Timing belt marking gates

The first article in a large series of exposes on counterfeit car parts. In this article we will talk about counterfeiting Gates timing belts. How to distinguish an original from a fake? How can you avoid being deceived? Let's figure it out!

In order to conduct this comparative analysis and identify a fake, we bought two Gates belts: one for a Priora, the second for a VAZ 2109 8-valve. Gates timing kits can come in either old or new packaging, as you can see in the photo below.

But this does not mean that if you come across a kit in old packaging, it will necessarily be a fake. Most likely they will be sold in old packaging for a long time.

They began to put an authentication check on the original kit. To check whether this product is original or fake, you can tear off the sticker and send the code under it via SMS. Unfortunately, it also happens that the product does not have a sticker, but is still original. This means it is from old stock.

Make sure you are not dealing with counterfeit belts.

Gates cares about its customers and does its best to protect them from costly entire engine repairs due to the use of counterfeit belts.

Gates representatives consider it their duty to inform service stations and car owners about the features that distinguish counterfeit products from genuine ones.

This article contains information on counterfeit belts (timing and V-belts) that can be found on the spare parts market.

In addition to this, you can find various tips that will help you distinguish a fake from a branded product.

Features of PowerGrip® timing belts
Package
Branded packaging	Fake packaging
Original products - Gates timing belts - are always supplied in individual red and black boxes made of thin cardboard that protect the belt from damage. The box used to package PowerGrip® timing belts is made from 100% recyclable cardboard. A distinctive feature of such cardboard in the packaging of Gates timing belts on the inside is the lack of processing (the cardboard is not glossy) and its color is gray. The information presented on it is printed using solvent-free printing ink.	If you see Gates timing belts that are sold separately from individual boxes, this is a fake. PowerGrip® timing belts, in white boxes - fake. If the inside of the package is red and black, glossy and white, then you have a counterfeit product.
Branded packaging	Fake packaging
A sticker containing an image of the drive and a list of belt applications is pasted on the branded box.	Information containing an image of the drive and a list of belt applications is printed and not pasted on the fake box.
Branded packaging	Fake packaging
To protect against counterfeiting, Gates has been introducing the Holospot® security mark on timing belt packaging since 2006. Holospot® is a multi-layer label with a small data field containing several security features. The Holospot® security mark is applied absolutely exactly in the lower right corner of the front side of the package, directly below the barcode. For more information on Holospot® packaging, see Gates leaflet E14/70445.	The Holospot® security hologram is often missing from counterfeit packaging. Warning: Some counterfeit belts may have a fake Holospot® security hologram. But if it is glued crookedly, in the wrong place, differs in tone from the original, or does not respond to infrared radiation, then the likelihood that they are offering you a fake increases sharply.
Branded packaging	Fake packaging
The packaging box for PowerGrip® belts is tightly sealed with hot melt adhesive.	PowerGrip® timing belt boxes that are not sealed or have been opened and there are no traces of glue on the inside are counterfeit.
If the timing belt box is not sealed, there is a risk of damage to the belt! If the glass cord of the belt is damaged, the belt will quickly break!
Branded packaging	Fake packaging
Each box contains an insert - a mileage sticker.	Packaging with the Gates logo that does not include a sticker, or that contains a photocopy of it, is a fake.
Branded belt	Fake belt
The markings on Gates PowerGrip® belts are white and, due to the application technology, are quite difficult to erase. Each Gates PowerGrip® timing belt has a 5-digit alphanumeric code. On one belt this code will always be the same. (1) The rightmost digits of the branded PowerGrip® belt marking are not repeated from belt to belt and consist of one to three consecutive digits and must be strictly ascending - without gaps. (2) The place of production is always indicated on the original belt. (3)	PowerGrip® belts with off-white or easily erasable markings are fake. (1) With a counterfeit belt, a situation is possible where different 5-digit alphanumeric codes are printed on one belt. (4) If several belts sold have the same rightmost numbers (not strictly ascending) - they are selling you counterfeit products. If the rightmost digits of the belt marking are the same, you are being offered a fake. (3) The place of production is often not indicated on fake belts. (2)
Distinctive features of V-belts
V-belts
Branded packaging	Fake packaging
Gates V-belts are always supplied in a sleeve.	If someone offers you a V-belt separately from the sleeve, then it is a fake.
Branded belt	Fake belt
Non-reinforced V-belts with shaped teeth (with standard size MC) have completely white markings.	If a non-reinforced shaped tooth V-belt, regardless of code and type, has a partially red marking, then it is 100% fake.

