Gates timing belts: how to distinguish the original from a fake, completeness of the product, installation features

Features of belts

Modern Gates products are distinguished by high quality and affordable prices. 100 years ago the first timing belt was produced. Over the course of a century, Gates has mastered the production of belts not only for vehicles, but also fully supplies agricultural machinery with high-quality products. The company operates its own center for scientific research.

Developers and manufacturers have taken into account the conditions in which their products must operate:

• high speed mode;
• wide range of temperature fluctuations;
• exposure to oils.

The procedures for replacing the belt on different engines differ from each other. For technically difficult cases of belt replacement, Gates issues instructions; the presence of such instructions is indicated on the box with the belt.

The instructions themselves can be found on the company’s official website.

The manufacturer approaches the production process with strict demands regarding quality, strength and safety. Gates timing belts have the following characteristics:

• special ingredients are introduced into the raw materials to provide protection against various factors affecting product wear;
• glass fiber is used in a rubber shell;
• silent operation is ensured by tight adhesion of the teeth profile to the gears;
• There are spare parts and tool kits for organizing repair work;
• Product protection against counterfeiting is organized at a high level.

Determining the release date

When purchasing, if they give you a belt and rush you to sign the invoice about receipt and no complaints, most likely they “foisted” the product on you. There is no need to rush and follow the lead of such sellers. It is recommended to carefully inspect the belt, namely, look at the designation of the production date. And only then you can decide whether to take the product or not.

The timing belt is the most important element of any vehicle. Thanks to this product, safe and comfortable performance is ensured when moving the machine. And besides, all experts agree on one thing - it is imperative to check the condition of the belt, and, if necessary, carry out appropriate measures. And in order not to confuse the date of the next procedure, you need to know the year of manufacture of the product.

Timing belt packaging Contig with code and date

So, to correctly set the release date, you can use a couple of options:

1. Study the data provided on the product packaging. Everyone knows that every manufacturer, interested in its consumers, indicates the release date, as well as additional information about the product on the box. In addition, the certificate the buyer is interested in can be seen on the product itself.
2. Examine the surface of the belt, or rather, take a closer look at the digital values. As a rule, the standard serial number is already in the first column, and the release date is indicated by a single digit in the second column (more details in the table below). Accordingly, you can find out the week of release.

The table below shows belt markings in different decades. In this case, everything matters, from the font to the color.

Advantages and disadvantages

Thanks to the high quality of its products, Gates has ensured its steady popularity among buyers and users of timing belts. The list of advantages is huge:

• high wear resistance;
• The products fulfill the entire required warranty period with a reserve, and it is necessary to take into account special extreme operating conditions (aggressive environmental conditions, temperature intervals);
• the precise fit of the teeth and the properties of the material used provide conditions for quiet operation;
• The presence of glass fiber in the materials creates extreme tensile strength.

The biggest disadvantage is the strong desire of many manufacturers to counterfeit products and produce counterfeit products . But a hundred years of experience allows manufacturers to protect their goods from good quality, but still fake. Therefore, consumers receive not only Gates timing kits, but also other products of the required quality. Methods for protecting commercial products have been developed here.

Important information about the timing belt mechanism

The GRS mechanism belt guarantees an elastic connection between both shafts, controls the process of opening/closing the valves and their synchronous operation. In a word, this is a very important element of the GDS mechanism and the car as a whole.

Timing belt from Toyota

Another function of the belt is to prevent the pistons and valves of the power plant from meeting each other, although they operate in the same spatial plane. For this reason, the reliability of the belt is extremely important, and if it breaks, the piston meets the valve and bends it. This inevitably leads to a thorough overhaul of the internal combustion engine.

The reliability of the belt, as mentioned above, depends directly on the release date and service life of the product. Replacement must be carried out periodically, constantly monitoring the condition of the part. It will be interesting to note that you can directly find out about the replacement frequency based on a specific car brand. You can see this in the technical documentation. On the other hand, craftsmen and experts recommend not to blindly believe the data, but to replace it every 50 or 80 thousand kilometers.

