recommended timing belt kits

wato · Postby **wato** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 3:43 pm

Hello, Anyone recommend a quality full timing belt kit for a 2000? Mx5 mania has one but doing the math on the individual items it comes out roughly $100 more. Ebay compatibility is all over the place and even thou they're advertised for my year the compatibility chart says it doesn't fit and even the sellers chart say for nb8c, not an A. Trying to source a kit is worse than installing the gear. Thanks in advance!

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 9:07 pm

Aren't they all the same - timing belt, water pump, idler pulleys, a few gaskets?

The BP parts will be the same, not sure if the VVT setup has to be removed, obviously the 8A doesn't have that.

Now, somebody educate me on the differences I don't know about ... :roll:

If you aren't sure about stuff, paying a little extra is good insurance.

:mrgreen:

PaulF · Postby **PaulF** » Wed Mar 26, 2025 10:06 am

The Mania kit is very comprehensive and includes all OEM-quality components. You could perhaps get away with not replacing some of those items (pick and choose what you need from Mania or mx5parts.co.uk) but for $550 with the optional OEM water pump, I'd just cop the hit and do the lot. If you do it right, it's good for another 100k km.

As far as I'm aware, the only difference between NB8A and NB8B for this service would be the camshaft oil seal if you're replacing those.

bootz · Postby **bootz** » Wed Mar 26, 2025 12:32 pm

I would not worry too much. The NB timing belt can last 200k, easily

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Wed Mar 26, 2025 1:16 pm

On a stock engine, all that happens is it stops, being non-interference. Fit new belt, good to go.

Of course, Murphy being the b@st@rd that he is, said stopping will be in the most inconvenient place, at the most inconvenient time, and in the most unpleasant weather ... :roll:

Not sure I'd push my luck to 200k kms, but you shouldn't expect bad things to happen at 100,001kms. I usually do mine close to the stated interval, for if I push it out I will forget about it, until Murphy sneaks up on me and bites me on the bum! :shock:

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Wed Mar 26, 2025 11:01 pm

wato wrote:Anyone recommend a quality full timing belt kit for a 2000? Mx5 mania has one but doing the math on the individual items it comes out roughly $100 more. Ebay compatibility is all over the place and even thou they're advertised for my year the compatibility chart says it doesn't fit and even the sellers chart say for nb8c, not an A.

Believe you'll find that the ebay sellers ref to NB8C is the JDM ref, ie like the JDM NA6 were referred to as NA6C, that said there's a risk you may not get the right parts, so easier & simpler to go with MX5 Mania kit:
https://mx5mania.com.au/collections/tim ... s-etc-nb8a
As Paul F says the difference is in the camshaft oil seal:
https://mx5mania.com.au/products/diy-10 ... etc-nb8b-c
You might also find parts of my following post useful re the MX5 Mania kit:
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=79372&p=966554#p966554

StanTheMan · Postby **StanTheMan** » Mon Jun 23, 2025 12:43 am

Standard car. get whatever .
My cambelt was a repco one . But it ripped about 50K km too early. Bent valves was the end result. Yes head had been shaved to within an inch of its life and lift was m10.5mm with a very aggressive ramp , Volvo springs, lucky for me I had a spare standard VVT head sitting around. It now sports a top brand racing Cambelt