by Karl » Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:12 am
1. The three NAPA stores near here are located 15 miles north, 15 miles south, and across the bay. If I drew a 15-mile circle around where I live, I could probably enclose 5 each of AutoZone, Kragen, and Pep Boys. NAPA's online delivery is mighty quick, however.
2. Not sure, maybe.
3. As was I. The situation with the tensioner is rather interesting, When I got the first 47.8" replacement belt, it was a lot harder to put on than the old belt was to take off. I checked the tensioner indicator, and it was just beyond the "tight" side of the recommended zone - whether that zone has any meaning anymore after the new belt routing, I do not know. After starting the engine, the tensioner indicator moved to just past the "loose" side of the recommended zone, indicating that some stretching or settling had occurred. The 48.0" belt just slid into the configuration without pulling the tensioner back. The 47.5" belt was the last I tried, and even with the tensioner fully retracted I'd need a prybar just to get it on. I do believe, though, that if one managed to finesse the 47.5" belt on, the tensioner indicator would sit somewhere inside the recommended zone.
4. The 4060478 Goodyear part is a pipe dream, even their own site draws a blank (
http://www.goodyearep.com/productsdetail.aspx?id=3128). The part #'s from Dayco and A&I don't seem to turn up much in a cursory Internet search, either. The NAPA belt NBH25060478 is the one they specify for the 1985 Mercury Topaz 2.3L, but all other parts outlets come up with a 47.5" belt for the same application.
My motivation for this isn't because of an immediate local scarcity of belts, I'm simply trying to plan for the future when/if NAPA decides to stop making the 47.8".
1. The three NAPA stores near here are located 15 miles north, 15 miles south, and across the bay. If I drew a 15-mile circle around where I live, I could probably enclose 5 each of AutoZone, Kragen, and Pep Boys. NAPA's online delivery is mighty quick, however.
2. Not sure, maybe.
3. As was I. The situation with the tensioner is rather interesting, When I got the first 47.8" replacement belt, it was a lot harder to put on than the old belt was to take off. I checked the tensioner indicator, and it was just beyond the "tight" side of the recommended zone - whether that zone has any meaning anymore after the new belt routing, I do not know. After starting the engine, the tensioner indicator moved to just past the "loose" side of the recommended zone, indicating that some stretching or settling had occurred. The 48.0" belt just slid into the configuration without pulling the tensioner back. The 47.5" belt was the last I tried, and even with the tensioner fully retracted I'd need a prybar just to get it on. I do believe, though, that if one managed to finesse the 47.5" belt on, the tensioner indicator would sit somewhere inside the recommended zone.
4. The 4060478 Goodyear part is a pipe dream, even their own site draws a blank (http://www.goodyearep.com/productsdetail.aspx?id=3128). The part #'s from Dayco and A&I don't seem to turn up much in a cursory Internet search, either. The NAPA belt NBH25060478 is the one they specify for the 1985 Mercury Topaz 2.3L, but all other parts outlets come up with a 47.5" belt for the same application.
My motivation for this isn't because of an immediate local scarcity of belts, I'm simply trying to plan for the future when/if NAPA decides to stop making the 47.8".