[s-cars] GP to construct a new timing belt

[steve powers]

Bob, sagely advises:

> My point is that changing the material of the upper timing belt cover 
> won't
> necessarily prevent the TB from being damaged.  I've heard quite a few
> instances over the last several years of people having this failure
> (serpentine belt tensioner) in which the covers weren't damaged, but the
> pieces of the serpentine belt still wound up in the timing belt area, and
> this is what ultimately caused the timing belt to slip.  Can the timing 
> belt
> cover get damaged and have it cause the TB to fail?  Sure, but it's not
> always the case.
>
> Everyone is reacting to an earlier comment that the tensioner pulled the
> alternator into the timing belt cover and it chewed through it.  But that
> was because the mounting bracket loosened up. Again, most likely due to
> improper installation.
>
> FIX THE PROBLEM FIRST.  After that, if you still want to put up shields go
> right ahead.

It was improper installation by the dealer which killed my valvetrain. They 
picked up the tab. Could it have been prevented? Sure, by careful and 
methodical replacement of parts.

For those of you dying to engineer something, how about timing gears? Just 
replace the timing belt altogether. It would also offer you the opportunity 
to play with variable timing at the camshaft. Can't break a timing belt that 
isn't there.

my $.02, properly gilded...

sp