Pro-Comp Belt Drive. Live it, Love it, or Leave it?

Noobz347

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I've got a Pro-Comp belt drive for a small block 302. Still package, never installed. I'm considering tossing this thing onto the motor and have a few questions:


I know this thing is a Chinese Knock-Off piece but my question is, Has anyone here ever used one?

I did an interwebz search for reviews but all I was able to find was a bunch forums full of E-Thugs spewing/repeating what they'd heard from others like their opinions were the authority (though they'd never laid eyes on the part a day in their useless internet driven lives).

I get that there are pieces made by Yates, Danny Bee, Jesel, etc. that are the standard for the racer as far as reliability etc. but not have not been able to find any first hand accounts of the Pro-Comp for ANY application, street or race.

It's not a cash thing either (before someone goes there). It's just that I have this part on hand and am considering a swap from my double roller setup, if it's worth doing.

What say you? Have you used it? Was THE ONE that you used a piece of crap or are you still running it today?

Were there problems? Were those problems fixable? What were they?

Rick91GT... If you catch this thread man. I know you've seen just about every production part there is for a small block Ford (at one time or other). You played with these at all?

Thanks in advance guys. :nice:
 
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You probably havent been able to hear any real world feedback on a chinese knock off belt drive because anyone that is serious enough to put a belt drive on thier car knows better than to skimp on a part that needs to be reliable
 
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Initially, I'd thought to use it on my current setup but the 10 hp+/- is probably not worth the effort. I've got another build going on though. It's an 89 and currently all torn down awaiting reassembly. So I've had this belt drive sitting around (you know... one of those things you keep moving from place to place because it's in the way of whatever it is you're currently working on) and thought I might use it for that build.

That setup:

302 block
stroker made up of OEM parts
E7 heads (I've got a set aluminum for it but haven't done the P to V check yet so assume OEM for now)
I've got a couple of cams sitting around. Two different Anderson Grinds and haven't decided which I'm going to use yet.
I have a double roller timing chain and the belt drive
Holley upper and lower
1.6 RR Scorpion
etc. and on to include a Vortech S-Trim and Water to air aftercooler

When I bought it, the car came with a spool but I think that's going to eventually make way for an Eaton to steer it back toward streetable.

So here's this belt drive. It's just one of the parts laying around that's making me go, "Hmmmmmmmmm".
 
Havent had one of those in my hands yet.

Danny Bee, Jesel both quality pieces the new revised Jesel is very nice,..I've used those with no issues. The thing you have to worry about on a street car is dirt. Can you post a pic or two of it, Id like to see the design....
 
You probably havent been able to hear any real world feedback on a chinese knock off belt drive because anyone that is serious enough to put a belt drive on thier car knows better than to skimp on a part that needs to be reliable

Exactly.
Guys that run belt drive timing setups aren't going to risk $20,000 engines to save a couple of bucks on a knock off product.
 
Exactly.
Guys that run belt drive timing setups aren't going to risk $20,000 engines to save a couple of bucks on a knock off product.

Yep. I get it. Given that set of circumstances, I would be of the exact same mind. Case closed.

So what I'm looking for now are bitches, gripes, complaints, or praises for this specific piece from folks who have used it, that have had either successes or failures with it.
 
Yep. I get it. Given that set of circumstances, I would be of the exact same mind. Case closed.

So what I'm looking for now are bitches, gripes, complaints, or praises for this specific piece from folks who have used it, that have had either successes or failures with it.

The point is, you aren't going to find any reviews.
If only the hardcore guys run belt drives, and hardcore guys wouldn't risk a cheap knock off, there just isn't going to be anyone to ask if they work.

Every product needs a test dummy, maybe it's you this time.
 
Perhaps it will be me. If I use it, it will be on what is a budget build. If it fails, I'll cuss, then toss another motor in. If it doesn't, I'll probably come back to this thread in 1000 mile increments to say, "So far so good".


Thing is, I KNOW there's folks out there using them because as I researched, I of course saw them go up for auction and sell on E-Bay regularly. So someone out there is buying them.

It's all too common for an item to obtain a stigma on the internet as a result of folks passing on information, ear-to-mouth. I have not been able to find an account of one of these failing yet. I was able to find a first hand account of one not installing properly. The casting wasn't right, the dude sent it back and got a replacement and the story ended there. He never returned to review. :shrug:
 
Havent had one of those in my hands yet.

Danny Bee, Jesel both quality pieces the new revised Jesel is very nice,..I've used those with no issues. The thing you have to worry about on a street car is dirt. Can you post a pic or two of it, Id like to see the design....

^^^ This is kinda what came to mind for me. If I'm not mistaken, these things are for drag cars, not street cars. I'm perfectly aware that tons of production cars use timing belts, but I'd be concerned with daily wear and tear on one that a drag car won't see.:shrug:
 
Here's the pics. As far as just looking at it, the only thing I really see that is what I might call, "less than ideal" is the spot welds on the small pulley.


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And the word is that belt drive systems last longer and are more precise than a double roller. Chains stretch over time and become less and less accurate. The other benefit is less friction loss. How much, I'm not sure yet. One dude claimed 60 HP (didn't specify crank or RW but I imagine crank since the dude was an engine builder and sited the claim as a back to back comparo) on his build, while others have claimed 10 to the wheels.
 
I realize this thread is a little old but wanted to pass along a little info.
I have been considering running a belt drive due to it's ease of timing adjustability.
I am a professional engine builder (ASE Master Machininst 25 years). Many moons ago when I was racing Toyotas I came across an article which totally changed the way I "build" an engine!! It stated that the tried and true method of degreeing in a cam was NOT the way to total power!! An engine makes the most power when it's "running" compression is the highest. You should adjust your cam timing to give the higest cranking (running) compression. That is the cam timing that will result in the highest power FOR THAT COMBINATION!! If the power band is to high or low for the application you should CHANGE THE CAM,,, NOT advance or retard it.
I started doing this with the Toyotas since it's pretty easy to change an OHC motors cam timing. With about .012 off the block and .120 off the head I ended up at 5' advance with a 260' @ .050 cam. The motors cam ALIVE with this method and we won LOTS of races!!!!!
Fast forward to today and I want to try it on a V-8. Last month I attended a technical seminar at Joe Gibbs racing. A shop tour was included and we had a chance to ask anything we wanted of one of the engine build team. I asked why and when they had started using timing belts instead of chains. He said they have been using belts for a couple of years now. Main reasons are, ability to quickly tune cam timing on the dyno, lighter weight, less "spark scatter" than a chain and the ability to move the damper BEHIND the timing.
I am currently building a 388 SBC for a dirt car and am using a procomp belt drive. I'll post back here how it works out.
Any others actually tried belt drives and how did they work for you??
 
Bruce Hevner

There's a few different makers out there. Some are tried and true while others are knock-offs of the tried and true. The pro-comp definitely falls into the knock-off category.

Still no luck getting feedback from anyone who's actually run one, so you will be the first. As you can see though, there's chit-ton of arm-chair quarterbacks who heard from a guy that knows a guy that tried one once in Indonesia after buying it used from Chinese guy who lived in Austrailia. :shrug:

Looking forward to seeing what your results are like. I still have this thing sitting in my garage, holding a shelf down.