S40 V40 Parts: Timing belt Gates or Volvo?

[sunoo]

Hi All, I purchased a timing belt kit off ebay. Seller claimed that it is actually a genuine Volvo kit. However when I opened the box the belt was from Gates Power Grip. Idler is made of NSK and tensioner is still in original volvo packaging which I believe is genuine part.

Now I am not sure if this belt is an OEM or not. Can someone help?

[VivaLaVolvo]

Not sure if it's OEM or not but either way, it certainly isn't genuine volvo even if OEM.

I'd send it back for a refund and buy a kit from FRF - at least then you know you've bought genuine and aren't running the risk of fitting some cheap copy to your car.

[kenny37]

Believe FRF are doing a 40 percent discount off timing kits at moment too.

[jor]

Gates is an extremely reliable make and the only one other than Volvo that I would use. Have not previously heard of NSK, but wiki indicates that it's a Japanese outfit, 3,500 employees in the UK and worldwide revenue of $9 billion, so the idler is likely to last for awhile.

jor

[dingov70]

Gates belts , very high quality & i have used Gates equipment for over 30 years Even on engines noted for being touchy about non genuine belts . NSK are again a well known company in industrial circles manufacturing & supplying bearings & ancillaries of all types . There are not that many companies making cambelts and you can bet your last beer token that Volvo did not source belts made in a back street sweatshop for their engines , volvo would look to someone like Gates , contitech , FAI , goodyear , dayco , all well known for making cam belts & not just for engines but also for industrial machines requiring acurate timing to function properly .

[wooble]

I don't get the obsession with OEM. Gates, Dayco and Continental make the OEM timing belts for the vast majority of European and American vehicles, and not to any magical formula. Volvo phone all three manufacturers, and say "We want 2 million timing belts of this length, with this many teeth of this profile, with this guaranteed service life, and 'Volvo' printed on the back. How much?" and then they go with the cheapest. What you get in a Gates, Dayco or Conti box is the exact same thing with a different name printed on the back. I have NEVER heard of or seen a timing belt failing before its replacement interval, regardless of brand, unless it has been improperly installed, or something else such as oil contamination or a failed idler / tensioner/ pulley has damaged it.

[cheshired5]

Originally Posted by wooble

I don't get the obsession with OEM

I don't get some people's obsession to save £50 on a 10 year part. You're saving 10p a week, which is hardly a bank buster.
Go genuine and save your money elsewhere on the car.

[wooble]

There is no difference between a Volvo belt and a gates / dayco / conti. I don't see the need to spend £50 more on a belt with different writing on it, much like I don't see the need to spend £100 on trainers when a £20 pair will be just as comfy and last just as long.

[VivaLaVolvo]

Originally Posted by cheshired5

I don't get some people's obsession to save £50 on a 10 year part. You're saving 10p a week, which is hardly a bank buster.
Go genuine and save your money elsewhere on the car.

This is my thought exactly.

I'm sure a Gates belt is just fine, as will any other brand. However, there are so many fake items out there these days that I wouldn't trust certain items unless I'd bought them from a reputable source.

Personally I'd not trust a critical part bought from an unknown source on eBay. I bought new Philips Xenon HID bulbs once from a supposed trusted seller on eBay. They weren't cheap and they turned out to be fake - it took a good while to get a refund.

[Austin160]

I think this all hinges on exactly how the seller described the goods. If for example the kit was described as "genuine Volvo" then a Volvo kit should have been supplied, and you would have the right via. EBay to return the kit to the seller. Beware, some seller will put something in the description to the effect that "alternative make may be supplied.....". If it was described along the lines of "genuine Volvo OEM quality" or similar, then you are into debate. It seems you have not shared the link to what you bought so it is all conjecture.
Anyway, as has already been posted, Gates are a very well respected aftermarket manufacturer, and for what it is worth, is the ONLY aftermarket belt I would use as an alternative to the manufacturers part - I would not extend my confidence to some of the other makes mentioned - not that it to applies in this case.
I must agree with the comments of FRF offer price vs. Gates price - you takes your choice as they say.
One critical consideration not already mentioned is that if you do accept the use of Gates belts (which as I say is OK in my book), you would need to ensure that if you have bought off EBay "on Price" that you may possibly have bought out of time stock which has been on the shelf for some time and you run the possibility of putting say an already 5 year old belt on your car for example. First port of call for me would always be main dealer (with discounts?) then price Gates (ensuring where possible it is within time stock) then deciding which is the worthwhile route.