Are you new to the M96 engine and the IMS Retrofit? There are several versions of the IMS used from 1997 through 2008.

  • Due to variations through these years, we recommend shops purchase both a Single Row Pro and Dual Row IMS kit to keep in stock, otherwise shops must first visually identify which bearing they need before ordering as returns and/or exchanges of IMS Retrofit kits are not permitted for any reason.
  • The IMS Pro Toolkit is required for all installations. The Supplemental Tool kit is used for the IMS Solution & 06-08 Bearing, while the Faultless Tool kit is required for the Single Row Pro IMS Retrofit.
  • Remember, engines build in model year 2006 and later will have a larger bearing that cannot be serviced without complete dis-assembly of the engine!

Also, there is no reliable way to verify what bearing is needed by VIN or engine number, so it is up to you to order the right part! Model year 2000 and 2001 engines came from the factory with either a dual row or a single row bearing IMS. Some late model year 2005 engines were also fitted with a larger bearing that is not serviceable without a complete teardown of the engine. As such you must identify which bearing was used to verify compatibility.

As long as the engine is original to the car, you can expect to find the following:

1997-1999

  • All MY97-99 vehicles with their original engines will require a Dual Row IMS Retrofit™ kit, identified by a wider dual row ball-bearing and narrow IMS flange. The factory dual row flange dish depth is 13.34mm.

2000-2001

  • MY00-01 vehicles may need either a Dual Row or Single Row Pro Retrofit™ kit, so you must inspect the flange and compare to the photos of the dual row and single row IMS shown above to determine which kit is needed. You can determine which bearing the engine has visually and by measuring the depth of the dish in the ims flange.

2002-2005

  • MY02-05 will need a Single Row Pro Retrofit™ kit, identified by a narrower single row ball-bearing and wider IMS flange. The factory single row flange dish depth is 19.27mm.

2006-2008

All MY06 through MY08 engines will have the larger single row ball-bearing identified by the larger 22mm nut.
With the 22mm nut and IMS flange removed, the larger IMS ball-bearing is shown below with retaining ring. The outside diameter of the bearing is larger than the diameter of the IMS flange bore, so the bearing cannot be extracted from the engine without dis-assembly of the engine. Removal of the grease seal on this bearing is recommended for improved oiling and cooling of the bearing.


Resources

DOWNLOADS:

Single Row Pro Installation Instructions

Dual Row Installation Instructions

Single Row Classic (discontinued) Installation Instructions