🔗 Gates Micro-V Serpentine Drive Belt K040347 Review

It's not so much about the belt as it is about the selection system. There are two sizes of alternator straps and this was the smaller one which did not fit my particular '97 Miata. I went to my local auto parts store to find out they had two sizes and the larger one matched the one that came from my Miata. In addition, it looks good, the other strap fits perfectly, the service life is yet to be determined.

Update - 4-26-20 - I finally installed it about a week ago and it went through easily enough and seems to be doing its job. Haven't even installed it yet as I just replaced the radiator, hoses and thermostat but got it and trust it to last. If not, I'll comment again. The reason I think it will last is because I have the exact same belt on my Camry now and it was installed in 2011 (8 years ago and about 70,000 miles ago).

You'll probably want the 040350 strap which is 2-3mm thicker. This is the strap that came off my 2002 Miata. I still managed to install this K040347 strap, but it was tight. With this smaller belt, I had to loosen the alternator bolt to allow it to rotate more and was extremely difficult to access/break out. A regular sized belt could probably be installed with just 3 turnbuckles accessible from the front of the alternator.

This belt broke after only 6 months in the car. My mechanic who installed it for me can't find any other issues with the car that could cause it to break. He says it must be a broken belt. As a result I have to buy another one and pay for the labor to install it as I didn't buy it from him. He also broke the dipstick messing around under the hood, so now I have to fix that too. I would request a refund if there was a way to do it, but I don't see a way. I cannot recommend this belt based on my…