Rave: Contitech Timing belt kit... Superb.

[DailyDriverMark]

Ok... 80K Miles (on Belt) and 6 years of reliable service later.... (car @152,500)..

My super nice Continental brand timing belt, is getting replaced before I try to go any farther with it. Seem's fine.

When I ordered the kit back in 2009.. I hemmed and hawed at first, not having any previous experience with Continental. I knew they were a tire company. I never paid them any attention because I hated the name.

I'm a sports car guy, (my other cars,lol) and 'Continental' sound like there the ones who make big balloon whitewall tires for grampa's old Lincoln.

So I wasn't expecting much. But right off the bat...as soon as I got the kit and inspected the belt I was pleasantly surprised. What I liked right off the bat was that it was thicker and made of more supple rubber than the Gates belt it replaced. The second thing good about it is it appeared to be a very well made, well engineered belt... no metal showed through. the Gates belts come with the metal core exposed on each side, and a thinner backing.

I was pretty confident I could take this belt a bit passed the the 60k mark, and I have. Now, provided it makes it to my work area tomorrow, the belt is going to get replaced.
At 152k miles and 10 years of use, I know I'm on borrowed time, with the rest of the car. So this time around I didn't opt for anther Contitech kit, but I do wish I did.

Only reason being is that I've had a Gates belt I bought off another member here just sitting on a shelf for a while now. It's now or never for that belt, and I'm pretty tight on money, so I just ordered a Dayco, pulley kit, and new water pump gasket from Rock Auto.. The intake gasket is leaking so an Auto7 gasket was ordered as well, however BOOO on that sucker for costing a dollar more, and not coming with the little O-ring gaskets!! Duh on me for not seeing that when I ordered.... I'll probably throw 4 new plugs at it tomorrow too.

So Hat's off to Contitech for an outstanding belt.

[Mattaveo5]

Currently running a Gates belt. Never had issue with them in the past. Felpro VC gasket is good. $24 comes with grommets.

[DailyDriverMark]

Yeah, my original was a gates belt. I'm only slightly concerned because this belt has sat on the shelf (in it's box) for quite a few years now. Should be fine, but rubber does age with time.

[CJS]

Ok... 80K Miles (on Belt) and 6 years of reliable service later.... (car @152,500)..

My super nice Continental brand timing belt, is getting replaced before I try to go any farther with it. Seem's fine.

When I ordered the kit back in 2009.. I hemmed and hawed at first, not having any previous experience with Continental. I knew they were a tire company. I never paid them any attention because I hated the name.

I'm a sports car guy, (my other cars,lol) and 'Continental' sound like there the ones who make big balloon whitewall tires for grampa's old Lincoln.

So I wasn't expecting much. But right off the bat...as soon as I got the kit and inspected the belt I was pleasantly surprised. What I liked right off the bat was that it was thicker and made of more supple rubber than the Gates belt it replaced. The second thing good about it is it appeared to be a very well made, well engineered belt... no metal showed through. the Gates belts come with the metal core exposed on each side, and a thinner backing.

I was pretty confident I could take this belt a bit passed the the 60k mark, and I have. Now, provided it makes it to my work area tomorrow, the belt is going to get replaced.
At 152k miles and 10 years of use, I know I'm on borrowed time, with the rest of the car. So this time around I didn't opt for anther Contitech kit, but I do wish I did.

Only reason being is that I've had a Gates belt I bought off another member here just sitting on a shelf for a while now. It's now or never for that belt, and I'm pretty tight on money, so I just ordered a Dayco, pulley kit, and new water pump gasket from Rock Auto.. The intake gasket is leaking so an Auto7 gasket was ordered as well, however BOOO on that sucker for costing a dollar more, and not coming with the little O-ring gaskets!! Duh on me for not seeing that when I ordered.... I'll probably throw 4 new plugs at it tomorrow too.

So Hat's off to Contitech for an outstanding belt.

Good to know! I just had a Contitech kit installed today. My old OE belt wasn't bad but at 67,000 miles and with a new 80/RT daily commute, I figured I'd better get it done.

[rwags]

Good to know! I just had a Contitech kit installed today. My old OE belt wasn't bad but at 67,000 miles and with a new 80/RT daily commute, I figured I'd better get it done.

CJS...How much did your Contitech kit install cost you?

[FlaAveo5]

Ok... 80K Miles (on Belt) and 6 years of reliable service later.... (car @152,500)..

My super nice Continental brand timing belt, is getting replaced before I try to go any farther with it. Seem's fine.

When I ordered the kit back in 2009.. I hemmed and hawed at first, not having any previous experience with Continental. I knew they were a tire company. I never paid them any attention because I hated the name.

I'm a sports car guy, (my other cars,lol) and 'Continental' sound like there the ones who make big balloon whitewall tires for grampa's old Lincoln.

So I wasn't expecting much. But right off the bat...as soon as I got the kit and inspected the belt I was pleasantly surprised. What I liked right off the bat was that it was thicker and made of more supple rubber than the Gates belt it replaced. The second thing good about it is it appeared to be a very well made, well engineered belt... no metal showed through. the Gates belts come with the metal core exposed on each side, and a thinner backing.

