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Latest on my IMS leak problems

G

Greenslade

New member
Well, today I took my car to my local OPC. for them to investigate the latest leak. As I posted previously, if this is this is a IMS leak it will be the fourth in under three years and the third in fifteen months. If it proves to be an IMS leak, what are my options? Just changing the seals and replacing bolts does not seem to solving the problem. It seems to me from other posts on this issue that there are other possible causation factors i.e. poor lubrication, shaft deflection, bearing wear that are more relevant which could be causing the seal to leak. Any advice on how I should deal with this should the OPC come back with a recommendation just to change the seal...from my conversations with the OPC anything they do is being 'managed@ by Porsche GB. To me the best option would be for the IMS bearing and shaft to be replaced, I do have a Porsche warranty until the end of this year. Just how far could I take this.

Thanks
Roy
 
If you have a Porsche warranty then I guess you have to stay with the OPEC route otherwise I would suggest getting Hartech's advice as they have most experience in this area - might be worth a phone call to them.
 
Just how far could I take this? With the list of failures you've had so far I would be inclined to seek legal advice rather than enthusiasts advice.Porsche seem to have a poor record for customer satisfaction in such cases,what you've put up with up to now would put many lesser car companies to shame.
 
Unfortunately, legal minds don't have the necessary qualifications to properly advise on this subject.

Clearly from what we have been told simply replacing the seal and bolts is treating the symptoms, not the cause. There is obviously something fundamentally wrong that needs to be investigated. This would probably involve tearing apart the engine and measuring all the parts involved to check for out of tolerance parts. However, that may not be sufficient because parts change shape under load.

Porsche are obviously the best people for the job but how you persuade them to do something about it is tricky. I had a similar problem with Mercedes about 10 years ago which resulted in them buying the car back off me. Perhaps this is a consideration here because anything else may be time consuming and expensive without any guarantee of a satisfactory outcome.

I think I would start with the citizens' advice bureau.
 
Sorry if it seems harsh but my advice would be read a few more posts here and on Rennlist on IMS issue's

Porsche would not be your best option as they have no IMS fix apart from replacing the engine.
They have no in house method of pulling the bearing only the independents will.
 
Would give Trading Standards a call for advice after you have a look at the 'Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982.
Good luck.
 
Thanks to all for your advice. This is the latest info, following the replacing of the IMS seal several times and following test driving the leak has continued. Yesterday as directed by PCGB the OPC centre has applied a 'SEALANT' to the IMS and the cover. According to the PCGB this is a Factory approved procedure, and has had good results in stopping the leak. Having applied the sealant and testing my OPC has told me that the leak has stopped. But to me this has just masked the fact that the seal is leaking and not addressed what is causing the leak. The OPC has been great, but PCGB seems to be quite happy just to bung in some sealant and hope for the best. Has anyone have any experience of this. I have told them that I am not happy with this, and want a proper engineering solution, whatever that may be.

Roy
 
Paul (kasspa) recently had his RMS/IMS seals done and they also found silicone smeared on to the IMS housing. If it is an "approved" procedure, that explains it. An approved bodge IMO.
 
Thanks Richard, apart from jumping up and down and foaming at the mouth, threatening to take legal advice/action and never buy another Porsche is there anything sensible that I could do? If they replaced the IMS bearing and shaft, would that fix it.

Roy
 
I don't think there is any guarantee that changing the intermediate shaft and seal will permanently cure the leak. You would be facing a mega bill to do this anyway. Unfortunately, you are now between the devil and the deep blue sea. What they have done by applying the sealant has stopped the leak for the time being, but it sounds like a temporary solution to me, and is clearly masking the problem.

They should have experience enough to do this job properly, but it would make me wonder if that is the case. If you are paying for the job, it should have a two year warranty under the Porsche parts guarantee. I would get them to confirm that, and if it does start up again, take it to another OPC.
 
I do have a Porsche warranty until the end of this year, I would have thought that this would provide for a proper repair of the cause. At the moment I feel that I am dealing with Del Boy motors and not such a prestigious manufacturer!!. I have told them that I am not satisfied with their 'solution' and they should do whatever is necessary to fix the problem. Not expecting the response that I would like ..but I can but hope.
 
I have a folder 2 inches thick of the bills for the several times they did the RMS & IMS seal on mine before they got it right,
And Dora the explorer could not have dreamed up some of the prices luckily all done under warranty.

Is there a bulletin from Porsche about the use of Silicone?.
 
And just remember any work done under Porsche warrenty is not guaranteed the moment the warrenty runs out. I had an RMS change at the end of my warrenty and they weren't interested when it leaked again. If I'd of even paid just a £1 I'd have been covered but as it was warrenty work that I didn't pay for seperately no joy.
 
Next move is to complain again through their complaints procedure,providing them with my thoughts on their performance todate, and that they should be dealing with the cause and not the symptoms, and see where that gets me. I have thought about communicating their proposed fix of applying sealant to the IMS to the media, with Top Gear at the top of the list!. Why don't they just get on with it and do the job properly.
 

ORIGINAL: Greenslade

Next move is to complain again through their complaints procedure,providing them with my thoughts on their performance todate, and that they should be dealing with the cause and not the symptoms, and see where that gets me.
Click to expand...

Don't hold your breath with this either - getting satisfaction form Porsche Cars GB is like plucking hens teeth. I have nothing but negative outcomes from them in 20+years.

I regret to say that naming and shaming in the public domain may be the only way to get some satisfaction - albeit in a personal way, as I doubt they will own up to the RMS/IMS fault that you and many others before you have.
 

ORIGINAL: Greenslade

Thanks to all for your advice. This is the latest info, following the replacing of the IMS seal several times and following test driving the leak has continued. Yesterday as directed by PCGB the OPC centre has applied a 'SEALANT' to the IMS and the cover. According to the PCGB this is a Factory approved procedure, and has had good results in stopping the leak. Having applied the sealant and testing my OPC has told me that the leak has stopped. But to me this has just masked the fact that the seal is leaking and not addressed what is causing the leak. The OPC has been great, but PCGB seems to be quite happy just to bung in some sealant and hope for the best. Has anyone have any experience of this. I have told them that I am not happy with this, and want a proper engineering solution, whatever that may be.

Roy
Click to expand...

Roy, my Indie looking into this PCGB 'approved' fix..... and reporting back to me as silicone was found after the removal of my gearbox & it has only ever had OPC's carrying out work on it.....
Re Legal Advice.... are you an AA Member as they have a team ( AA Legal Services ) who advise on ALL motoring issues: 0845 850 1130

Hth

Paul
 
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