New Old Stock EPDM Belt - How Old is Too Old?

[ursinaa]

I'm looking to get a new old stock EPDM Continental Elite Gatorback Belt from eBay. The seller is a commercial storefront that states, "Guaranteed a "GATORBACK" belt" and has a large variety of Continental Elite Gatorback Belts. So, I am guessing it is warehoused properly. They said the production date is 6/2015, so it is nine years old.

I saw some older threads giving a general EPDM belt shelf life of 5-10 years. So, I want to get updated opinions on the shelf life of EPDM Serpentine Drive belts in general and whether it makes a difference, specifically for a 9-year-old EPDM Continental Elite Gatorback Belt.
TY

 

[drtyler]

The Gatorback ship has sailed.

I would not knowingly buy and use a 9 year old belt for any car that I want to be reliable.

What is the application?

 

[nwjones18]

I was a big Gatorback fan myself... But no way I'm going through the effort of belt replacement to put on a 9yo belt.. Get yourself a fresh belt from another brand.

 

[Kurtatron]

This for a timing belt or accessories? If this is critical interference engine timing belt application, I’d pass. But if it’s for accessories and it’s $25, I’d go for it, unless a newer belt is available for the same price.

This thing has had no heat cycles. Heat is the enemy of rubber/plastic products. It’d lprobably last for years.

 

[Twisted1]

Anything NOS that contains rubber in its structure is an automatic no from me.

 

[JHZR2]

As much as I liked the gator back belts, rubber does age. It will age much slower in a warehouse, away from heat, ozone, petroleum liquids and vapors, Uv, and operation.

It will probably be fine tbh. But do you really want to risk it, either in failure, or at minimum, early cracking?

 

[BrendanC]

Gates green HD belt and be done with it. as others have said, i wouldn’t mess with a 9 y/o belt.

 

[ursinaa]

Thanks.
This is what I figured the group consensus would be something like.
'It is probably maybe okay, but the risks outweigh any benefits.'
I used Gatorback belts in the past and loved them, so I was hoping for one last hurrah.

 

[dguzzi]

Although....my 1990 Miata has original timing belt that is working fine...of course that makes it a "may pop" sort of thing

 

[benjamming]

I have vehicles with 22 & 23 year old accessory belts, respectively. If I needed a replacement, then I would have absolutely no issue with a 9 y/o belt going back on.

 

[nwjones18]

It's worth noting that Contentinal bought out the Goodyear belt business and makes a belt now that is very similar to the Gatorback. Here's an example:

https://www.amazon.com/Continental-...000C30IR0/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

 

[drtyler]

It's worth noting that Contentinal bought out the Goodyear belt business and makes a belt now that is very similar to the Gatorback. Here's an example:

https://www.amazon.com/Continental-...000C30IR0/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

I believe the Elite belts have been discontinued. However if OP could find one, it would probably be newer than 9 years.

 

[Carmudgeon]

Going by this, the newest example of NOS would be at least 3-4 years old.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...ntal-goodyear-helicog-gatorback-belts.334581/

 

[VersatileGuy]

I think the last time I did a belt on my mother's Matrix...might have been at least ten to thirteen years ago or something. Make sure your valve cover gasket and any other hydrocarbon leaks are in order, otherwise, any belt is going to have their lives shortened by pure chemistry.

 

[ElastomerGuy]

There is a Mil standard, MIL HDBK 695, that lists the suggested shelf life for various rubber materials based on the type of material. For EPDM, the shelf life is listed as 5-10 years. I presume that this list is applicable to static applications only. This application is definitely not a static application. So, based on the MIL standard, I'd suggest you buy a new belt.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

In the past 9 months, I've replaced mine on the 4Runner with a Bando, and my kid's 2002 Sentra (yes that water pump and belts finally needed to be done, that job blows) with whatever house brand O'Reilly's sells. New belts always for me, no reason to cheap out on a $15 part.