Gates timing belts: how to distinguish the original from a fake, completeness of the product, installation features

Features of belts

Modern Gates products are distinguished by high quality and affordable prices. 100 years ago the first timing belt was produced.

Over the course of a century, Gates has mastered the production of belts not only for vehicles, but also fully supplies agricultural machinery with high-quality products.

The company operates its own center for scientific research.

Developers and manufacturers have taken into account the conditions in which their products must operate:

high speed mode;
wide range of temperature fluctuations;
exposure to oils.

The procedures for replacing the belt on different engines differ from each other. For technically difficult cases of belt replacement, Gates issues instructions; the presence of such instructions is indicated on the box with the belt.

The instructions themselves can be found on the company’s official website.

The manufacturer approaches the production process with strict demands regarding quality, strength and safety. Gates timing belts have the following characteristics:

special ingredients are introduced into the raw materials to provide protection against various factors affecting product wear;
glass fiber is used in a rubber shell;
silent operation is ensured by tight adhesion of the teeth profile to the gears;
There are spare parts and tool kits for organizing repair work;
Product protection against counterfeiting is organized at a high level.

Advantages and disadvantages

Thanks to the high quality of its products, Gates has ensured its steady popularity among buyers and users of timing belts. The list of advantages is huge:

high wear resistance;
The products fulfill the entire required warranty period with a reserve, and it is necessary to take into account special extreme operating conditions (aggressive environmental conditions, temperature intervals);
the precise fit of the teeth and the properties of the material used provide conditions for quiet operation;
The presence of glass fiber in the materials creates extreme tensile strength.

The biggest disadvantage is the strong desire of many manufacturers to counterfeit products and produce counterfeit products .

But a hundred years of experience allows manufacturers to protect their goods from good quality, but still fake.

Therefore, consumers receive not only Gates timing kits, but also other products of the required quality. Methods for protecting commercial products have been developed here.

Three main ways to distinguish an original from a fake

In order to protect the Gates timing belt from counterfeiting, the original was provided with distinctive packaging.

There are three main methods for checking the originality of Gates belts.

Checking the 14-digit alphanumeric product packaging codes. This package code looks like this: This code must be entered on the official website of the Company.
The company's products are protected by a QR code (for products manufactured after July 2020). This code allows you to check using the Mobile application on your smartphone. You need to scan the code in the TecIdentify app or Neoreader app.
The company also uses tesa PrioSpot® labels to protect its products. This protection is verified as follows: This code is unique for each package. Can't be repeated.
The label shimmers with rainbow colors, the moving digit repeats the last security digit. As you move the viewing angle, the last digit changes up and down.
Checking with a magnifying glass. You must ensure that the 10-digit code appears under the Gates logo. Its last 4 digits must correspond to the security code, as well as the last four digits of the letter code.

And also characteristic of the original:

bright red, rich, even color;
the year of manufacture matches on the packaging and on the belt itself;
image of the manufacturer’s website address on the black stripe of the packaging;
technical information about the belt is pasted;
on the side surface there is a characteristic structure of letters (uneven);
The packaging box is made of pressed cardboard and has a rough gray surface on the inside;
the packaging is sealed;
The label inside the box indicating the installation date and mileage comes off well.

