Yummybud924

I usually get the porsche oem belt, which comes in a red box and it is a Gates powergrip timing belt. It feels to be thicker and more flexible than the contitech so i've always used this.

now i just ordered a gates belt from pelican and I was suprised it was only 14 dollars and I got it today and it feels much cheaper than the porsche one it is not a powergrip model timing belt but the gates brand in a red box.

i'm really paranoid with the belt and I'm thinking I should get teh $50 porsche belt which is the powergrip belt from my dealer (it's 38 plus 22 dollars shipping form paragon.

what do you guys think about the quality difference between these belts. it feels like different kind of rubber is used on all 3 belts. the contitech feels really stiff and plastic and the gates red box looks like it isn't as wide and the powergrip belt and the rubber feels softer.

V2Rocket

currently on my 4th of the 14 dollar belts, not due to poor design just because i have the car open lol...always look perfectly good whenever ive pulled them off

Yummybud924

yeah most likely it should be fine. I don't see gates or any well known company making belts that are crap.

but to me the 50 dollar belt in teh porsche box "feels" like it is of higher quality and it makes me less nervous about breaking a belt.

I think i'm going to sell my gates belt and order the porsche powergrip belt.


I couldn't info from gates on betwee the diff between the reg gates belts and the higher cost powergrip belts.

odurandina

gates belts is = to oem. someone mentioned they are Porsche's new vendor on at least some belts. not sure.

they also have a new, ultra-long life belt now available for the 944.

x2nervisx

Are you talking about the Kevlar timing bet?

Yummybud924

yeah but gates has different quality belts I think.

the 14 dollar gates belt I got is not their "powergrip" model of gates belts which is what the porsche one is.

i'm just wondering why gates would make the powergrip belts and then the cheaper ones.......

that kevlar belt looks nice but I don't see the point. not like you can run the belt for 100k mileswithout replacing rollers and water pump

m73m95

Also, if you read the description on Rennbay carefully... It is NOT guaranteed to last any longer than a regular belt. It only states that the belt is stronger, and more heat/oil resistant.

FRporscheman

The conti belt feels much less plasticy after it breaks in. It feels like a normal rubbery belt by the time you retension.

I want to switch to Gates on my next belt change though.

Yummybud924

I wouldn't pay that much for that kevlar belt. but it would probably help delay a belt failure if your water pump seizes for example it would probably take longer for it to break.

but otherwise a quality belt should be perfectly fine. a failure is probably usually caused by other things than the belt like frozen bearings.

Yummybud924

ok. I'm pretty sure contitech is a good belt as almost all german cars use contitech. most of the ones i've seen are made in mexico though and some are made in germany.

odurandina

i put 117 k miles on my first H2O pump on my 944S and 114 K on my 968 pump before it was changed. no failures. not proud to say this but, i've also put 117 k miles on a factory timing belt. i was indeed going to change the belt in the coming weeks when i blew rod bearings.... (this happened during an extremely busy work period back in 1994. i kept forgetting to check the oil even though i had been meaning to do so). the car was 6 years old.

whalebird

Porsche branded belts are different, regardless of who made them. They are manufactured to Porsche specs that is dictated to them by Porsche.

PorscheDoc

Not only belts, but cooling hoses as well. Newer motors have gates stamped right on the cooling hoses.

whalebird

Gates, Dayco, Good Year, Continental are all names I've seen stamped on factory Porsche belts. They are different, again, than the OEM Gates, Dayco etc...Factory belts are better and should be used whenever possible.

Yummybud924

ok thanks guys. i'm going to go with the porsche belt. I was just wondering if the porsche gates belt is teh same as the reg gates belt for the 944 and a waste of money to pay 40 dollars more for the porsche one.

but looking at my old porsche gates belt it does look and feel different and it is made in the UK and is the powergrip model. I does look ande "feel" of higher quality so i'm going to go with that.