I was pretty confident I could take this belt a bit passed the the 60k mark, and I have. Now, provided it makes it to my work area tomorrow, the belt is going to get replaced.
At 152k miles and 10 years of use, I know I'm on borrowed time, with the rest of the car. So this time around I didn't opt for anther Contitech kit, but I do wish I did.

Only reason being is that I've had a Gates belt I bought off another member here just sitting on a shelf for a while now. It's now or never for that belt, and I'm pretty tight on money, so I just ordered a Dayco, pulley kit, and new water pump gasket from Rock Auto.. The intake gasket is leaking so an Auto7 gasket was ordered as well, however BOOO on that sucker for costing a dollar more, and not coming with the little O-ring gaskets!! Duh on me for not seeing that when I ordered.... I'll probably throw 4 new plugs at it tomorrow too.

So Hat's off to Contitech for an outstanding belt.

Hi. Your post leads of with 'Hats off to 'Contitech'....but then you say it is a Continental kit. Which one was it? Since both make a full timing belt/water pump kit. And at VERY different prices. Even on Rock Auto. which one gav you such great service?

Continental is the most expensive kit, but I THINK it doesn't include all the seals in the kit. And it has a plastic water pump impeller showing, the metal 'impeller', cost even more. Yet the 'DJN or DNJ' kit has a full metal water pump showing in its kit, and has more seals etc,...and cost much less.

I am finally fining mechanics that won't cost me 4 months rent to install this kit, BUT I need to buy the kit. And I want to get the kit with as much metal in it as possible, not plastic crap. The OEM kit has so much plastic in it, it is unreal. And that is what I am running now, but at 35K miles...but 10 years!! So...with this high praise, i just want to know....which maker are you praising? Contitech. Or Continental? Thanks for a FAST reply.

[RBRx]

Hi. Your post leads of with 'Hats off to 'Contitech'....but then you say it is a Continental kit. Which one was it? Since both make a full timing belt/water pump kit. And at VERY different prices. Even on Rock Auto. which one gav you such great service?

Continental is the most expensive kit, but I THINK it doesn't include all the seals in the kit. And it has a plastic water pump impeller showing, the metal 'impeller', cost even more. Yet the 'DJN or DNJ' kit has a full metal water pump showing in its kit, and has more seals etc,...and cost much less.

I am finally fining mechanics that won't cost me 4 months rent to install this kit, BUT I need to buy the kit. And I want to get the kit with as much metal in it as possible, not plastic crap. The OEM kit has so much plastic in it, it is unreal. And that is what I am running now, but at 35K miles...but 10 years!! So...with this high praise, i just want to know....which maker are you praising? Contitech. Or Continental? Thanks for a FAST reply.

Contitech & Continental are the same "company" (Continental Technology), You wont find many manufacturers that have metal parts for all bearing components. But I do have a contitech kit waiting to be installed and I can confirm the impeller on the water pump is metal but not like it would matter if it was plastic since it's not a load bearing component and it already comes with the rubber seals installed.

[FlaAveo5]

Contitech & Continental are the same "company" (Continental Technology), You wont find many manufacturers that have metal parts for all bearing components. But I do have a contitech kit waiting to be installed and I can confirm the impeller on the water pump is metal but not like it would matter if it was plastic since it's not a load bearing component and it already comes with the rubber seals installed.

Hi. Your not the other guy, that installed the 'Continental kit'...right? Maybe hes gone of the forum.
Well...This water pump looks like it has a plastic water pump impeller. It is plastic, right? Is this in the pump in the Contitech kit? Though you say it is metal? I just think that a metal impeller is going to last a lot longer in VERY hot water/coolant than a plastic one. Might as well put in as much metal as possible, instead of plastic parts. Right? Just because it isnt 'load bearing', it will be spinning fast in hot water/coolant, metal will last much longer than plastic in that environment.

Only going to get this done 1 time, by the time it needs it again, one of us will be dead, the car or me So might as well get one that will last the longest.

Hell, it took GM years of making the Aveo, to redesign that upper coolant part, that connects the upper coolant hose to the top of the engine, (is WAS made out of plastic and some kind of paper or other cheap material), that burst all over my engine, it cost me $300 to replace. (in towing/replacement/time lost at work costs). All because they put in a plastic/paper part, in the HOT coolant system! Any idiot would know to NOT put plastic in a HOT coolant system. Well, except GM

They finally made it out of aluminum, now it doesn't burst, at least mine hasn't since it was replaced,...it just might last longer now that it is metal. Not that GM covered the cost of the replacing of the part, even when it failed SO badly! They redesigned the part when it did burst on enough people, to cover their ass'.

So I rather get as much metal in the timing belt/water pump replacement kit as possible. The price range of that kit, as we all know, is from super cheap, like $35, to I think the Contitech/Continental kit is $127 ?, on RockAuto. And that kit has the most replacement parts as well. Including seals and some kind of lube that goes on something. I just think metal is better than plastic in this replacement. Costs the same to take the engine apart to put it all in, so might as well put in something that will last. Thanks for the reply.

[RBRx]

Yes that's the pump included in the kit it's blackend metal not plastic but it's not hard guess that from a distance without touching it. I figured the large image would give it away easier...