Need some belt help

[ghnat]

Well, car started to overheat and pulled over and shut off the engine. Had the car towed home and the tow truck guy messed up my rear brake line, I think. either that or it just happened to break. I changed them less than 3 years ago. But that is another story. The engine was making a weird whining, above the normal belt whine.
I took off the belt cover and this is what I see:



I had the belts replaced about 3 years ago and they were just re-tensioned about 2 weeks ago. Not sure if the tension roller was replaced, but if not then I need to now.

Now I can feel a slight groove on the flat side of the belt going to the water pump.
Do I just replace the roller and if so can I do it without removing the belts?

[Techno Duck]

That is the idler pulley, the tension roller is under that.

The bearing in it probably seized.. if the other rollers (timing and balance belt tensioner, balance idler) were not changed they should be replaced also.

Replace the belts also.. reusing is asking for trouble.

[ghnat]

Thanks Techno Duck..
I was going to get all new rollers, just was not sure of the belts since they have ~20k on them.
Any suggestions on the best belts to buy? Gates or Contitech or ???

[Techno Duck]

Everyone has there opinion on it, i have used Contitech and the Porsche branded Gates belt and really have no preference. There were one or two posts not long ago about problems with the Contitech belts but one has to wonder the circumstances around that like how old the belts were sitting on shelf, tension correct, condition of everything else..etc.

The Contitech and Gates aftermarket are like $15 where as the Porsche branded Gates belt is under $40. I used the Conti belt on my last two belt jobs and when i did my belts earlier this year i used the Porsche branded Gates belt.. i would use either, it basically just comes down to brand preference.

[dangerous]

Duck's right, conti is fine. I've put them on about a dozen race cars and have been using them on my street car for 16 years. A belt that's been rubbing on a seized roller has been compromised and probably won't last long. Definitely replace it, it's cheap anyway and you're already in there.

[89-944NA]

I have used Conti for years on both daily drivers and race cars, never had a problem (recently changed to the Gates Kevlar on race cars though, just for extra insurance).

If that is your S2, Pelican has a complete kit, both belts, 2 tension rollers and 3 idler rollers for $319.50.