[sasilverbullet]

I know that belt adjust/change intervals have been discussed here ad nauseum over the years...but there's always new folks floating around and this is a very important topic...



Attached pic is with 20K on the belt! Yes, 20K and had been adjusted after 1k and then 10k thereafter.



Word for the wise - new belts, at 1K adjust then adjust every 10K and replace them at 30K miles.



Someone upstairs was definitely looking out for me! Noticed this at the 20k adjustment yesterday...



<img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



   

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[rustech]

Is that a ZimsAutoTechnic belt? Does it have a printed manufacturer?

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[sasilverbullet]

I'll look when I get home...

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[Ceenit]

Please post both age and mfg of the belt.



Unless it is a very aged belt, I got to think mfg defect on the belt.



Thanks.

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[rhudeboye]

I'm one of those new members you were talking about. Whats the worse case scenario had you not caught that problem and changed your belt?

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[orphanowner]

[quote name='rhudeboye' date='Jul 26 2006, 08:22 PM']I'm one of those new members you were talking about. Whats the worse case scenario had you not caught that problem and changed your belt?

[right][post="24650"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]





Just a balance belt...usually not catastrophic. The real lesson here is don't use anything but name brand belts, only Conti's or OEM Porsche. Had that been the cam belt, the outcome would have been a lot different.

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[sasilverbullet]

Not to be the bearer of bad news...but in my 7 years of owning 944/968 cars - the balance belt MOST of the time if it snaps WILL take out the timing belt at the same time...



It all depends on a lot of factors, one of which is how many rpm's the car is turning at the time it snaps...



Now just loosing some teeth on the balance belt is another story...that's not so bad <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[orphanowner]

[quote name='sasilverbullet' date='Jul 27 2006, 02:01 AM']Not to be the bearer of bad news...but in my 7 years of owning 944/968 cars - the balance belt MOST of the time if it snaps WILL take out the timing belt at the same time...



It all depends on a lot of factors, one of which is how many rpm's the car is turning at the time it snaps...



Now just loosing some teeth on the balance belt is another story...that's not so bad  <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

[right][post="24655"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]



In my 15 years of repairing these cars, I've never seen a balance belt take out a timing belt. I'm sure if the right sequence of events occurred it could happen, but I've never seen or heard of it.



I have seen on a fairly regular basis, damage done from loose or misadjusted cam belts up to and including broken valves and damaged blocks. This may explain why the 968 engines use a constant tensioning cam belt. All earliler designed relied on manual adjustment of the belt tension.

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[94SilverCab]

I am the sad victim of my own incompetence...at 56k, the balance belt took out the timing belt and the whole top of the engine at the same time....$5k worth of machining valves belts and parts.....NEVER leave the maintenance to chance!



Jay

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[sasilverbullet]

the only marking on the belt is a number - 19406



Anyone know what that's too?

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[rustech]

[quote name='orphanowner' date='Jul 27 2006, 06:00 AM']In my 15 years of repairing these cars, I've never seen a balance belt take out a timing belt. I'm sure if the right sequence of events occurred it could happen, but I've never seen or heard of it.[/quote]



If you do a search on both forums, you will find many sad vicitims. I would say half the time, the cam belt gets taken with it.



Michael, no clue, but do you recall where it was purchased?

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[sasilverbullet]

I talked to the shop, they think it's a conti belt from the part #.



The one they put on the other day is a conti also...

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[sasilverbullet]

Also, had a long conversation with them about the problem with the 968's adjuster stud coming undone and belt failure...



stud - yep they know about it and check for it all the time, that makes me feel good!



belt - well we live down here where it's VERY hot 9 months out of the year and they feel that that's a factor in belt life here in south Texas. I agree...



food for thought...



oh, the stud issue has pics and a detailed explanation over on:

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/show...ad.php?t=288736

you might want to read it...

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