Hello 1997.5 Hummer H1 in Southern California

[Selloutrr]

Hi,
I joined TTS hoping someone has a spare Leroy Diesel DS4 Time Keeper Gear Set they would like to sell?

My truck is a 97.5 AMG Hummer/H1 wagon. w/ 2001 6.5L turbo diesel. Super 77 turbo w/ manual boost gauge, Stanadyne high output injectors, Raptor fuel pump, Fluid Damper, Billet pulley, 4” exhaust (cat delete), Custom built 4L80e transmission to 4L85e spec, Rubberduck Tune, 2.5” Frame lift, 40” Toyo Open Country M/T, Balance Masters, 12K brakes, 12K Half shafts, ARB lockers Front/Rear

Thank you!

 

[MrMarty51]

Welcome to TTS.
That is a nice looking Humvee.
Maybe someday I too can have one of those.
You might try Leroys facebook page and see if there are any groups over there that are seeking the Time Keeper gear sets.
After Leroy run out of the first batch, there were enough people posting within Leroys page, that would make that purchase that Leroy finally got in tje second run of Time Keeper sets.
If enough people again jump in there and posting that they would make that purchase then He might be inclined into getting in another run.
If several people would put together the funds required to order in another round of two hundred sets then I’m sure that Leroy would be happy to list them then send the investors the money from the sets as the sets are sold off.

 

[Will L.]

I see ya made it here. Hopefully someone has a spare they are willing to part with.

For those unaware, Leroy has ran out of current stock and any next availability from him is undetermined.

 

[Selloutrr]

I had the Timekeeper gear set in my cart checking out. I went back to add the wait to prime fuel harness. When I hit the complete order button to pay the site froze. I refreshed and the timekeeper was no longer available.
I’ve emailed Leroy twice, he didn’t reply.
A 200 unit order seems high with today’s ability to order 1 off fabrications from online venders.
It would make sense for Leroy to explore options to manufacture smaller batches ~ 10 units at a time. Even if the cost was a little higher in smaller batches. In another forum they had mentioned that the Time Keeper was being manufactured in India. With the current 50% (idiot tax) tariff placed on India I’m sure that kills any future orders.

I will say in my search across the www to find a Timekeeper gear set I have come across some pretty disappointing articles involving engine failures related to the timekeeper gear set. Apparently the gearset is to rigid where the chain allows some forgiveness causing stress to internal components. I’m sure it’s partly poor install and the other part already failing engine/ poor maintenance. Yet it’s got me thinking.

 

[jrsavoie]

I had the Timekeeper gear set in my cart checking out. I went back to add the wait to prime fuel harness. When I hit the complete order button to pay the site froze. I refreshed and the timekeeper was no longer available.
I’ve emailed Leroy twice, he didn’t reply.
A 200 unit order seems high with today’s ability to order 1 off fabrications from online venders.
It would make sense for Leroy to explore options to manufacture smaller batches ~ 10 units at a time. Even if the cost was a little higher in smaller batches. In another forum they had mentioned that the Time Keeper was being manufactured in India. With the current 50% (idiot tax) tariff placed on India I’m sure that kills any future orders.

I will say in my search across the www to find a Timekeeper gear set I have come across some pretty disappointing articles involving engine failures related to the timekeeper gear set. Apparently the gearset is to rigid where the chain allows some forgiveness causing stress to internal components. I’m sure it’s partly poor install and the other part already failing engine/ poor maintenance. Yet it’s got me thinking.

From what I have read, on one of thr timing gear kits, you need to double verify the timing marks

 

[Will L.]

As to problems from the system- the same design actually came from the racing industry, known as gear drive. The idea that vibrations go through the gears into the injection pump and cause issues is as ignorant as can be. Ignorant as in someone is uneducated. The db2 pump used in gm before the ds4 is the same db2 pump used by the ford 6.9 & 7.3 with the exception they run a reversed rotation than us, and they have 3/8” fuel line going in where gm had it changed to a 5/16” line. The db2 in the Ford outlasts the one in the GM dramatically.

Stanandyne builds this same style db pump for countless diesel engines across all kinds of manufacturers. I remember a guy doing a search on how many engines and think he gave up after 35 engines, only 1- the 6.2/6.5 platform uses a chain instead of gear drive.

People try analyzing vibrations but seem to have no concept of “chain slap” that occurs every single time the engine starts, stops, or has hard acceleration.

There is a power penalty that is paid for gear drive, and the higher the rpm the greater the penalty is. If ons of dyno runs on different engines have been done testing them in different engines. High rpm is affected the most as is lower compression engines, especially when naturally aspirated… well that leaves us out as we never break 5,000 rpm, we have ridiculously high compression, and I don’t know anyone putting in gears that hasn’t added a turbo if they are still n/a.

On my race truck I did dynos with chain and with a gear set I had made at a local machine shop back in the 90’s before DSG came out with it. At that time I was running nitro-propane and my shift point was 4,300 rpm & obviously most the internals were custom. My power “loss” was about 7hp and 10 torque was our best estimate, but the chain couldn’t withstand 3 miles so the power loss meant not scattering the engine when the intake valves hit the pistons.
So people can theorize all they want. Some of us lived it.

There was a question in did Leroy get the timing marks in the correct position or not. That is as easy as lining up the gears with the chain system.
The pictures I saw of a 6.5 and of a p400 that had problems, I saw the timing mark off from where it should have been. I’ve heard people say there was some made wrong but still wait for evidence showing it.

There is speculation about a 4° advance of camshaft being built into the DSG and therefore copies by Leroy. If that is the demise of an engine, it would have failed at about 60,000 miles anyways because chain stretch is easy to track for guys running db2 and who use a timing light to time it, we have to advance the timing every 30,000 miles to keep it accurate when everything is stock.

I would not get really upset over not being able to have a gear drive and running a timing chain, the quality chains will last and ds4 will self adjust for the chain stretch. If you are really pushing a lot of power, a d poured a lot of money into a build and have to run a chain, I would just plan on running 120,000 miles, then open it up for a new chain, do front seal and water pump all at the same time.

 

[Selloutrr]

I may pass on the timekeeper. I replaced the chain and rebuilt the top end, as well as most things that can bolt on, including the updated water pump and fan clutch/alpha fan, new heads, IP, and ARP bolts ~ 3500 miles ago. The engine sounds smooth and runs strong, with 16psi of boost, and doesn’t hesitate to start.

I’m ordering the P400 injector pump w/Stage 4 ECU tube, and intercooler from Rubberduck on the 18th. That should finish the engine. The system is fully monitored by Hewitt gauges with the transmission and transfer case switchable on the trans gauge.