On the subject of timing belts...

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Sun May 07, 2006 7:25 am

Bob Powell on Daewootech yahoo group wrote: Shortly after I bought my 1999 Leganza (71k on the clock when purchase about 76k when work was done) I replaced the timing belt with a Gatorback belt from my local autoparts store. At the same I had replaced the cam positioning sensor (CPS) because I was getting errors of "no data" and "inconsistent data". After the work was done, the "no data" errors went away but the other remained. I lived with this for a few months while I found time to get some test gear so that I could adjust the CPS to see if I could get rid of the errors.

When I removed the timing belt cover to work on the CPS, I was more than a little surprised to find the timing belt now had deep grooves on the back side (which had been smooth when installed). Yes, the tensioner was in the correct position as per the spec's on AllData. I looked at the timing belt path and there was no place where the belt was rubbing against anything. I called my local dealer that is listed on www.daewoous.com and had my wife go pick up a new belt from them (about twice the cost as the one from the local autoparts store). At the same time, I went back on the web site for the auto parts store to verify I had gotten the correct belt from them (which I had). When my wife returned with the belt from Daewoo, I compared the two belts. Both had the same number of teeth, both were the same internal diameter (as best I could tell since one had been installed) but here's the major difference... The one from the Daewoo dealer was thinner from the toothed side to the back. The Gatorback belt had a thin layer of rubber added to the outside of the belt.

Here's my conclusion; Since the back side of the timing belt travels around two pulleys (one front, one rear) and the tensioner (on the rear), and since the aftermarket belt was thicker, The belt had to travel further on the rear of the engine than is should have. Therefore the relationship between the cam and the crank was not correct. Also the belt was actually too short because of the added thickness and therefore stretched causing the grooves.

Once I replaced the belt with the dealer provided belt, the CPS sensor error immediately went away and I have not one since. (83k now on the clock).

The morals of the story: You get what you pay for. and Beware of cheap imitations.

MMamdouh

JohnnyC · Post by **JohnnyC** » Sun May 07, 2006 8:29 am

Hmmm... I didn't know that there was a Gatorback choice for a timing belt.

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Sun May 07, 2006 9:08 am

it is all over ebay... actually it looked decent but as always looks is not the judging factor with those things.

i think my DAYCO timing belt is not that great either... will get Gates belt at the next timing belt change for sure.

MMamdouh

JohnnyC · Post by **JohnnyC** » Sun May 07, 2006 6:05 pm

Yeah... I went with the Gates belt on my change out... I also noted that the original Alternator belt says "Gates" on it... so they must have made that. I bought a Gatorback belt for my alternator belt replacement but I think I'm regretting it. It squeals at night when if I turn on more then just my headlights, but doesn't squeal durring the day. I tried re-tensioning the thing about 4 times now and can't seem to get it to stop being ultra annoying. Might take it back and exchange it for a duralast belt. Not sure yet though... gonna work on it later today.

JohnnyC · Post by **JohnnyC** » Sun May 07, 2006 8:25 pm

Follow up on that...

Oddly... I re-tensioned the belt and started up the car. It squeaked ever so slightly, but then when I kicked on the fans, headlights, fog lights and hazzard lights... SQUEAL!!!... So I shut it down again.

I then took the belt off and inspected it. Didn't appear to have anything wrong with the belt itself. I inspected the pulley's and nothing wrong with those either. So I tried something on a hunch... I flipped the belt around the other direction (originally it was text upright from the wheel side). So now it was on with the text upright from the engine side. I re-tensioned the belt again.

This time when I started it up... No squeak. So I then turned on everything again (lights and all that)... Still no squeaking! So... oddly enough, if you get a Gatorback alternator belt, make sure you put it on with the text upright looking at it from the engine side and it should be alright.