Product Variations

The company provides almost all variety of automobile brands and models with reliable products.

To make it easier for customers to select belts, Gates offers the use of detailed catalogs developed by the company. Here it is easy and simple to select the necessary part.

If the consumer wishes, you can find a worthy analogue of the product or purchase a set of special tools for performing installation work.

The company offers owners of passenger cars belts that are completely equivalent in quality to the original ones, equipped with rollers, as well as elements for sealing and other components related to the timing belt.

Gates. How to distinguish an original from a fake?

PowerGrip® Kit Packaging

Both packages are so similar that just by looking at them it is difficult to determine which is the real Gates and which is the fake. Only upon careful examination can you notice that the Gates packaging box is made of thicker cardboard, and the quality of printing on it is higher than on a fake. There is even a hologram pasted on the box with the fake, and both holograms are very similar in appearance. However, the fake one is shorter than the real one by about 1 cm and flew off easily like an autumn leaf...

Package Contents

Open the box. Now you can clearly see how the original differs from a fake! Inside the original box there is a special plastic form for storing products. Fake rollers and belt are simply packed in plastic bags.

Belt

Let's compare the markings on the belts. On the original belt, the markings, as expected, are slightly cut off. And the belts themselves differ noticeably in appearance.

The back of the box has been completely changed - color, font size, layout.

Sides: Same changes as the top side of the box. The inscription is more compact, the Gates logo does not have an ellipse. The logo in the new version is placed on the left side.

Completely redesigned side

Now the boxes are glued, which ensures higher packaging reliability. In the old version, the box was sealed with the original sticker to prevent it from opening accidentally. In the new version this sticker is no longer needed.

Label: The final label layout has not yet been finalized, so there may be some differences in: • font size • logo size and clarity • improved depiction of the belt drive diagram, etc. • an installation instruction designation that will no longer be printed on the label if the kit is installed using the general instructions (the instructions are only printed if the kit is installed using the special instructions). These items will be approved soon. The label is clearer and contains new symbols. The production date code is now printed on the label - in our case the date code is 2524531B for kit K015521. This code consists of the order number (252453), the last digit indicates the year (1), and the letter B stands for the month (“B” stands for the second month of the year = February).

New mileage sticker: • improved quality • modern design • silver backing

Gates, a leading manufacturer of belt drive systems, takes all possible measures to prevent or stop the sale of counterfeit timing belts under its name. In compliance with MAPP (Manufacturers Against Pirated Products) standards, Gates has decided to triple its efforts to help installers and retailers verify the authenticity of the Gates timing belts they purchase.

Since July 2020, Gates has assigned each package of PowerGrip® timing belts a unique code. The new labels allow you to verify this unique code in three (3) ways with a triple security marking that will help distinguish genuine Gates belts from counterfeits.

The belt packaging is printed with a unique 14-digit alphanumeric code that can be entered at gates.com/original to verify the authenticity of the product.

Alternatively, you can scan the QR code, which will help you understand whether the product you are looking at is fake or genuine. To do this, you need to install special applications on your smartphone or barcode scanner.

Last but not least, the PrioSpot® holographic sticker has been added to the range of anti-counterfeiting measures. This sticker is difficult to counterfeit because it includes several security features. Its appearance makes it easy to determine the authenticity of the product.

Counterfeit products harm the brand image and endanger the life of the end consumer. The physical risks associated with the use or installation of counterfeit parts can cause damage of the highest value.

The use of counterfeit auto parts threatens the safety of consumers because it can lead to injury to drivers, their passengers, and auto mechanics.

The Belgian company Gates is one of the largest manufacturers of timing belts. Factories are located in Belgium, Spain, Scotland, France, Poland and other countries. Gates timing belts are very popular in the automotive market. In this article we will figure out why.

How to distinguish original Gates belts

Just recently we went to a wholesale warehouse, and I noticed that they were selling a lot of different fakes. In particular, there are many fakes of Gates belts. For review, I purchased two “Gates” kits: one for a Lada Priora, the other for an 8-valve nine.

