EPS solution to potential IMS bearing failure

[soccer22]

I have 2004  911 cabrolet with approx. 65000 miles on it. It runs fine doesnt use any oil but I see advertisements in the Panorama for EPS-IMS Bearing Upgrade Kit (Vertex Automotive) so I am wondering if I should consider this option which gives they say a 5yre warranty/ 30,000 warranty which will probably carry me through my lifetime!!!!!

[JFP in PA]

41 minutes ago, soccer22 said:

I have 2004  911 cabrolet with approx. 65000 miles on it. It runs fine doesnt use any oil but I see advertisements in the Panorama for EPS-IMS Bearing Upgrade Kit (Vertex Automotive) so I am wondering if I should consider this option which gives they say a 5yre warranty/ 30,000 warranty which will probably carry me through my lifetime!!!!!

You need to take that ad with a grain of salt.  First of all, the claims that a roller bearing is better are dubious at best.  Back when Jake Raby (Flat Six Innovations) and Charles Navarro (LN Engineering) were developing the first retrofit system, they tested (to destruction) a variety of bearing designs in actual engines, including the roller style, which showed no advantages over a ceramic hybrid ball bearing. Second, the warranty for the roller bearing only covers giving you a replacement roller bearing if the first one fails; but at that point your entire engine is junk, so you will have a nice, shiny new paperweight for your desk, not a replacement engine.

 

If you really want to do this right, and only once, you need to take a hard look at the LN IMS Solution.  Yes, it is more expensive, but it is the only proven retrofit that will outlive your engine, and can even be reused in another engine, something that no roller or ball bearing retrofit can do. I personally have owned two IMS Solution retrofits and have never regretted using them over other options; they simply work, and to my knowledge none have ever failed.

[soccer22]

Thank you for your analysis and the paperweight point, one often reads to much into the warranty aspects. I guess I will leave well alone.

[JFP in PA]

I wouldn't be afraid to do the retrofit, I would just suggest using components that have a huge installed base and are known performers.  Anyone's warranty on car parts of any kind only provides you with a replacement of the part, not collateral damage resulting from the first part's failure.  And like just about everything else in life, in IMS retrofits you "get what you pay for", so don't try to cheap out, you definitely will not like what happens. 😵