Replace the poly belt or no?

[johan928]

I have recently purchased a 1999 Boxster with 68k miles, and the previous owner did not have the 60 k service done, so I have ordered the parts for this and have removed the access panel behind the rear seats.

I believe I have located the tensioner, and am looking for a procedure for replacing the polyrib belt.

Is someone able to help me and tell me which direction the tensioner should be turned in order to loosen the belt?

Many thanks in advance.

John

[Tool Pants]

I have replaced 4 belts on different Boxsters and it is easy. Since the cover is off slide the seats forward so you have room.

You need a 24mm tool. If you are strong you can use a 24mm box end wrench. When I am by myself I use a 24mm socket on the end of a 2 foot breaker bar for leverage.

Put the tool on the nut on the spring loaded tensioner pulley and rotate clockwise. To the left and a little below is an idler pulley. You crank on the tool so that both pulleys touch each other and so the belt is loose enough to remove.

In the shop manual Porsche has a numbered sequence of how to get the belt off and on the 8 pulleys. I do it a different way.

Above the idler pulley is a deflector roller. With both pulleys touching each other slide the belt off the deflector roller, then release your tool and remove the belt. When you put the new belt on the belt goes on the deflector roller last.

Loren has instructions in the 996 DIYer section. 996 and Boxster are the same.

[johan928]

Thank you Tool Pants for your help.

John

[Tool Pants]

Here is a diagram I forgot I had that might help if you can see it.

You use the tool on #7 and rotate it until it touches #8. Then you slide the belt off #3. Porsche says to slide it off #8. Makes no difference.

After we do a belt change we start the car with the cover removed to make sure we did not screw up.

[Tool Pants]

Finally got around to replacing the belt on my own car, a 1997 with 66,000 miles. I had removed and inspected the belt at 30,000 miles and it looked fine back then. At 66,000 miles the belt still looked fine. But I had already purchased a replacement belt and since the service cover was off, the replacement belt went in.

Kragen auto parts is down the street from me. Kragen's list 3 belts. Dayco for $44.99. Goodyear Gatorback for $27.99. Mileage Maker for $19.99. The belt sold by Porsche is made by Optibelt and full retail from a Porsche dealership $42.20.

I went with the $19.99 Mileage Maker from Kragens as it was in stock. Turns out it is a Goodyear product, Hetcho En Canada. The part number is 835K6MK. Funny thing is, the Kragen's site says this belt also fits a 2004 F-150 pickup and a 2004 Focus. Maybe this is why it was in stock.

[seafeye]

This one???

http://www.partsamerica.com/productdetail....tNumber=835K6MK

[Tool Pants]

That is the one.

[usaf-lt-g]

Hey guys,

So just for grins... I decided I should start doing some maintainence checkup on my 2000 Boxster S. I decided to remove the engine covers and check out the Poly-Belt. The car has 70K on it, and since I have no idea what the previous owner did or didn't do maintainence wise, I figured it was worth a check.

Prior to opening her up, I picked up a Good-Year "GatorBack" replacement belt, just thinking it might be time to change her.

In any case, upon inspection it doesn't look as though the current belt is cracked in any way shape or form and looks to be in decent condition. However my question stems around the quality of the belt that's on there and what I picked up. I'm wondering if it makes any sense at all to replace it with the newer belt I just got, or if I should leave the one that's on there... on there? See pics below.

Thanks!

[Sboxin]

IMO - Your belt does look good, and I wouldn't replace it.

You might keep the new one in the spare tire for any future use - or a friend.

The photos are excellent and help in reviewing your request for assistance :)

Take care,

Ed

[usaf-lt-g]

IMO - Your belt does look good, and I wouldn't replace it.

You might keep the new one in the spare tire for any future use - or a friend.

The photos are excellent and help in reviewing your request for assistance :)

Take care,

Ed

Thanks Ed! Well then I guess I'll just put her' back to normal and stow away the new belt I picked up! I always enjoy finding "good" surprises, like a nice and uncracked poly belt :)

Cheers!

:renntech:

[azzar0]

IMO - Your belt does look good, and I wouldn't replace it.

You might keep the new one in the spare tire for any future use - or a friend.

The photos are excellent and help in reviewing your request for assistance :)

Take care,

Ed

Thanks Ed! Well then I guess I'll just put her' back to normal and stow away the new belt I picked up! I always enjoy finding "good" surprises, like a nice and uncracked poly belt :)

Cheers!

:renntech:

Mine looked about the same but since I had a new one and I was there I changed it anyway. I figured better safe than sorry. A new belt (got it from Sunset) was around $30, original Porsche.

[Tool Pants]

Maybe Loren can merge this with this. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=2325

I did not use the Gatorback flavor because it cost a few dollars more, and I could not see a reason for the slits on the ribs of the belt.

When I did a google searched for the Gatorback on car message boards some people said it made more noise than the standard belt, while others liked it. I have no way to verify this and none of the message boards had anything to do with Porsche.

You should put it in and give us a review.

[usaf-lt-g]

Maybe Loren can merge this with this. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=2325

I did not use the Gatorback flavor because it cost a few dollars more, and I could not see a reason for the slits on the ribs of the belt.

When I did a google searched for the Gatorback on car message boards some people said it made more noise than the standard belt, while others liked it. I have no way to verify this and none of the message boards had anything to do with Porsche.

You should put it in and give us a review.

Lol, well I WOULD if I didn't already close her back up ;) Maybe I'll think about it tomorrow, but chances are, since the belt looks almost brand new on the car, I'd rather just use it instead and save this one for later.

[rsfeller]

let sleeping dogs lie...

[heyjae]

I just installed a shorter Goodyear Gatorback belt as part of my underdrive pulley install. It doesn't seem much louder or quieter than stock. Of course my exhaust is so loud, that it might be masking the difference.