Starter Issue - Possible warning to series 60 owners

Hello,

This last week my original Detroit Series 60 starter quit. I have a 97 Detroit engine. The POG group recommended a gear reduction starter. My mechanic agreed and said they are so much better.

As they were replacing, they called me to take a look. One of the flywheel teeth had chipped off. They explained that the older starters start spinning and then engage. The newer starters engage and then start spinning. They also said that most motors always stop at the same place putting wear on the same gear teeth each time.

Good news for me is the teeth still have lots of meat left and should be fine, until I plan on major work on the engine. This is an easy fix, but the engine would have to be pulled to get access. I do have a small leak on my cam plate and want to adjust the overheads. So will put this on the list.

If I had known this in advance I would have exchanged the starter much earlier. It was a 2 hour job and 400.00 part.

My opinion is those with the older starter think about preventative changeout. I seemed to be lucky with the break, it could have been much worse and would shut me down for a extensive and expensive repair.

Thoughts of this from the group?

How can I tell if I have the newer gear reduction or if I still have the original. I agree, if its the old one I would just replace it sooner rather than later to avoid flywheel issues.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dthomas9572

Hello,

This last week my original Detroit Series 60 starter quit. I have a 97 Detroit engine. The POG group recommended a gear reduction starter. My mechanic agreed and said they are so much better.

As they were replacing, they called me to take a look. One of the flywheel teeth had chipped off. They explained that the older starters start spinning and then engage. The newer starters engage and then start spinning. They also said that most motors always stop at the same place putting wear on the same gear teeth each time.

Good news for me is the teeth still have lots of meat left and should be fine, until I plan on major work on the engine. This is an easy fix, but the engine would have to be pulled to get access. I do have a small leak on my cam plate and want to adjust the overheads. So will put this on the list.

If I had known this in advance I would have exchanged the starter much earlier. It was a 2 hour job and 400.00 part.

My opinion is those with the older starter think about preventative changeout. I seemed to be lucky with the break, it could have been much worse and would shut me down for a extensive and expensive repair.

Thoughts of this from the group?

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Hi John,

My coach does not have Over the Road Air, so access to starter is easy and in plain site from the rear right door. If you have OTR air it may be harder to access. Maybe others can chime it on how to tell. I know the older unit was a black encased cylinder that is quiet large. The gear reduction starter is silver and 1/2 the size.

I take my bus to Elite Coach, Ephrata, PA, for service, (near Lancaster, PA). Elite is a charter bus company running 30 Prevost buses and also an authorized Prevost Service Center. They approach service from the preventative side. They cannot have a 50 plus passenger bus sitting on the side of the road.

Two years ago ago they told me about the starter problems they were having on their fleet and recommended changing out the original starter to prevent this problem. I did so and have not had any problems with the replacement starter. My coach is a 2003 Royale on a 2002 chassis with a 2001 Detroit Series 60.

Denny,

The more mechanics I talk to they say the same thing. Change out the old starter. I am so lucky this happened when I was home. It would have been a nightmare on the road.

David

Here's the replacement (Click Here). The starter motor is much smaller in diameter than the factory starter.

John,

The Starter Gil recommended above is the one I had installed.

Gil, do you know if Detroit changed over to the new starter? My 2004 DD60 has the new style starter but I have no information that it has ever been changed. I did get the Prevost printout of their work history on our bus by the two previous owners. Of course it could have been changed by someone other than Prevost.

Thanks,