It will be useful to know that few foreign car manufacturers indicate a period for replacing a product of less than 120 thousand km. But dealers selling cars from the same manufacturer, on the contrary, advise changing the belt after the same 50-80 thousand km, taking into account the peculiarities of Russian roads.

If cracks appear on the belt, it should be changed immediately, this is true. But you should not do this, of course, if we are talking about microcracks. In this case, the product will definitely not break, since the belt, although rubber, is woven from metal rods. Thus, it is able to withstand shock loads repeatedly, while working for a long time.

If the belt weakens, that is, its tension decreases, this will lead to problems in the operation of the internal combustion engine. It will negatively affect the dynamics of the car, its traction, noise and starting. It is precisely these signs that will indicate a loose belt or wear in the first place.

Belt gates

All car manufacturers unanimously recommend replacing the tensioner roller and pump simultaneously with replacing the rubber-metal belt. The cost of carrying out this work is quite high, and the complexity is not questioned, but otherwise it is extremely difficult to ensure reliability.

It will be useful to know that some cars are equipped with timing belts with reinforced metal cord. It is better to buy them, since the service life is noticeably higher than usual.

Three main ways to distinguish an original from a fake

In order to protect the Gates timing belt from counterfeiting, the original was provided with distinctive packaging.

There are three main methods for checking the originality of Gates belts.

1. Checking the 14-digit alphanumeric product packaging codes. This package code looks like this: This code must be entered on the official website of the Company.
2. The company's products are protected by a QR code (for products manufactured after July 2015). This code allows you to check using the Mobile application on your smartphone. You need to scan the code in the TecIdentify app or Neoreader app.
3. The company also uses tesa PrioSpot® labels to protect its products. This protection is verified as follows: This code is unique for each package. Can't be repeated.
4. The label shimmers with rainbow colors, the moving digit repeats the last security digit. As you move the viewing angle, the last digit changes up and down.
5. Checking with a magnifying glass. You must ensure that the 10-digit code appears under the Gates logo. Its last 4 digits must correspond to the security code, as well as the last four digits of the letter code.

And also characteristic of the original:

• bright red, rich, even color;
• the year of manufacture matches on the packaging and on the belt itself;
• image of the manufacturer’s website address on the black stripe of the packaging;
• technical information about the belt is pasted;
• on the side surface there is a characteristic structure of letters (uneven);
• The packaging box is made of pressed cardboard and has a rough gray surface on the inside;
• the packaging is sealed;
• The label inside the box indicating the installation date and mileage comes off well.

Is it worth buying a fake?

In conclusion, I would like to say that you should not expect anything good from non-original rollers and belts. If you install a low-quality belt, you may soon have to repair the valves or even replace the pistons.

Be very careful when choosing drive belts. Follow our advice and don't be fooled.

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Product Variations

The company provides almost all variety of automobile brands and models with reliable products. To make it easier for customers to select belts, Gates offers the use of detailed catalogs developed by the company. Here it is easy and simple to select the necessary part. If the consumer wishes, you can find a worthy analogue of the product or purchase a set of special tools for performing installation work.

The company offers owners of passenger cars belts that are completely equivalent in quality to the original ones, equipped with rollers, as well as elements for sealing and other components related to the timing belt.

Complete set of timing belts

The drive system largely ensures the safety of the vehicle. The failure of one element of the system may well lead to the failure of other parts. Therefore, timely replacement of belts and all tensioning devices ensures the safety and flawless functioning of the entire propulsion system of the car. PowerGrip® Kit Plus are ideal for solving such problems. You can purchase special PowerGrip® Kit Plus with additional rings that serve to seal and drain oil or a water pump, making it possible to replace all critical timing drive mechanisms. The company produces and supplies original equipment with a high quality guarantee.

How to check the timing belt

How to check the tension of the timing belt and prevent the negative consequences of a break if it is not so easy to get to? Compared to the accessory belt, the timing belt will not be easy to check because it is hidden under covers. Therefore, you will have to partially disassemble the motor. And this work is too difficult for many car enthusiasts. However, in some cases, you can check the part yourself.

