Part Number confusion.

Joined
Oct 31, 2020
Messages
11
Location
Sydney
Greetings, I have a few cars that I do much of the maintenance in the family. I have used RockAuto with great success in the past to keep costs down as unfortunately the pricing of parts in Australia can be outrageous at times even for aftermarket parts.
One recent example was for Gate that specifies the same part number for the Serpentine belt tensioner in Australia and US but has different part numbers for the belts. On closer inspection of the type and dimensions of the belts they are interchangeable.
2015 Mazda 3 2.0L Skyactive Engine
Main serpentine belt
Local Pricing/ Part Number
Gates 6PK965 AU $45.99
Roc Auto
Gates K060378 AU $17.65

Stretch to fit belt for waterpump
Local Pricing / Part Number
Gates 3PK787SF AU $74.99
Rock Auto
Gates K030309SF AU $14.15

Serpentine Belt tensioner
Local Pricing / Part Number
Gates Drivalign 39390 AU $301.00
Rock Auto
Gates 39390 AU $88.94

In this case I can confirm the dimensions and have completed the repair with a significant cost saving.
In other cases I cannot verify if they are playing the part number game of if they are indeed different from a part that is needed for a vehicle in Australia.
Does anyone have a simple way getting the OEM part numbers so they can try to cross reference those or any other simple method?

Any help is greatly appreciated
 
In other cases I cannot verify if they are playing the part number game of if they are indeed different from a part that is needed for a vehicle in Australia.
Does anyone have a simple way getting the OEM part numbers so they can try to cross reference those or any other simple method?

Its not a game or anything sinister, its modern manufacturing. If you think its bad with cars, try matching belts for industrial equipment in terms of fit and equal tension.

Gates makes belts ( general and custom). An OEM contracts them for belts for car "X" ( say 3/8 x 104" A)

Unless it is a true custom design they will recommend something already made and use the adjustment range for all existing products that will "fit".

There will usually be an optimum fit and extreme fits (extreme being "almost" too long or short) with a lot of "belt creep" between sizes.

Then you have the last ISO code ( where that belt is in terms or adherence to the measurement standard)

Its not always easy to directly interchange belts and bearings and things like that and it can affect the parts and applications they are made for.
 
Thanks for your perspective, unfortunately I have had a mechanic put a wrong belt of my vehicle in the past ( almost too long ) but with a short amount of wear / stretch they reached the end of the adjustment allowable.

I have also had a car where there was three different belts available for that year model and it came down to VIN as there were so many running changes.

Unfortunately when it comes to things like suspension parts it’s much more difficult to determine if the part number will fit. Is it just a part number difference between US and AU or is it a different part in some way.

A Toyota Corolla I look after has a choice of three different front brake pads for that year model in Australia and is different to the US version of the same year. It makes cross referencing the parts a nightmare.

I still have a hope that someone has an easy way that I don’t know of to work this out.
 
Thanks for your perspective, unfortunately I have had a mechanic put a wrong belt of my vehicle in the past ( almost too long ) but with a short amount of wear / stretch they reached the end of the adjustment allowable.

Well, you aren't the first for that ( nor will you be the last)- it does happen

I still have a hope that someone has an easy way that I don’t know of to work this out.

On belts, yes and its 100%- pull the tape around the OD of the belt track with the adjustments all the way to the short side. Estimate ( or measure again with the adjustment all the way to the long side)

Order a belt length from 1/3 to 1/2. Takes a tape measure, belt gauge and in some applications a sheave gauge.

Its done all the time on industrial equipment when the OEM ( or even a home made machine0 is unknown.
 
Thanks for your perspective, unfortunately I have had a mechanic put a wrong belt of my vehicle in the past ( almost too long ) but with a short amount of wear / stretch they reached the end of the adjustment allowable.

I have also had a car where there was three different belts available for that year model and it came down to VIN as there were so many running changes.

I've had worse. Replacement serpentine belt tensioner used a slightly smaller pulley. Try to find the right belt size after that! I had to buy 3 belts to find one that fit.
 
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