Kevlar Timing Belt - Worth it?
10-26-2010, 05:02 PM
#17
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Hey Guys,
Don't listen to mark. He has absolutely no clue what he is talking about.
The factory didn't use this technology because it was not available in the 1980s. The belts offer more than just the strength of the kevlar cords, they have a much tougher tooth path than the factory spec belt.
All of you who have taken an old belt off and picked a few teeth from it know that this is the major weak point of the factory spec design. The NHBR tooth material used with the kevlar belts is the same material being used on all of the belts on new cars today. You know, the ones with 100k mile belt change intervals...
And, as far as the belts putting undue stresses on the rollers or water pumps? That statement is completely false and just plain ignorant.
Don't listen to mark. He has absolutely no clue what he is talking about.
The factory didn't use this technology because it was not available in the 1980s. The belts offer more than just the strength of the kevlar cords, they have a much tougher tooth path than the factory spec belt.
All of you who have taken an old belt off and picked a few teeth from it know that this is the major weak point of the factory spec design. The NHBR tooth material used with the kevlar belts is the same material being used on all of the belts on new cars today. You know, the ones with 100k mile belt change intervals...
And, as far as the belts putting undue stresses on the rollers or water pumps? That statement is completely false and just plain ignorant.
10-26-2010, 07:47 PM
#19
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I don't think that Rennbay has got the time or resources to do extensive testing on the Kevlar belts to test durabilty. Also, with the size of the market gates isn't going to do any testing for durability of the belts for service interval on our application. As such Rennbay isn't going to make any claims that it cannot prove in the court of law.
This is a product that is a marketing "fix" to a technical non-problem, and I suspect you know it. But it exploits a market niche, namely addressing the fears and worries of the paranoid and underinformed. If the kevlar belt helps them sleep better at night, then it's arguable they have got their money's worth.
I can't wait to see the kevlar "racing" space-junk helmets... 300% stronger than ordinary space-junk helmets." I'm sure there's a market for that, too...
10-26-2010, 08:21 PM
#21
If it was more competively priced or proven it would go 60k Which shouldnt be a problem for it then i would be sold.
If im going to do the regular maintenance anyway then why do i need a 100 dollar throw away as opposed to the 25 dollar throw away. If im doing my maintenance then i should sleep fine at night anyway.
If im going to do the regular maintenance anyway then why do i need a 100 dollar throw away as opposed to the 25 dollar throw away. If im doing my maintenance then i should sleep fine at night anyway.
10-26-2010, 08:33 PM
#22
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Hi Gents, Lets put this puppy to bed. He has been run around too much as it is already. I have an old work horse 944 and will use the old Gates belt., BUT if I had an S or S2 I would use the Kevlar belt for sure. My Peace of Mind. I feel sure, Mark, that we will never hear if you ever have a Gates Cam Belt failure. I hope none of us has to go through that problem.
Cheers,
Larry
Cheers,
Larry
10-26-2010, 09:12 PM
#23
Drifting
10-26-2010, 09:50 PM
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So your calling the timing belt a non-problem area of the 944.
10-26-2010, 10:50 PM
#26
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My understanding of the Kevlar timing belts was that they stretch less at higher RPMs to maintain more accurate timing, and are more resistant to coolant exposure...any idea if this is true?
Hey now, Harbor Freight has some good stuff! I got an aluminum low profile hydraulic jack from them and it's very light and pretty much indestructible, survived like ten or twelve years of abuse already! 
10-26-2010, 11:28 PM
#29
Change is accepted when justified. The fact that these belts are out there is Great but most owners are unwilling to push the limits of the belt to figure out how much better it is. I can understand why they wont push the limits but not knowing anything other then its a kevlar belt and it cost 3x more then a normal belt is really all that has been proven.
Life expectancy should be extended (for those that dont know it has already been extended with the advent of the automatic tensioner to 45k or 3 years that was in the late 80s or early 90s)
Life expectancy should be extended (for those that dont know it has already been extended with the advent of the automatic tensioner to 45k or 3 years that was in the late 80s or early 90s)
10-27-2010, 12:00 AM
#30
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Now, now, Travis... stick and stones!
On a properly maintained car, the timing belt is a non-problem on these cars. Run an old belt at random tension on worn-out rollers and/or waterpump and you are asking for trouble, however.
Further, the advertised "300% increased tensile strength" of a kevlar belt ain't going to help if you have a seized roller or waterpump. Not at all. That's why the kevlar gimmick is a marketing solution to a technical non-problem.
Now, is it _possible_ that a timing belt could spontaneously snap on a properly maintained car due to a lack of tensile strength? I suppose so... there is always the possibility of a hidden manufacturing defect that compromises the tensile strength of the belt. But if a manufacturing defect is possible with a standard Gates belt, that would apply to the kevlar Gates belt as well.
So, if you have done your scheduled belt/roller/waterpump maintenance, and you still have trouble sleeping at night, by all means, buy a kevlar belt, if that means you will worry less. In the absence of any real data or research into the effect of these belts, that's about all you are buying.
But since you are likely also the sort of person to worry excessively about getting killed in a terrorist attack or by space junk, you might want to invest in one of those kevlar space-junk helmets as well, and keep an eye out for whatever Rennbay research develops to thwart Al Qaeda attacks will driving about in your 944. The "racing" version will undoubtedly contain kevlar.
Further, the advertised "300% increased tensile strength" of a kevlar belt ain't going to help if you have a seized roller or waterpump. Not at all. That's why the kevlar gimmick is a marketing solution to a technical non-problem.
Now, is it _possible_ that a timing belt could spontaneously snap on a properly maintained car due to a lack of tensile strength? I suppose so... there is always the possibility of a hidden manufacturing defect that compromises the tensile strength of the belt. But if a manufacturing defect is possible with a standard Gates belt, that would apply to the kevlar Gates belt as well.
So, if you have done your scheduled belt/roller/waterpump maintenance, and you still have trouble sleeping at night, by all means, buy a kevlar belt, if that means you will worry less. In the absence of any real data or research into the effect of these belts, that's about all you are buying.
But since you are likely also the sort of person to worry excessively about getting killed in a terrorist attack or by space junk, you might want to invest in one of those kevlar space-junk helmets as well, and keep an eye out for whatever Rennbay research develops to thwart Al Qaeda attacks will driving about in your 944. The "racing" version will undoubtedly contain kevlar.