Drive Belt Date Code

[The Critic]

Can anyone decipher the date code on this aftermarket Mitsuboshi drive belt?

I believe "Z913" is the date code.

This is a low volume application so parts availability can be an issue - and stuff tends to be old stock.

 

[michaelluscher]

If 2018 isn't the part number, I'd be inclined to infer it's the year of manufacture

 

[The Critic]

If 2018 isn't the part number, I'd be inclined to infer it's the year of manufacture

Original post updated with the correct picture.

 

[brianl703]

Are EPDM belts known to go bad due to age? I don't think EPDM is a perishable rubber like natural rubber is.

 

[The Critic]

Spoke with MBL USA tech support - they said the belt was manufactured on 8/13/2019. Not sure how Z9 translates to August 2019, though.

 

[dumkid]

my guess is 9/13 so 2013 maybe?

 

[Trav]

Spoke with MBL USA tech support - they said the belt was manufactured on 8/13/2019. Not sure how Z9 translates to August 2019, though.

That is no problem for EPDM rubber. 50 years is not out of the question in some applications.

 

[The Critic]

That is no problem for EPDM rubber. 50 years is not out of the question in some applications.

In that case, are you suggesting that I leave the 8 year, 25k old belt in service? This is in a Previa, so the belts are quite removed from the normal heat exposure of an engine.

 

[The Critic]

Went ahead and installed the new belts - they were supposedly mfg'ed in 2018 and 2019 in different plants. The new belts were harder than the belts I removed, not sure if that means anything.

 

[paulo57509]

I use new but aged accessory belts; I usually buy them ahead of time and never get around to installing them right away.

The only belts I don't let "age" are Ducati timing belts. More of a paranoia thing (expensive if they let go).