ARE ALL TIMING BELTS,W/PUMP KITS CREATED EQUAL ?

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ARE ALL TIMING BELTS,W/PUMP KITS CREATED EQUAL ?

Post by reef2k »

My timing belt,w/pump needs changing and wondering if the brands like Gates and Dayco are as good as the most expensive. I don't do many miles,so it probably won't even cover 15,000 while i own the car.
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Re: ARE ALL TIMING BELTS,W/PUMP KITS CREATED EQUAL ?

Post by demag »

I think Gates are the best and always use them.
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Re: ARE ALL TIMING BELTS,W/PUMP KITS CREATED EQUAL ?

Post by reef2k »

Thanks for their endorsement Dave :)
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Re: ARE ALL TIMING BELTS,W/PUMP KITS CREATED EQUAL ?

Post by van ordinaire »

Certainly Gates have a reputation (& not as a budget brand) - but I do wonder what these expensive ones are you've seen.
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Re: ARE ALL TIMING BELTS,W/PUMP KITS CREATED EQUAL ?

Post by Peter.N. »

If you want to save money and don't mind doing research have a look on ebay at a good quality parts and then carefully compare the pictures with some of the cheaper ones, often you will find them to be identical, this applies to water pumps and most other mechanical parts. As for the timing belt I would go with a known quality make.

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Re: ARE ALL TIMING BELTS,W/PUMP KITS CREATED EQUAL ?

Post by reef2k »

I'm just a bit paranoid Peter these days with so many brands out there i've never heard of,because i don't do many jobs on my car anymore,so don't know good from bad,but it sounds like the Gates kits are well known and of good quality.
I probably should have just asked if there were any brands i SHOULD avoid !
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Re: ARE ALL TIMING BELTS,W/PUMP KITS CREATED EQUAL ?

Post by wurlycorner »

There are plenty of decent after market brands out there.
Both Dayco and Gates are very well known/long established and are absolutely fine.

Don't think I've ever fitted an oem branded belt in my life - just avoid anything unbranded and ask about any other brands you do see and are unsure about.
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Re: ARE ALL TIMING BELTS,W/PUMP KITS CREATED EQUAL ?

Post by Lighty »

Citroen & Peugeot never use Gates belts at the factory, they are almost always Dayco. In my opinion these are the best kits.
Ina are also factory fit items.
TBH I don't think there is a poor quality cambelt kit.
Waterpumps however are a different story, most of the motor factors use copy manufacturers, and they re of varying quality.
My suppliers use fia, and I used these for a while, only to find that after about 12 months they invariably leaked [-X
If you want the best, use an o.e pump, but any cambelt kit from a motor factors will be fine,
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Re: ARE ALL TIMING BELTS,W/PUMP KITS CREATED EQUAL ?

Post by reef2k »

Thanks very much for your input lads,you've put my mind at rest,cheers !
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Re: ARE ALL TIMING BELTS,W/PUMP KITS CREATED EQUAL ?

Post by Timmo »

Ive used both gates and delco on my cars, gates have made belts for a long time, a name i trust, normally when looking for parts i will go for the names i know, gates, delco, febi/bilstein, or lemforder if available
I made the mistake of ignoring the advice on here when i first did my wishbone bushes, i went with cheap ones, lasted less than 6 months before completely shot, then purchased the lemforder as recommended and been fine since (touch wood!), there are certain things that you can save money on, and certain that you shouldn't! Jobs you only want to do the once and are not easily accessible its very much worth the good parts, as I've said, the advice on here is Good and should be listened to! ;-)
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Re: ARE ALL TIMING BELTS,W/PUMP KITS CREATED EQUAL ?

Post by reef2k »

Timmo, i went for Dayco,got it yesterday and will be fitted next week. i just bought a 2007 GP with 101k on the clock,full history and no sign of a belt change,which should be 150k or ten year intervals,so it's still on original belt which is scaring me. i didn't want to compromise on quality,but belt kits vary in price so much i wondered if quality varied by the same amount,but that doesn't appear to be the case,which is good to hear and Dayco are as good as any other from what i've read here.
As you say,some parts you can go for a cheap option,but critical/difficult to change parts are not worth the risk.
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Re: ARE ALL TIMING BELTS,W/PUMP KITS CREATED EQUAL ?

Post by ekjdm14 »

Agreed with all, and glad to see you went with Dayco. It's the only brand of timing belt/tensioner etc I use now if I can help it, closely followed by Gates... As for water pumps, OEM are best as mentioned, followed by INA and another I've heard good things about (and fitted to the 206 last year) is Fahren.

Hope the job goes smoothly for you, at 11 years I'd be a bit paranoid about the belt too!
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Re: ARE ALL TIMING BELTS,W/PUMP KITS CREATED EQUAL ?

Post by reef2k »

Yes ekjdm14, i'm getting really paranoid,had hoped to do it this week but will have to wait another week :/
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Re: ARE ALL TIMING BELTS,W/PUMP KITS CREATED EQUAL ?

Post by Timmo »

I know rubber and belt technology has improved a lot over the years but 10 years on a belt is Huge! I remember the jump from 3-5 year intervals had a lot of people concerned!
I did mine back in october 16, as i used the pry bar to slide it off the cam pulley when the tensioners were released and all locked, the belt tore across itself, was in a shocking state, so glad I'd done it before we went tl France that half term! Sods law dictates, it would of gone on the exit ramp of the ferry! ;-)
I got a dayco kit for it from looking at the receipts, do agree though, they vary so very much in price, i know some are down to the quality of the bearings in the tensioners, but not by the amount you see some for sale at!
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Re: ARE ALL TIMING BELTS,W/PUMP KITS CREATED EQUAL ?

Post by van ordinaire »

I'm sure when a new belt was an issue for me (or, rather, the C15) the general consensus was to get a belt/tensioner/pump kit, because of the saving it represented but, of course, it obviates picking'n'mixing makes of components.
Last edited by van ordinaire on 15 Feb 2018, 22:05, edited 4 times in total.
Citroens:-
'81 2CV Club :cry:
'05 C15 :!:
'97 Xantia Exclusive estate [-o<
others:-
Jeep XJ Cherokees x 3 :?
'96 Cadillac Eldorado
'99 Cadillac STS :|
& the numerous "abandoned projects" #-o
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