Gates Timing belt genuine or fake?

EdGasket

According to Gates' website the packaging should conform to a certain standard and contain a holospot if it is a genuine Gates belt:

https://ww2.gates.com/europe/brochure.cfm?brochure=7424&location_id=11337

and:

http://cms.gates.com/microsites/gatesrussia/russiancounterfeit/distinguishing-signs/powergrip-timing-belt/packaging

So I ordered one on eBay which showed the above features in the picture attached to the advert. However when it arrived it appeared to be either fake or extremely old white packaging with Gates logo. So i sent that back.

Next I ordered one in from the local motor factors which are part of a nationwide chain and should be trustworthy. This was a black and red box however no holospot and no label showing belt routing. Just a small label with a barcode on it. The box is sealed (not glued though) by another barcode label on the base and a silver 'void' sticker at the top.

So does anyone who fits these for a living know if there are several types of Gates packaging with genuine belts or should I assume the worst and return the latest one to the motor factors? I don't want to be too picky but neither do I want to fit a dodgy belt which could wreck the car.

colino

I think the second one is new old stock and the seal is the factors own. Even they are getting wise to the knuckle draggers with enough volume to do easy returns, but return the cheaper items as "wrong part" in expensive box. You used to be able to contact Gates at Dumfries for a quick check, but its ages since I've been on to them.

EdGasket

Sorry Colino I don't quite follow that. So you think the belt is genuine but possibly old stock with a factors seal added? (Note the barcode label that seal the box is the same as the one stuck to where the Gates labelling out to be showing pulley arrangement). ANy idea when Gates introduced the 'holospot'?

Cheers for the Dunfries suggestion, I might call them. Found their number:

https://ww2.gates.com/europe/brochure.cfm?brochure=7677&location_id=3628

atrixblue.-MFR-.

The holospot is relatively new, as when I worked in a motorfactors, you either had a white packaging with gates logo and belt part number K015543XS for example, and we would put a holographic silver strip on the lid so when it was opened it revealed the hologram VOID on it and we never accepted returns for them.


Or RED box with black stripe, this also had to have our VOID hologram stickers on as people would try and return a cheaper belt inside or even the old used belt. Theres still plenty of old stock flying about within the local business of motor factors, some get pushed out to ebay as old stock because they are not shifting form the shelf to be replenished with new box stuff, I can remember seeing old sierra, Granada, mk1 cavalier Astra's nova's, rover SD1, mmk1-2-3-4-5 escort gates belts covered in dust on our shelves when I worked in the trade it would be once or twice a year we would sell one of these old stocks on to the public or trade before I left there for a new job we were attending classic car meets to sell them off with other old stock.

EdGasket

OK so I should be Ok to use this belt then? What you say does figure as the belt is for an older model car, up to year 2000.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

EdGasket wrote: »

OK so I should be Ok to use this belt then? What you say does figure as the belt is for an older model car, up to year 2000.

doesn't mean it was boxed that year though could have been boxed 5 years ago or even more recently prior to the hotspot introduction and is still perfectly fine to use now.

arcon5

I'd be worried if it was made that long ago or even 5 years after that since rubber perishes

EdGasket

Gates say shelf life prior to fitting is 8 years:

http://ww2.gates.com/europe/brochure.cfm?brochure=12909&location_id=19798

Agreed a fresh belt is always preferable but for an old car you just can't always get one because if there is already plenty of stock out there, they aren't going to make more that no-one is going to order.

londonTiger

holograms are easy to fake, buy from legitimate sources

EdGasket

londonTiger wrote: »

holograms are easy to fake, buy from legitimate sources

The Gates 'holospot' has various numbers to check and is harder to fake.

Also buying from a good source doesn't guarantee that they weren't in turn supplied by a dodgy wholesale batch sourced on eBay, Alibaba or similar.

londonTiger

EdGasket wrote: »

The Gates 'holospot' has various numbers to check and is harder to fake.

Also buying from a good source doesn't guarantee that they weren't in turn supplied by a dodgy wholesale batch sourced on eBay, Alibaba or similar.

so tps buys parts from ebay? why would a distributor buy from a middleman?