[cnavarro]

On 2/13/2020 at 11:54 AM, HalM said:

Guys, I hate to bring up an old topic, but I think I may have a new twist and need clarification.

My car is a 2004 911 40^th Anniversary edition.  Thus, it has the X51 package.  It suffered an IMS failure under warranty and was replaced in 2006 by a Porsche dealer.  This is documented, not word of mouth.

The serial number on the new engine is M96/03S665….  The “S” means it is a X51 package.  But, it is not M96/03SAT665… with the “AT” signifying a remanufactured motor.  

Did Porsche ever replace motors with brand new, not remanufactured units?

This is my 4^th M96 car and I have no complaints.  The car is the best of the water cooled I have owned.  Just trying to figure out this serial number oddity.    

 

THANKS!

 

That's great that your car received a new factory replacement engine! I would make the assumption that the engine fitted will have the larger, non-serviceable IMS bearing, which isn't a huge problem. Just plan on going in there sometime to have the grease seal pulled off the ims bearing.

 

When you have your clutch replaced, it's best to have the grease seal removed off the original bearing to allow engine oil to better lubricate it. At that time, you can reseal the IMS flange and have the rear main seal replaced as well. There is a black plastic seal on the front of the bearing - you would use a dental pick or something similar to pop the seal out of it's groove. Just be sure not to loose it in the engine when you do remove it. We don't have a how-to for this, but I found a short video on YouTube that shows seal removal on a ball bearing:
 

 
The larger bearing found in MY06-08 engines has the same load capacity as the early dual row, which have proven to be the most reliable of the factory bearings. I wouldn't worry too much about it after you pull the grease seal. There is no need for an oil feed for the factory ims bearing as the bearing will be submerged in engine oil once you have the grease seal removed.
 
I would additionally recommend changing your oil every 6 months or 5,000 miles and use a quality 5w40. You may consider a magnetic drain plug to further help in identifying early signs of debris being generated by the IMS bearing. I would also advise dropping the oil pan for inspection from time to time as well. We have more technical information on our website on this topic.

[HalM]

Thanks DB and Charles.  There is so much paranoia in the M96 world, I wanted to be sure I was reading the tea leafs correctly.

 

Much appreciate.

 

Hal

 

[HalM]

Thought I would just revisit this thread and not start a new one.

 

I had a new clutch installed in my car this week.  And yes, I do have the final, non-serviceable bearing!  🙂  We also removed the grease seal as Charles recommended.

 

My serial number is M96/03S66540669 so if yours is a higher number, then you too probably have the fixed bearing. 

 

Hope this helps someone when looking.