WARNING: Gear-Drive Timing Set
A gear-drive timing set being promoted and sold via a few unethical so-called diesel discussion groups is BAD idea.
Many engine builders know for longevity you do not want to use aftermarket gear-drive timing on an engine not designed for it, they prefer timing chains and belts, the reason is simple, chains and belts have a cushioning effect that absorbs shocks and makes life easier on the valvetrain. Even many racers now know this.
Race engines that use gear-drive timing are often torn down and rebuilt or checked out every few runs! There are some OEM engines that use gear-drive timing, but those are designed that way by the manufacturers and much engineering, research and development and huge budgets support the required effort that goes in to those designs, there are many variables that must be dealt with to avoid unwanted harmonics that can damage the engine.
Did you ever see
the video of the Tacoma narrows bridge failure? it failed because of
harmonics, the wind was not the problem, it was the resonance/harmonics that
made it vibrate at just the right frequency that it broke itself apart! If
interested, 10 minute bridge video;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASd0t3n8Bnc
One individual in Wisconsin who sells this gear drive I believe is now on his 4th or 5th GM 6.5 Diesel engine in his truck, he has had broken crankshafts and cracked engine blocks!
We also had previously noticed a pattern after reading number of posts on
forums (before they were deleted) or from getting emails mentioning engine failures only to find out they too were running that gear-drive.
Our conclusion from the data was that the engines
that had gear drive timing sets installed were failing prematurely due to
harmonics from the gear drive timing sets to cause the crankshaft to harmonize
causing them to fail, just as if the crankshaft's harmonic balancer/torsional
was bad, in fact we noticed on the engine that had the gear drive timing sets
that premature failure of the harmonic balancer/torsional damper was much more
common and even the crank pulley's were failing more often on the engines that
had the gear drive timing sets installed.
A promotional 'tactic' that appears to be used to sell this gear-drive is the claim that the engine will make more power and/or get better mpg by using it, but
the truth of the matter is the power and mpg
can be gained by simply timing changing of the "TDC Offset Learn", to different
specs, of course the recommend these specs with the gear drive, however this can still be done on any efi GM 6.5 that has a stock or aftermarket timing chain. There
is NO need for the gear-drive to get added power or mpg, and such a
product should be AVOIDED on the GM 6.5 Diesel Engines.
To do things right, if your timing chain is stretched, then replace it with a quality OEM or aftermarket replacement, you will save a LOT of money,
avoid that gear-drive and we feel you will save your engine from an early death.
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