Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 02 January 2026, 22:58:32
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Do we know if they are ok ?
Previously Ive always used Gates or Contitech, but they seem to be very expensive now.
SKF are more reasonably priced.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/405411627006
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SKF are a very well established parts company. They usually specialise in parts requiring bearings, so I’d assume that the kit is SKF but the belt could be Gates, Contitech etc.
Even a Gates/Contitech cambelt kit more than likely had SKF bearings, so no issues there. :y
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Im thinking the same, just a bit nervous about changing from Gates / Contitech brands .
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SKF are OE suppliers to a fair few car manufacturers. There may be some counterfeit parts out there but genuine SKF have a good reputation. As said, the Gates/Contitech kits referred to the belt manufacturers, and I’d lay good money on the bearings in those kits being SKF. :y
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Im thinking the same, just a bit nervous about changing from Gates / Contitech brands .
If you love the old girl as much as you say you do, pay for the best kit you can find. Better safe than sorry.
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Morning, just been out to take a pic of a new Contitech kit. You can clearly see the bearings in the box are SKF.
When I bought this kit it was £167, which I didn't think was too bad... (AutoDoc)
Hope this helps.
(https://i.postimg.cc/j2xKmxC5/SKF.jpg)
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It does, thanks. :y
Autodoc seem to have two different Contitech kits and two different Gates kits with quite a difference in price.
They both state " up to engine number" on the cheaper kit and " from engine number" on the more expensive kit.
In theory the only difference should be the backing plate for the rollers, so I could just swap my backing plate over to the new kit.
Whether the theory matches the reality though is a different matter.
Decisions, decisions. ::) ;D
https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/timing-belt-set-10505/vauxhall/omega/omega-b/15830-3-2-v6?supplier%5B%5D=31&supplier%5B%5D=33
And to complicate things further, the SKF kits on ebay are listed as fitting all V6 models, which cant be right. But again should be able to swap back plate over so it shouldnt be a major issue. ???
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Im thinking the same, just a bit nervous about changing from Gates / Contitech brands .
If you love the old girl as much as you say you do, pay for the best kit you can find. Better safe than sorry.
I will if need be Steve, but at the same time if I can be confident that SKF is as good as anything else, but cheaper, then I may as well go for one of them.
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the "fits all models" is true to a point . on the later ones you can still fit an adjustable lower pulley if you want and obviously fit the new stuff to your original top assembly (never sure why you got a new assembly anyway ? were they prone to failure ?)
only thing im not sure of is i dont know if a later lower fixed pulley would work on an earlier car ?
you could also swap pulley centre bores if needs be !
i bought (like many on here) a few of the delco kits that were around a few years ago for £25 each.
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Any kit will fit any engine if you swap over backing plate. The lines printed on the cam belt won't line up though.
The only slight gotcha is, as mentioned earlier in thread, later engines used a non-adjustable lower idler. This can be retrofitted back to older engines (don't reuse old idlers).
Problem with all of the kits you will find is they were probably manufactured a fair while ago, and likely old stock.
As others have said, most kits will actually use SKF bearings.
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Im going to have to have a think.
Easiest way to do it is just shell out on the later kit, but I dont like wasting money. ;D :D
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Im going to have to have a think.
Easiest way to do it is just shell out on the later kit, but I dont like wasting money. ;D :D
Careful now, Albs.
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It does seem to tire me out these days. ;D