On the right is the old packaging, on the left is the new one

Kits can be sold in new or old packaging. If the packaging is old, this does not necessarily mean that you have encountered a fake. The original can also be sold in old packaging.

Now they have begun to put authentication on the packaging. You can peel off the protective surface, send a code and check the authenticity of the product via SMS. Of course, it also happens that this sticker is missing, but the product is also original.

I recently found out that new packaging is also being counterfeited. In stores there are such boxes without authentication stickers, with a factory sticker with square edges and a wide barcode.

What to pay attention to

First of all, you should see if there is an adhesive layer on the box flap. The fake I purchased did not have an adhesive layer; it was sealed with regular tape. The original must have an adhesive layer .

By the way, read this article too: How to spot fake NGK candles

Special attention should be paid to. The edges of the sticker should be rounded , since square ones are much cheaper, and manufacturers of fakes take advantage of this.

Original sticker - left, Fake sticker - right

pixel code on the fake , and the barcode is much wider than on the original.

Pay attention to the print itself. If it is crooked or poorly printed, then it is definitely a fake.

Box Contents

Having unpacked the box, we see that the belts and rollers are in a special plastic frame. The rollers for the Priora are in the packaging base, and the rollers for the VAZ-2112 are packed in cellophane.

People often say that the cord in the belt should not be visible on the original, but in fact this is not the case.

You need to understand how drive belts are made: the belt blank is installed on a round drum, and a special machine cuts the required width and the required number of these belts.

On this drum, the inscriptions are printed at full length, so when cutting the belt, the inscriptions may be cut off. But on a fake, the inscriptions are applied directly to the finished belt in two rows, and the inscription will not continue either up or down.

Pay attention to the quality of the inscriptions. On a fake, the print is uneven, as if drawn with a brush using a stencil. On the original it is clear, the edges are even.

By the way, read this article too: How to distinguish original ABRO sealant

Also, on the fake that I purchased, the word “do not crease” was written with gross spelling errors.

On the original belt there are numbers arranged in ascending order . If all the numbers are the same, then the belt is a fake.

Packaging comparison

Belts can be counterfeited either in old or new packaging. The original packaging may be large (old format) or slightly smaller (new format).

The print quality of the fake is much worse

If you compare two boxes with each other - a fake and an original, you can see that the print quality of the fake is much worse . The belt is poorly printed, the edges of the design are blurred, and also on the entire batch of fake belts, there is a small printing defect on the box.

On the old original box, like on the fake, there is the inscription “ISORAN”. The new design of the original box does not have the inscription.

The “ISORAN” inscription is missing from the new design

The original large format boxes do not have the letters TM, but the original small format and counterfeit boxes have the letter.

Letters TM

The box of non-original belts states that there is a V-belt inside, but there is a timing belt there.

The fake has the inscription “V-belts”

The original box must be sealed on both sides, but the fake has a tongue at the top, does not have an adhesive layer and has a lock in the back, which should not be on the original.

By the way, read this article too: How to distinguish original “Gates” timing belts

On the back of the original packaging there is a sticker on which there is an article number and a manual for the use of the belt. At the end of the original box there must be a sticker with a barcode and article number . At the bottom of the box there is a recycling icon and the letters TV1 . The fake doesn't have this.

Belt applicability sticker and original barcode

The old style boxes say "V-belts", although there should be a timing belt. The original box flaps are glued. In both cases there is a sticker on the end, but the fake has square edges, while the original has rounded edges .

The fake has square edges, while the original has rounded edges

The non-original sticker on the back of the box contains a lot of unnecessary inscriptions and a slanted font, and also indicates a non-existent website DAYCO.ru, although the manufacturer’s website is DAYCO.com .

The fake says DAYCO.ru, the original says DAYCO.com

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