IMS Guardian
Featured in the
Tech Forum of the
November 2011 issue of Excellence Magazine!
CALL: (706) 219-4874
The first advanced warning system for Intermediate Shaft (IMS) Failures!
WHO needs an IMS Guardian™?
Porsche™ 986, 987, 996 and 997 Owners
If your Porsche™ has an M96 or M97 engine, you should be aware of the history of engine damage and catastrophic failures that have been caused by the stock Intermediate Shaft (IMS) bearing. Don't take our word for it, search "IMS failure" on the internet.
WHY do I need an IMS Guardian™?
As the stock IMS bearing wears over time, it can begin a chain reaction of deterioration that ends with metal debris circulating through the entire engine with the oil. Once the debris is widespread, the options are a complete engine rebuild or a replacement engine. Most ominously, there are usually NO WARNING SIGNS that any damage is occurring, until it's too late. And because the IMS bearing is sealed inside your engine, there is NO WAY TO CHECK IT without a complete engine tear-down. See IMS Failures Explained for more information.
In 2009, Raby Engine Development's Flat 6 Innovations division, in conjunction with LN Engineering, created the first IMS RetroFit Kit - to replace the stock IMS bearing before failure can occur. But with no good way to evaluate the condition of the IMS bearing and no warning signs that damage may be occurring, it was a guessing game to know when installing a retrofit might be necessary.
Now You Can Know
The IMS Guardian™ is the first advanced warning system for imminent IMS failure (and eleven other modes of failure) that will automatically monitor the health of your engine.
Installing the IMS Guardian™ today prevents the guessing game of timing a more expensive IMS Retrofit, and the potential for an even more costly engine replacement.
At just $398.95 (MSRP), the IMS Guardian™ is inexpensive peace of mind. If the IMS Guardian™ alerts, shut down the engine immediately to prevent further damage and schedule a $995 (MSRP) IMS RetroFit to replace the compromised IMS bearing and save your engine. Or take your chances with a potential engine replacement cost of $15,000 - $30,000 or more just to keep your car on the road.
HOW does it work?
In the M96/M97 flat-six engines, the intermediate shaft is located just below the crankshaft and the IMS Bearing is located on the far end of the shaft facing the transmission. The IMS Bearing closely resembles an axle bearing, with a sealed unit containing steel balls and a permanent lubricant intended to last the life of the engine.
The IMS Guardian™ system relies on Magnetic Chip Detection (MCD) technology, used in aircraft since the early 1970's with other uses for monitoring the metal content in engine oil dating back to the 1950's. The sensor consists of two strong, opposing-pole, permanent magnets with an insulated gap of air in between. Each magnet is connected, by a wire, to the wiring harness, comprising an open electrical circuit. The wired magnet unit itself is mounted in a modified oil drain plug replacing the stock drain plug, that goes into the crankcase sump plate.
As oil circulates throughout the engine, the magnets will attract the smallest metal debris caused by deterioration within the engine and ciruculated within the engine oil. As the ferrous metal debris is captured in the center of the magnets, it will quickly build up to the point that it will bridge the gap in between the magnets allowing the conduction of electricity, and will close the electrical circuit. Closure of the electrical circuit causes a warning light, installed in your dashboard, to illuminate and an audible alert will buzz. When the IMS Guardian™ alerts, the driver of the vehicle should turn off the engine as quickly as possible and call the IMS Hotline number provided with your IMS Guardian™ purchase.
- audio and visual alert indicator clearly alerts at the first signs of engine damage
- unobtrusive installation seamlessly integrates into your interior's unused indicator location
- extensively researched, developed and tested to work with your M96 engine
- solid-state device, no moving parts to break - self-contained, does not rely on any other system in your car to function
- easy. low-cost installation - DIY project or contact your independent Porsche™ repair shop or Raby Engine Development for professional installation
Sounds great, but WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE INSIDE MY VEHICLE?
The IMS Guardian™ is designed to be installed as a combination warning light/rocket test swtich that mounts in one of your vehicle's factory accessory switch positions on either side of your dashboard. It can also be wired to function with dimmable backlighting for night operation. The circuit box and alarm buzzer speaker mounts under the dash. The cable to the sensor mechanism travels out of the dashboard, passing through the center console to the engine compartment and through to the engine compartment alongside the manual garbox shift cables. The IMS Guardian™ is a solid-state device with no moving parts to break, it's self-contained and doesn't rely on any other system in the vehicle to function, only drawing about 0.05 amps of current while in operation.
The LED warning light on your dashboard switch is illuminated in amber to indicate that the system is working. The LED changes to red and an audible alert accompanies an IMS Failure warning. By pressing and holding the LED switch, the system will enter test mode. The LED will change from amber to red and the warning buzzer will sound. When the switch is released, the audible warning stops and the LED goes back to amber to indicate normal operation.
to monitor your engine's health today?