intermediate shaft bearing.

[Ian Bloxsom]

Forgive me interloping on your forum, but I'm intrigued as to an article in the 911 and Porsche World (page 121, April issue).
The title of this article being "Boxsters popular as ever".
I don't quite know who wrote this, Peter Morgan or Ray Northway, both of whom I respect, but the question I have is :-
is the leak from the shaft bearing a show stopper, and if so where does £4000 come from to fix this.
If £4k is the figure then where is the justification?
I'm just intrigued, not because I'm going to buy a Boxster, I just really want to know why "telephone numbers" are quoted whenever oil leaks are involved.
I'm not new to oil leaks as I have an infamous 964, which has a leak from the cam covers, and which I am prepared to live with.
Forgive my curiosity or indeed naivety.
Thanks.

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

Ian,

As you'll appreciate, this isn't really my subject, but my understanding of the issue is not so much the Intermediate Shaft bearing leaking oil - that's more a Rear Main Seal issue, but the complete failure of the bearing itself. When the IMS bearing goes it seems to take the shaft with it which then tends to flail about inside the engine taking along with it anything that it comes into contact with. It's usually the IMS failure that demands a replacement engine.

The link between the two issues is that you can only examine the Intermediate Shaft bearing once the gearbox is removed - say, to change the RMS. Otherwise there is apparently no distinct "symptom" of impending failure.

If I'm wrong I'm sure there will be a host of Boxster owners who'll correct me.

Regards

Dave

 

[ashley]

Think you got it bang on there Dave, (excuse the pun)

Ian - When I saw your name in the Boxster section I thought you were considering a purchase[]

 

[Ian Bloxsom]

Dave,
thanks for the explanation. Yes if the shaft is adrift, and destroying the internals then I can understand the expense, however if it's just a seal then the cost should be no where near £4. Would you agree? In my book it begs the question, why don't Porsche solve the problem once and for all?
I'm glad my wife's Ford Kuga is not as complex as a Porsche. It's a typical Ford, practical but nowt fits.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

however if it's just a seal then the cost should be no where near £4

It's not, it nearer £500 at an indie. []

 

[Mark_Bennett]

ORIGINAL: Ian Bloxsom

... In my book it begs the question, why don't Porsche solve the problem once and for all?
...

They have, they redesigned the engines completely for the "gen 2" Boxster/Cayman/997 ranges. There is no intermediate shaft anymore.

 

[Ian Bloxsom]

Sorry to disappoint Ash,
I'm air/oil cooled through and through.

 

[Ian Bloxsom]

Thanks for the update Mark,
I wasn't aware of this as I haven't really followed the Boxster development. Maybe I should pay more attention.

 

[Mark_Bennett]

Don't worry Ian, they didn't exactly shout about it

 

[Ian Bloxsom]

Paul,
£500 is a little better, I'm begining to get the picture now. Thanks.