Has anyone else heard this?

[Johndeere120]

All my life I heard this and never looked into it but today is the day. Everyone always told me that diesels are known to eat flywheels because diesels always stop in the same exact spot? I find this hard to believe it would stop on the same cylinder(s) every single time. Is this true or am I talking to idiots?

 

[92U 3406]

This is the first time I've ever heard that in my life.

I have seen maybe 1 or 2 ring gears in my entire career wrenching that were damaged and they were all on gas engines in cars.

 

[kshansen]

This is the first time I've ever heard that in my life.

I have seen maybe 1 or 2 ring gears in my entire career wrenching that were damaged and they were all on gas engines in cars.

In the 40+ years I worked on equipment a the quarry I think I could count on one hand the number of ring gears I had to replace. I think most were damaged by a faulty starter drive.

As to always stopping at the same place I could see that a four cylinder engine might tend to stop in one or two spots a six cylinder probably three places and a V-8 four.

One easy way to test this would be to mark the vibration damper the next time you shut the engine off then check it the following day, if it stops in a different location mark with a different color and keep an eye out for how often the marks are at in that location at the end of each shift.

So, Johndeere120 you have your assignment and we expect a weekly report preferably with a spread-sheet to track the data!

 

[Johndeere120]

In the 40+ years I worked on equipment a the quarry I think I could count on one hand the number of ring gears I had to replace. I think most were damaged by a faulty starter drive.

As to always stopping at the same place I could see that a four cylinder engine might tend to stop in one or two spots a six cylinder probably three places and a V-8 four.

One easy way to test this would be to mark the vibration damper the next time you shut the engine off then check it the following day, if it stops in a different location mark with a different color and keep an eye out for how often the marks are at in that location at the end of each shift.

So, Johndeere120 you have your assignment and we expect a weekly report preferably with a spread-sheet to track the data!

Lol thought about trying that just never felt like laying under there taking notes

 

[Old Doug]

I have replaced several starter rings years ago but none lately. I told this story before but i when out of state and had to stay at a motel . I got in the room and could hear a noise out back before i went to bed i opened a small window in the bathroom to see if i could figure out what was making this noise? It was a 80s ford pickup in a fast food parking lot the starter wouldnt engague . I how he tried for more than a hour . I fell a sleep and looked the next day it was gone.

 

[Truck Shop]

As to always stopping at the same place I could see that a four cylinder engine might tend to stop in one or two spots a six cylinder probably three places and a V-8 four.

Correct--The old FE fords with the cheap Autolite starters, would eat at least three spots in a ring
gear.
It's one of the few truths--isn't a wives tail. Pretty common on a 855 Cummins.

 

[Truck Shop]

It all depends which cylinder is coming under compression and which valves are open.

 

[Tyler d4c]

I've changed 5ish ring gears in my life thus far.
950 cat ate by a bad starter
Manitou telehandler had a software glitch that made the starter engage when running.
And atleast 3 farm tractors that they where just getting worn in one spot.
Always mark you truck engine where it stops so you can put the clutch adjust at the hole so you don't have to fiddle to adjust the clutch.

 

[Truck Shop]

Always mark you truck engine where it stops so you can put the clutch adjust at the hole so you don't have to fiddle to adjust the clutch.

Half of the time.

 

[chidog]

If you shut one off with a compression release, its a toss of the dice where and how it can stop the rotation. Also I would think flywheel inertia limits the possibility of compression causing a stoppage in a certain orientation. Some times its the nut in the operating compartment that is causing ring gear teeth issues, the one I replaced on a D7 all teeth were trashed.

 

[Truck Shop]

Also I would think flywheel inertia limits the possibility of compression causing a stoppage in a certain

Not on the last few rotations the compression starts to over ride the the reciprocating mass.
Not to many would use a compression release on shut down, if there was a compression
release.

 

[Tyler d4c]

Half of the time.

It's a honest effort any way

 

[LN Pipeline]

I know for a fact that the 4 cylinder John Deere diesel in my old man’s 4895 stops in the same spot every time, cause there is a grease zerk on the drive shaft coming off the engine that is inaccessible when it is pointed up. And that grease zerk is pointed up, in the same spot, EVERY SINGLE TIME.

 

[Johndeere120]

I know for a fact that the 4 cylinder John Deere diesel in my old man’s 4895 stops in the same spot every time, cause there is a grease zerk on the drive shaft coming off the engine that is inaccessible when it is pointed up. And that grease zerk is pointed up, in the same spot, EVERY SINGLE TIME.

That's interesting. Like above I too would think it would have a couple different spots that's strange. Perhaps there's some truth to it at least on some engines

 

[Coaldust]

Some truth to that with 4 and 6 bangers. The randomness increases with 8 or more.

 

[cfherrman]

I find this pretty nuts, I'll have to make engines now as see for myself

 

[Vetech63]

I used to change a lot of them on 4 cylinder diesel engines. The bad spots were 180 degrees apart

 

[Old Doug]

Correct--The old FE fords with the cheap Autolite starters, would eat at least three spots in a ring
gear.
It's one of the few truths--isn't a wives tail. Pretty common on a 855 Cummins.

I have a FT 330 that i have run alot . I would agree that the Autolite starters were not that good. I am a GM nut but i needed a truck and didnt know or think how use full this truck could be. It has been one of the best things i have ever owned . I am going to mark its balancer just to see.

 

[cfherrman]

I forgot my first truck, a 74 f150 with a 390 had a bad spot in it that would be hard to get it to engage, but it wouldn't happen that often, maybe once a week if you were unlucky. We drove that truck everywhere it was our only way to get around.

 

[Truck Shop]

I have a FT 330 that i have run alot . I would agree that the Autolite starters were not that good. I am a GM nut but i needed a truck and didnt know or think how use full this truck could be. It has been one of the best things i have ever owned . I am going to mark its balancer just to see.

The old trick with FE's was just heat remove flip and install, kind of like turning your underwear
inside out on the second day.-----it's all about mileage hansen.