Well, it happened to me. What I was most concerned about and why I almost did not buy a Porsche. The IMS went and completely trashed the engine. As everyone here probably knows, 17k + labor for replacement from Porsche.

I purchased a power warranty from Interstate National Dealer Services and after inspection they said because the external bolt that leads to the IMS bearing was broken off, that that was the problem and they do not cover it because it was not an internally lubricated part. I have the best Porsche mechanic in Southwest Virginia who has worked on well over 1000 Porsche engines and has over 40 years experience telling them otherwise. I sense I will have to get a lawyer involved. I write this only to let everyone know that all these aftermarket insurance companies are weasels and to avoid this one at all costs.

But my question lies in my search for a less expensive alternative to a new Porsche engine. I am trying to do research on my own before I approach my mechanic.

Are all of the engines from 2005 - 2008 interchangeable? In other words, can I take a 2008 Cayman S engine and drop it in without any issues in my 2005? I found several places on the web that sells engines and has various years available from 2005 - 2008 and they say they will fit unmodified. Obviously, if I can search fro 4 years of engines instead of 1, I will have a better chance of finding one. I also know the later the year the better chance of another engine failure happening because of the same IMS problem.

Thanks so much in advance for your reply. I really appreciate it!

A very sad Porsche owner at the moment,

Charlie

 

Charlie,

I'm sure by now you've moved on from owning a Porsche after having suffered a failures, but your post deserved a response for the benefit of others.

We see this happen regularly (both the bearing fail and the warranty company deny the claim). The center stud broke because the ball bearing was failing, but it's hard to argue these failures with insurance companies. It does help in the years since, the details of the Eisen Class Action lawsuit are well known and this problem has been known for many years now.

It is in my experience that any extended warranty outside a factory CPO warranty is not worth the paper they are printed on. It's best to spend the money on preventative maintenance or set the money aside in case of an emergency.

It is easier to swap engines from similar model years - you run into changes, however slight, can complicate installations require conversion and more money. Used engines from reputable dismantlers that will warranty the used engine for a period of time are your best bet for a quick, cheap solution.

Since the original post, complete engines are no longer available from Porsche, however shortblocks have been re-introduced for most models and are available for less than the sum of the parts individually from Porsche.

An IMS bearing failure doesn't typically cause catastrophic damage. You can typically pull it apart, replace the IMS shaft, and all typical items like bearings, seals, etc. This can be done at a reasonable price, however most choose to add upgrades like increasing the displacement to 3.8 liters.

It's a good idea to replace the IMS bearing at that time along with other major items like RMS, AOS, vent tube, oil fill tube, expansion tank, and water pump. All preventative maintenance items that should be taken care, as outlined on our website.