2007 496 Mag Serpentine Belt

[Titaniumboy]

Is there any differences in marine versus automobile belts?

We still have the original serpentine belt on our 2007 240. It still looks great at 14 years and 250 hours, but I want to install a new belt and use the old one as an emergency spare.

Apparently depending on the engine serial number there were different serpentine belts used. Our engine number says we need a 8M2018984 belt (supercedes the old part number of 865635Q01). A search for the 8M2018984 belt shows a length of 2519 mm.

Apparently Mercury says this serpentine belt is worth about $100, and Amazon has it for $83.

A Gates K060990 belt has six ribs and a length of 99.08”, which is equal to 2517 mm. Pretty darn close to the Merc belt length of 2519 mm. Amazon has it available for $24. I found this serpentine belt cross reference to be useful. http://crossbelts.com/serpentine/6ribkseries.html

I have had great luck with Gates belts in my personal vehicles. Since Mercury is not in the business of making belts, they must be buying their belts from an established belt manufacturer.

Anybody see any reason that the Gates belt won’t work as well or better than the Mercury/Quicksilver belt?

[Big Block Power]

Sorry but I'm a believer in paying for the correct product. Get the right size and don't worry about it being too short and too tight maybe putting extra stress on the other pullies and bearings.

[Titaniumboy]

Hi BBP,

I don’t normally mind paying for the correct items either, as long as that actually gets me something tangible and real. As an example I recently changed my spark plugs. The correct Merc spark plug is 8M0129146, which goes for about $20 each. But the Merc factory originally installed AC Delco platinum spark plugs 41-983, which I bought for $6 each. So in this particular spark plug example, paying extra for the official Merc spark plugs would have gained me nothing whatsoever.

The two millimeter shorter Gates belt is barely over 1/16” shorter. I am pretty sure that the alternator tensioning bracket will take up that very small difference, but I will take another look at my engine and verify.

I didn’t know if marine belts had some sort of super duper anti-static properties since they operate in the engine compartment?

[Krob1114]

One thing I'm all about is saving money. Another thing I'm all about is taking care of my stuff.
Interesting,
I just spent several hours finding a Honda lawn more drive belt. I was afraid of not using Honda parts. But your logic on spark plugs and belt makes sense too. Let us know what you chose.

[Big Block Power]

Most spark plugs are AC Delco anyway in the engine from merc. Volvo likes champion. Yes I wouldnt pay for a merc part number on a AC Delco plug. I did the same thing. But I won't use a shorter or longer belt. It's not the same part that's all I'm saying. Volvo belt is the same way and there are threads on here from others doing the same thing and got squeaking noises from not using a correct belt. That's all I'm saying. 2mm might not seem like much but it's also not what it was designed with. Just don't. Yes you maybe ok and yes you may get noises? You're choice. Just giving you my 2 cents. Just a FYI I pd for a volvo belt this year. Last one lasted 18 years. Over that period of time it's a pretty cheap part.

[SAB220]

If you pay for the auto belt and for what ever reason it does work out (noise, snap while you off shore) now you have buy a mercruiser belt.. so, how much money did you spend for a belt, and for how many years do you get out of the proper marine belt? Like BBP said above

[dustinm]

Is there any differences in marine versus automobile belts?

We still have the original serpentine belt on our 2007 240. It still looks great at 14 years and 250 hours, but I want to install a new belt and use the old one as an emergency spare.

Apparently depending on the engine serial number there were different serpentine belts used. Our engine number says we need a 8M2018984 belt (supercedes the old part number of 865635Q01). A search for the 8M2018984 belt shows a length of 2519 mm.

Apparently Mercury says this serpentine belt is worth about $100, and Amazon has it for $83.

A Gates K060990 belt has six ribs and a length of 99.08”, which is equal to 2517 mm. Pretty darn close to the Merc belt length of 2519 mm. Amazon has it available for $24. I found this serpentine belt cross reference to be useful. http://crossbelts.com/serpentine/6ribkseries.html

I have had great luck with Gates belts in my personal vehicles. Since Mercury is not in the business of making belts, they must be buying their belts from an established belt manufacturer.

Anybody see any reason that the Gates belt won’t work as well or better than the Mercury/Quicksilver belt?

I would buy the Gates belt and never look back. They are a quality belt company, probably the company who makes them for Merc. Dealing with race car tires and implement belts I can tell you that 2mm is nothing a new belt of that length can stretch a 1/2" during the breakin period. I would also wager to bet that 2mm is less than the manufactures tolerances. I used to install double belts on alternators, they were a sized pair not that they were the exact designed length just that were exactly the same length between the 2 of them. Belt systems have these automatic tensioners for this exact reason - they are made of rubber and they will stretch otherwise it would just be a fixed pulley system and save the money of a tensioner.

[Big Block Power]

Is there any differences in marine versus automobile belts?

We still have the original serpentine belt on our 2007 240. It still looks great at 14 years and 250 hours, but I want to install a new belt and use the old one as an emergency spare.

Apparently depending on the engine serial number there were different serpentine belts used. Our engine number says we need a 8M2018984 belt (supercedes the old part number of 865635Q01). A search for the 8M2018984 belt shows a length of 2519 mm.

Apparently Mercury says this serpentine belt is worth about $100, and Amazon has it for $83.

A Gates K060990 belt has six ribs and a length of 99.08”, which is equal to 2517 mm. Pretty darn close to the Merc belt length of 2519 mm. Amazon has it available for $24. I found this serpentine belt cross reference to be useful. http://crossbelts.com/serpentine/6ribkseries.html

I have had great luck with Gates belts in my personal vehicles. Since Mercury is not in the business of making belts, they must be buying their belts from an established belt manufacturer.

Anybody see any reason that the Gates belt won’t work as well or better than the Mercury/Quicksilver belt?

I would buy the Gates belt and never look back. They are a quality belt company, probably the company who makes them for Merc. Dealing with race car tires and implement belts I can tell you that 2mm is nothing a new belt of that length can stretch a 1/2" during the breakin period. I would also wager to bet that 2mm is less than the manufactures tolerances. I used to install double belts on alternators, they were a sized pair not that they were the exact designed length just that were exactly the same length between the 2 of them. Belt systems have these automatic tensioners for this exact reason - they are made of rubber and they will stretch otherwise it would just be a fixed pulley system and save the money of a tensioner.

Are you drinking car bombs again
Yes gates is a great company.