Reusing Timing Belt

I would definitely reuse it if it has no nicks along the edges.

Regards

 

Because the Ferrari tech manual says not to do it. If you want to do things that the people who designed and built the engine advise against, it's certainly your free choice to reuse your belts and save the major sum of $36.

 

For the price, it’s not that expensive, might as well get a new ones. But the tensioner bearings, maybe if it’s carefully inspected.

 

LOLOL

I guess people treat like they are made of paper.

The manuals for these cars were written over 30 years ago, Gates makes belts for these cars out of the same material that goes into my other rides that last well over 100,000kms.

I can only imagine the quality of the materials that went into belts 30 - 45 years ago.

 

I've no hard data source, but I suspect that recommendation might come from Gates. It could be because once the internal reinforcing fibers are stretched, they don't work as designed when released and then re-tensioned. Sort of how a spring doesn't wear out due to staying compressed indefinitely, but from being compressed and released repeatedly. It makes no sense to me that timing chains stretch more than belts, but they do. Some things you just accept because " engineer said so." So Ferrari says don't reuse them, the belts are cheap, and I buy new ones. The belt on my Tiburon has lasted 70K miles, but it's also not a $25K engine. So I don't treat my Ferrari like my DD.

I know for a fact that Gates recommends changing many modern belts after 4 years, whether they "look ok" or not; sometimes belts can fail internally, which showed no external problems.

As to the AC - well, mine works. So there's hope for anyone else.

 

I took original belts off a 90 testarossa in 2017 and they looked great. I think you're good after 450 miles.

 

DIY is the way to go. I can't imagine any pro shop putting in the hours that these cars really need.

It's best not to stretch the belts more than once. They would probably work, but just think of it as a really low cost insurance policy.

 

I would re-use a belt if it is slightly used. However, if it is older than 5 years, and only $75 for a pair, I would change them out.

 

I would not reuse the belt regardless of age or mileage. The manual makes note to never re-tension the belt. There is no way to re-install it without re-tensioning it. Spend the extra $36 bucks. You will sleep better at night.

 

Read the manual recommendation printed over 30 years ago. What it recommended back then may surprise you today.

 

First of all I think your work is beyond outstanding. Far beyond, but every time I hear someone say the belts look great I always remember Rifledriver's comment, "the belt looks great.... except for the broken part"

(and I'm no mechanic. You have forgotten way more than I will ever know about that stuff)

 

The belts are changed more frequently than needed thats for sure. A VW or Audi with the same tooth design as the ferrari doesn't need the same replacement interval, why? Take a 79 scirocco for example, the belt is running 4 cylinders, same as any ferrari V8 with 2 valves per cylinder. They rev them, they drive them in all kinds of weather and go well past 30,000 miles or 3 years. The V-dub interval is 60,000 to 100,000 miles and no doubt there are exceptions due to other circumstances or just bad luck but 30,000 miles or 3 years? Or even 5? Too often. Today I inspected an 87 328 that the current owner bought 18 years ago and was unaware of the suggested major services he's missed. Car runs fine and who knows when they were changed last. The belts will get changed shortly but the reality is the belts lasted just as they would on an old V-dub.

 

Im not a factory trained Ferrari Tech. Ive been a mechanic since 1986 on all makes as an apprentice then licensed in 1991 which is a 5 year process in Canada involving formal training. I also have my truck and coach license and became a Ford master Tech I believe around 2000 which involved a lot of courses and hours of shop time and my speciality was engine driveability and mechanical repair. I started on Ferraris just for a change in 2001 after getting out of my Cuda and Challenger phase and the was bit hard by the bug, it's all Ive done since - except for the odd Ford GT which I was factory trained on. Always had a fascination with engines regardless of brand and engine building so although I restore Ferrari's , my true passion is Ferrari engines and constantly researching how to get more power out of them reliably.

 

I just changed the belt on my Scirocco a year ago. It was put on in 2003. I figured it had enough time on there by then.

 

I may have to rethink this, I was going to change my belts with only 5,000 miles in six years.