Hole in the flywheel casing, left open or closed?

[Mattir]

Spent some of my Sunday under the -15 cleaning oily mud from the bottom plate especially around the exhaust and greasing (yes really). Found out that there is a round hole in the lowest point of the flywheel housing. Gears are visible....

Should this hole be closed with a cap or left open? I would put a cap on it to prevent mud entering the engine....

[Nobody]

Dunno about excavators tbh, but some kind of drainage is pretty common on the flywheel housing on other vehicles..

[Nobody]

Dunno about excavators tbh, but some kind of drainage is pretty common on the flywheel housing on other vehicles..

Thought drainage, ment inspection hole..

[Muz]

Spent some of my Sunday under the -15 cleaning oily mud from the bottom plate especially around the exhaust and greasing (yes really). Found out that there is a round hole in the lowest point of the flywheel housing. Gears are visible....

Should this hole be closed with a cap or left open? I would put a cap on it to prevent mud entering the engine....

It'll be the crown ring on which the starter engages, some engines are timed from marks on the ring there so it needs to be visible, although I dont think the L3e is, all its marks are on the timing gears inside the timing cover on the other side that you can see in my other posts re damaged engine. Dont think much can get in there and its sealed at the crank anyhow, theres just a big nylon bush in there that connects the fly wheel to the pump drive pinion. Wont hurt by fitting a grommet on it either I wouldnt have thought

[Mattir]

It'll be the crown ring on which the starter engages, some engines are timed from marks on the ring there so it needs to be visible, although I dont think the L3e is, all its marks are on the timing gears inside the timing cover on the other side that you can see in my other posts re damaged engine. Dont think much can get in there and its sealed at the crank anyhow, theres just a big nylon bush in there that connects the fly wheel to the pump drive pinion. Wont hurt by fitting a grommet on it either I wouldnt have thought

Yes. The timing marks are stamped on the gears inside the cover. It's explained in the manual as well.

Will install something, maybe some foamy stuff to prevent dust entering.

[v8druid]

It'll be the crown ring on which the starter engages, some engines are timed from marks on the ring there so it needs to be visible, although I dont think the L3e is, all its marks are on the timing gears inside the timing cover on the other side that you can see in my other posts re damaged engine. Dont think much can get in there and its sealed at the crank anyhow, theres just a big nylon bush in there that connects the fly wheel to the pump drive pinion. Wont hurt by fitting a grommet on it either I wouldnt have thought

with perhaps a slit in it to allow any water that does find its way in there an escape route ?

[Muz]

with perhaps a slit in it to allow any water that does find its way in there an escape route ?

Agreed pressure washers can be quite invasive

[v8druid]

Agreed pressure washers can be quite invasive

Too right ..... never point 'em at sealed for life bearings either ..... they ain't .... least not with 2000psi coming at 'em