Do the IMS now! It can go anytime. If it does, just throw the car away.

there is a full page ad in the back of the dec pano for a company that sells the parts to fix the ims....

That is absolutely not true.

If you don't do the IMS, you are taking a big risk.

A leak-down test is not necessarily a good indicator of the condition of the heads on these cars.

The cracked-head syndrome tends to propagate very slowly with very small cracks.

I have a customer who is driving his $4000 986 with a known coolant breach, because he won't pay to fix it. We know it has a small breach because coolant is consumed over time and the cooling system becomes pressurized to about 40 psi when it's driven. It also blows some steam upon start up when cold.

It doesn't overheat. The ECU throws no codes. It has beautiful leak-down numbers and it drives just fine.

However, it has a limited life remaining.....

(read with a smile , I'm not writing angry)Not being a hater here but all you are doing is sounding very negitive towards cars we really like. I have been in the Automotive business 35 years and have experienced "issues" with many cars and all makes. To say all of them are going to fail is not a fair statement. I am sure you have replaced many engines due to failure and I am sure they all weren't porsche 996 engines. To say to throw the car away if the IMS fails is not a legitimate attitude either. If my 2.4 6 cylinder were to grenade tomorrow, I wouldn't throw away my 914. Why would I throw away one of the best driving cars I have owned if my engine grenades in it. Same money to replace a totally different and more advanced engine. That by the way doesn't require Valve adjustments and top end rebuilds. Don't think I don't understand the risk of the IMS and its history. There are plenty of people badgering us about it on line and in the forums to make most afraid to start their car at all. To quote one of the guys on the 996 forum in responce to someone who was buying into the hype. "Grow a pair Nancy and drive it!" I truly respect your opinion and your experiance and this rant isn't directly pointed to you. It is that it's all any one wants to talk about when it comes to the 996 not that it is an awesome car to drive and an absolute bargain to buy.
Merry Christmas to all!

I understand your point about negativity.

I'm trying to present my observations objectively, but I guess my urgency to do so comes across as negative.

I want 996 buyers to do what they want, but go in with eyes wide open.

If you're in Florida, I can help.

Is there any pattern to the failures? Meaning, early vs late, double row is vs single, or high milage vs low?
I also have been strongly considering a 996, I had a 2001 boxster s, 3rd owner, 62k miles when I bought it, had it 3 years ,put 25k miles on it, sold it last year, really wished I'd kept it, now looking at a 2001 996 cabriolet, with hard top, only 37k miles on it.ni hear various opinions but no statistical facts to back up any specific argument. But you see the failures, so I ask you Joe what cars do you see.
Thanks

I find it funny that the engine in question - the M96 engine found in the 996 and 986 Boxster - its what's in one of the most popular race classes in PCA - Spec Boxster. These guys beat the hell out of those little cars and they just keep on running. Go to any PCA Club Race and you will see A LOT of 996's and Boxsters.

But beyond racing - these cars are overall very good cars. Look at all the issues that have plagued the 911 model lines through the years...head studs , valve guides, head gaskets (or lack of) etc. Do these issues affect EVERY car of those models? No, but it's enough to make you think/know about it. the M96 is no different...there are a vast majority of those engines out there that have never had a problem...and never will.

Bill makes a good point: the REPLACEMENT cost of getting a TOTALLY NEW engine is as much if not LESS than the rebuild cost of most of your -6 conversions out there and you end up with a MUCH more powerful engine...but nobody complains about the almighty air cooled engines do they?

I have to laugh really....seriously? 914 owners bashing another Porsche - or any car for that matter - for having a potential issue?? Since when did the 914 ownership world become elitist??

Logic and personal experience tell me otherwise.

If a cooling system is getting pressurized to 40 psi, it is in contact via a crack with some part of the combustion chamber to gain the pressure to meet the 40 psi you are claiming.

Properly done, when hot, that shows up on a leak down test.
It shows up even easier if you remove each plug, run it with the plug removed.
Whichever cylinder spews coolant at you is typically the one that is at fault, or its nearby in a galley somewhere.
This is a very, very, very common issue on the older BMW engines, and it's so common in fact that there is a shop down south ( can't remember which state, mYbe Alabama) that has totally welded up and repaired heads on his shelf ready to sell with a core charge.

So when I buy mine I will do a leak down test, and redo the ims bearing and then drive it till it dies....cause that is why I will buy it.

Naro, I agree.

Amen to that. Even more so, for me, the 944 S2. Nearly the power of the 951, way more torque, all the 951 aero, brake and suspension improvements, and no turbo complexity. The 944 S2 is one of the great daily drivers in the Porsche world. Every day I find myself thinking, "I love this car". I wouldn't trade it for two 996s.

http://youtu.be/JN99jshaQbY