Hey folks...couple quick questions. Going to have a new timing belt and water pump installed soon. I was considering changing the cam gears out for just cosmetics. OEM cams are in the motor and I have seen a few sets of adjustable gears that I like. Again......just for looks, will I run into any problems having these installed with a GATES timing belt? I'm sure that the teeth on the new gears will match up to the originals but I just want to be sure. Also, is this a big project....changing the gears that is or is it a quick bolt on deal? Thanks!

1999 Eclipse GS
420A

You would gain more from an under drive pulley then cam gears. They both are easy to install if you follow the manual. Make sure you get new idler bearings and tensioner with the belt and water pump. You can paint or powder coat the stock cam gears and be happier with the pulley upgrade.

Thanks....not really looking for performance right now- my gears just look horrible and figured since they will be in there replacing the belt.....install some decent gears for appearance.

have them bead blasted and powder coated. this way you dont have to worry about adj gears if your not looking for performance

id just point out, that a UDP , 1 never really proved any real/tangible HP increase, and 3. the UDP may cause more harm than good unless you get a legit one like ATI, because you take all the harmonic dampening out when you replace it with some chunk of Al....free advice..

Yes you can run the belt with adjustable gears. I'd also replace the tensioner if I were you, if you still have the hydraulic tensioner, a mechanical would be a good replacement.

Yes you will be fine with running cam gears for looks just don't run OBX cam gears. I know their has been people run them with no problems but most people had tons of problems out of them. Like the marks are in the wrong place's they tend to get stress crack over time, more or less their just crap .

I've been running an unorthodox racing pulley for a few years now with no problems. And it may not add horse power but being able to reach red line much faster is always a plus.

jayson427 said:

I've been running an unorthodox racing pulley for a few years now with no problems. And it may not add horse power but being able to reach red line much faster is always a plus.

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Like I said some people have ran them with no problem, but most people have had a ton of problems.

get some aem car gears, the obx ones will work and hold up just fine, ive proved it

the gears are fine.. the people that have problems, have no clue what they are doing and did not Zero them first.. they just assumed the "0" on the gear was accurate. there are a lot of factors that will change this, thus you should always zero them in.

Also see JDT's post. very good advice there.

You should see if they make some sort of cover for those ugly cam gears. It might save your engine someday, and is guaranteed to do less damage than a cheap under drive pulley.

Just paint the stock ones. That is what I did and much, much cheaper.

Thanks guys!

So my e-brake failed and it bent up my radiator core support among other things. Has anyone ever replaced one of these? What is involved? I've taken half of it off and there are like 50 welds that we had to drill out, but suggestions would be great! Thanks.