For applications where the thermostat is situated behind the timing belt drive system Gates now offers PowerGrip® Kits plus water pump AND the application-specific thermostat.
The majority of V6 engines of the Volkswagen group and some 4 cylinder engines of Vauxhall/Opel have difficult-to-reach thermostats. The entire timing belt system including the water pump needs to be removed before the thermostat can be accessed and replaced. Consequently a new set of drive system parts needs to be installed as those can never be re-used. For these applications Gates offers one complete solution so you can replace timing belt(s), tensioner(s), idler(s), accessories, water pump and thermostat all together.
Applications with thermostats behind the timing drive
Examples of VW group applications where the thermostat sits behind the belt drive system include Audi A4 2.4 Petrol, Audi A4 Cabrio 2.4 Petrol and 2.5 Diesel, Audi A6 2.4 & 2.8 Petrol and 2.5 Diesel, Audi A8 2.8 Petrol. Vauxhall/Opel models with such a configuration are the Vauxhall/Opel Astra 1.6 & 1.4 Petrol and the Vauxhall/Opel Corsa 1.2 & 1.4 Petrol.
Gates PowerGrip Kit Plus Water Pump Plus Thermostat includes
- The timing belt(s)
- The belt tensioner unit(s)
- The idler(s)
- An application-specific water pump
- An application-specific thermostat
- All necessary seals and gaskets
- Other parts needed for a complete overhaul (bolts, springs, etc)
- Vehicle-specific installation instructions
- A mileage sticker
Benefits
- Avoid the risk of thermostat failure between two timing belt system service intervals
- Avoid costly comebacks as labour cost for thermostat replacement exceeds the cost of the part itself
- Everything in one box from one trusted supplier
The most economical solution
From a cost perspective these kits are the best option. Replacement of timing belt and water pump with or without thermostat takes the same amount of time. And the additional cost of the thermostat itself is relatively small compared to having to replace the timing belt drive and the water pump a second time in case you have a failing thermostat between timing belt service intervals. In addition,
buying a total kit solution including the timing belt drive components, the water pump and also the thermostat is more economical than ordering all the parts separately. You can also be certain that all components perfectly match the application and all fall under the same warranty in case of a subsequent drive system problem or failure.
With Gates timing belt kits including a water pump and a thermostat you can avoid risks, extra labour time and costly comebacks on VW group V6 engines and Vauxhall/Opel 4 Cylinder engines.