I came across and posted the following discussion here and will let the board decide if it is sticky worthy.

Through the years, this has been a moving target as Gates fell out of grace.

BTW ohter than just posting the link, can anyone tell me how to insert the linked video so it takes up less real estate? i.e. smaller video or thumbnail.

 

Edited December 17, 20205 yr by brus brother

52 minutes ago, brus brother said:

BTW can anyone tell me how to insert the linked video so it takes up less real estate?

Good video. Notice that all the pullies have dual bearings instead of one in the center.

 

You can paste the link as text..

Or like this using the link button in the upper tool bar. First, highlight and copy the URL link. Then highlight the text in your post (Chevy 454 snow blower) (can be one or more words) then click the link button. A window will open. Right click in the URL field and Paste your link. You will notice the word or words you highlighted are in the next field. Click Insert into post. It will look like the following.

Chevy 454 snow blower.

I sure could use one of these right now.

Thanks R. I wanted to be able to insert a modified player into the body instead of a hyperlink.

Edited December 17, 20205 yr by brus brother

We buy the individual parts from the OEM manufacturers and one of those is Aisin (water pump). It's cheaper generally on the wholesale side to piece them together. 

GD

Glad to hear that Aisin water pumps pass your quality rating.

I'm not sure if the rest of us can pull off the "wholesale side" though.

Do you retail the kits you spec out and assemble?

Since Gates kits went off the rails, I've seen numerous requests for alternatives and am trying to figure out the best way to go.

7 hours ago, brus brother said:

Glad to hear that Aisin water pumps pass your quality rating.

I'm not sure if the rest of us can pull off the "wholesale side" though.

Do you retail the kits you spec out and assemble?

Since Gates kits went off the rails, I've seen numerous requests for alternatives and am trying to figure out the best way to go.

Can piece together by searching online and asking your local dealer to meet other low cost sellers to avoid shipping for some, or all of the items. 

Often you can get most things off of eBay for low cost. Find part number and search. Then google it as well and check the well known OEM online retailers. Liberty in PA and the big one in CT would be close, well known ones, to you.

There are often a few retailers selling kits as well at good prices.  If it doesn’t have a pump, or their kit with a pump is too costly, just source that somewhere else. 

multiple local dealers discount to the lower online prices for me.  most of the parts staff know me. But I’ve asked dealers that I’ve only been to once. I inquire and let them decide - I don’t expect or demand or persuade. 

I shouldn’t speak for him but it can’t be worth GDs time to ship and deal with shipping, returns, fitment questions, 3rd party mechanic/customer comm issues, and warranty issues for pocket change. I wouldn’t do it, too much effort and liability for zero return. 

9 hours ago, GeneralDisorder said:

We buy the individual parts from the OEM manufacturers and one of those is Aisin (water pump). It's cheaper generally on the wholesale side to piece them together. 

GD

very few of us have the ability to purchase this stuff wholesale - we are not businesses.

 

My local wholesale pricing isn't that great - not compared to online pricing. That's why shops charge so much for parts. Our local suppliers deliver to us - we have about 9 deliveries each week day from two different wholesale suppliers. We get decent prices but there's plenty of online sources that will meet or beat our pricing - we just generally can't wait days for parts. We usually need the stuff right away and sometimes we are waiting on parts to arrive even though the wait is only an hour or two. 

GD

If the OEM parts from Subaru are too expensive for your budget, the Aisin Kit is probably the best option.  Buying parts from ebay/Amazon can be risky as some sell counterfeit parts and it can be difficult to determine which ones are real.  The Gates kits have been known to put Chinese made parts in them.

Aisin is the OEM water pump manufacturer for Subaru.  I believe Koyo makes the idlers and NTN makes the Tensioner.  Mitsuboshi supplies the timing belts.  The preceding statement is what I have heard so it may not be 100% accurate.

Edited December 22, 20205 yr by Mike104

Subaru has more than one belt supplier. Mitsuboshi is one of them. 

Aisin makes great water pumps. They are owned by Toyota who owns part of Subaru. But the factory pump are not usually Aisin. Some may be but as with a lot of things - Subaru buys from multiple sources. Most I see are Yokahama branded. 

Most of the rest of the stuff is NTN. 

GD

Thanks for all the good info.

I'd like to be able to move this discussion to the Repair Manual as a sticky.

As I said, the question is repeated every so often and it would be great to be able to link to and further the discussion in one place.

Mods, have at it.

Thanks all.

 

The video does touch on the important topics as far as T-Belt kits are concerned, and I did learn a thing or two..

Im sure the revision to the Gates kits were brought on from the customer backlash for Chinese components

Anyhow, I got bit pretty bad once with a Gates Kit - the tensioner let my belt skip one too many teeth and bent some valves .. however I guess it worked out, the car got a few new valves and some new valve guides. To this day, I have no idea why the t-belt skipped, other than it was off-throttle.  Suspected that the tensioner had air, even though it was bled per the suspect large sheet of paper Gates started including in their t-belt kits.   The world may never know.

Good info though.