Tabor

Ahmet,

I agree with you 100%, but the timing belt is cheap insurace and the water pump is not much of a pain once you are that far in (though it is $$$).

Greg Hammond

over1g - Just because your car has made it to 50K miles on a timing belt doesn't make it "safe" for any other vehicle. The replacement interval is 45K miles, and exceeding that is playing with fire. That 45K interval, of course, includes re-tension adjustments at 1500, 15000, and 30000 miles.

Personally, I run my car hard and fast - and 30K miles is my preferred interval for the timing and balance belts.

Greg

Wachuko

[quote]Originally posted by Tabor Kelly:
<strong>...Whatever you do, don't get a rebuilt pump. I have heard that they will only last ~10,000 miles.</strong><hr></blockquote>

This will become a challange... Porsche is no longer making new pumps. Currently anything sold is rebuilt (at least directly from Porsche).

Tremelune

As far as I'm concerned, if the timing belt goes, my car is parts. I've heard that the water pump going is just as catastrophic, any comments?

Retensioning the belt seems to cost as much as getting a new one...do you guys get some kind of package deal from mechanics or what? I can't afford the Magic Tool. My belt was changed abou 9000 miles ago, but never retensioned...what am I looking at?

MadMax

Tremelune,
I don't know what your mech is telling you but even a Porsche dealership only charges about $120 to retension the belts. It costs considerably more to have the belts replaced with the associated rollers, tensioners and seals. Don't have it re-tensioned if you don't want to but you asked for the input. If you want to resist the advice of people that are "in the know" and who's opinions are respected on this board (not making reference to myself here)...go ahead. My dad always used to say this about advice, "A wise man doesn't need it and a fool won't take it". Good luck to you, seriously.

Regards,
Max <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Ahmet

I drive my car hard and fast also, I drive it year round as well and since I bought my turbo it's not been garaged... I thought the belts would last a lot longer than anybody who works on them is willing to admit, and so far that's been the case for me, and no I'm not saying let your belts go, JUST because mine have been OK. I'll probably retension them in the next few weeks, but the point is it's lasted long and I think it'll be OK for quite some time. Ditto for the waterpump. My opinion is that when belts go it's because of another factor... Oil/antifreeze on them, incorrect tension, mis-aligned pulley(s) or whatever, but I don't think neither the belt, nor the updated pump/pulleys are particularly fragile contorary to common belief. But you know how opinions are, this one is mine and I like it
Ahmet

AndyK

This is a really good thread--people actually saying how long THEIR belts last and how long they wait for replacement/tensioning, etc. Much better than quoting the intervals mechanics advise, IMHO!

My car came with belts, rollers, water pump (rebuilt) changed at 60k/1.5 years ago--car now has 87k. I am debating weather or not to change at 90k, or, retension and go for another 10k?

Tabor

There is a 944S2 in 911 & Porsche world with 80,000+ miles on the original belt.

Danno

I don't know what your mech is telling you but even a Porsche dealership only charges about $120 to retension the belts. It costs considerably more to have the belts replaced with the associated rollers, tensioners and seals.

Most shops that install your water-pump and belts will offer a retension for FREE. Good business insurance in my mind just to ensure their work lasts.

This is a really good thread--people actually saying how long THEIR belts last and how long they wait for replacement/tensioning, etc.

Hmmmm.... strong opinions on both sides of this debate. There's probably some built-in dealer-profit mechanism engineered into the belt design somehow (like the plastic balljoint cups, disposable engine-mounts, etc.).

Anyway, typically when belts fail, there's a cause of some sort. Like improper tension, misaligned/misoriented pulleys, etc. The service manual states to "inspect and replace as necessary" without any strict mileage intervals. The only problem is that it's tough to inspect a belt and see how close it is to failing.

FWIW, I replaced the timing-belt on my previous Supra every 125k-miles. The belt in that thing was easily 10mm wider than the 944 belt, but it was also driving two cams, up to 8000rpm no less.... hmm.....