Porsche Boxster, Cayman, 996 and 997
The IMS bearing carries one end of the intermediate shaft that drives the camshafts in water-cooled Porsche flat-six engines from roughly 1997 to 2008. When it wears it can shed debris into the oil and let the cam timing slip. At Alpine Autowerks we assess the engine first, then replace the bearing and document the work.
Neither IMS wear nor bore scoring should be guessed at.
The 986 and 987 Boxster, the 987 Cayman and the 996 and 997 Carrera carry the bearing. Turbo, GT2 and GT3 models of those years use a different engine.
Oil filter inspection for metal, a full-system scan with factory-level tooling and a road test, so the bearing goes into an engine worth the work.
A camera in the cylinders shows the walls directly, so bore scoring is not missed while the engine is being looked at.
The bearing sits behind the clutch, so the transmission and clutch come out to reach it. That makes it a natural time to look at the clutch.
On some later engines the bearing can only be reached by splitting the engine. If yours is one, we tell you before any work starts.
Photos, findings and parts recorded in your service file, so any future buyer can see the bearing was done.
Evidence first, then a plan, with photos and readings you can review yourself.
If an engine needs more than a bearing, we rebuild it in house, with known weaknesses engineered out.
Every quote in plain English before a single bolt turns, and nothing added without your yes.
Factory-trained technicians who work on these platforms every day, and a Calgary reputation built on telling owners the truth about their cars.
The water-cooled flat-six engines in the 986 and 987 Boxster, the 987 Cayman and the 996 and 997 Carrera, roughly model years 1997 to 2008. Turbo, GT2 and GT3 models of those years use a different engine.
The service history should hold an invoice that names the work. Without one, treat the original bearing as still fitted until it is inspected.
Metal in the oil filter is an early warning worth acting on. Odd noises from the engine deserve a look early, before they become a failure.
Yes. Our pre-purchase inspection includes known-fault checks for your specific model, including IMS and bore scoring.
Related: engine rebuilding, pre-purchase inspections, clutch repair, our guide to IMS bearing and bore scoring, and Porsche service in Calgary.
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