2007 C2 Tiptronic IMS bearing.

[Ashman1957]

I’ve read that the IMS bearing in 2006 onwards cars have a larger, stronger IMs bearing. Can this still be changed for an upgrade just to be sure or is it not as accessible as the smaller bearing in the earlier 997’s?

regards.

[JFP in PA]

The "third design" IMS bearing began showing up in 2005 and is larger than the earlier versions.  That said, they also fail, just in not as large numbers as the earlier versions.  LN does make a retrofit kit to permit the retrofits of either their ceramic hybrid bearing or the once an done IMS Solution; only problem is that to do anything with the third design bearing requires pulling the engine apart as this bearing is literally too big to fit through the opening in the rear of the engine cases.  Once the LN kit is installed, however, any future work can be done without a complete engine tear down.

 

Probably the best and simplest update you can do to an engine with the large bearing it to remove the rear seal on the bearing so it can lubricate and cool with the oil mist circulating in the engine.  We have done this on multiple large bearing engines, with complete success.