Checking the timing belt installation is much easier than replacing a spare part. By looking at the part, you can understand what condition it is in. First of all, we remove the plastic screen of the engine, remove the protection that covers the pump, crankshaft and camshaft pulleys, the tension roller, and the timing belt. The protection is secured with three ten-point bolts, so we use a suitable socket to unscrew them.

Did you get to the timing belt to check it? Look for cracks, microdamages, scratches, or if the element has worn out. Check the inside and outside - everything should be in perfect condition. If there are abrasions, be sure to replace the part.

Is there any damage? We begin to check the timing belt tension. We turn the crankshaft one or two turns clockwise, then in the opposite direction.

After this, we try to forcefully turn the belt outward with its teeth in the area where the crankshaft and camshaft pulleys are located. Were you able to rotate the part ninety degrees? So it's fine. If you fail to do this, you will have to tighten or loosen the belt tension. To do this, adjust the position of the tension roller.

Every car owner can check the timing belt if he knows the specifics of this procedure. The base of the belt is made of cord (woven carbon threads). You will not be able to determine what condition they are in. And if the cord threads stick out, it means that the belt should have been replaced long ago. If you have a high-quality timing belt installed, then you don’t have to worry about the cord breaking. But it also happens that visually a part looks like new, but a break occurs. The reason is the poor quality of the material from which the cord is made.

The tension roller rarely breaks compared to the timing belt. But this rule applies only to high-quality spare parts. It is best to check not only the timing belt, but also the tension pulley. There should be no cracks, chips or other damage. Disconnect the tension roller, and then, holding the center of the part, rotate it. Does it rotate smoothly, does not jam, are there any suspicious sounds? This means the tension roller is working properly. We install it in place by carefully aligning and tensioning the timing belt.

Analogs

The most popular company whose products are in high demand among customers is Gates. Similar products are supplied to retail chains from manufacturers Contitech and Dayco. A domestic manufacturer in Balakovo supplies car owners with belts at an average price. Bosch and Lemforder also produce similar products at an affordable price. You can learn more about analogues in this article.

High quality products that can be purchased at an affordable price are in demand and popular among drivers. This is consistent with Gates products.

Other differences and features

There is a black stripe on the box, but the fake does not have it, just like the holograms. Previously there was this black bar, but a second link to authenticity was added. Regarding the Gates timing belt itself, nothing has changed. The interior remains the same, there are no changes in the markings, there is an insert.

If you know other ways to distinguish original products from fakes, share them in the comments.

Comments 1

Good afternoon, the video is quite informative, I would also like to add the differences in the packaging of the original and the imitation:

1. You need to pay attention to the information sticker itself, where the barcode and barcode are located. The corners of this sticker must (!) have spherical edges.

2. Also, when scanning a barcode, information about the serial number should be displayed.

3. As for the packaging, an insert that is placed in the engine compartment and carries information about the T.O. now has a more technologically advanced paper medium. It is denser and has a silver color. (I have a personal observation: on originals it is always glued to the instructions, on imitations it lies either under plastic or somewhere else.

4. Pay a lot of attention to the rollers and the belt itself. As for the rollers: in addition to marking the bolt with the Gates logo, it is worth looking for numerical marks on the plastic on the side facing the engine. They are located in the cellular structure of the roller, between the reinforcement ribs, on the tension roller, also on the side facing the engine. There should also be numerical markings on the edge of the plastic, on the metal bushing of the bearing. As for the belt, I don’t know why reviewers pay so little attention to this. But I think the important aspect is that the way the protector is made on the working surface, Gates has a unique structure. And we can also add that in the information located on the belt there are numbers indicating the serial number of the belt during manufacture; on average, when printed, two full numbers and one cropped number are visible. But they are always different and increase in a strict order. (For example, 178-179-180, they are located respectively on top of each other).

Always remember that a Gates original cannot be cheap. Don't forget, the miser pays twice. Take care of yourself brothers.

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Other differences and features

There is a black stripe on the box, but the fake does not have it, just like the holograms. Previously there was this black bar, but a second link to authenticity was added. Regarding the Gates timing belt itself, nothing has changed. The interior remains the same, there are no changes in the markings, there is an insert.

How to adjust the carburetor choke with your own hands?

If you know other ways to distinguish original products from fakes, share them in the comments.