Is there any difference in the quality of timing belts (i.e. is a 40 dollar belt from the dealer any better than a 15 dollar belt from J.C. Whitney)? Is there a higher quality (longer lived) after market belt available or do they all have about the same life span?

Good question.  I see belts (even for the 16 valve 1.6) on ebay all the time.

Really, though, when I replace the belt, I also replace the tensioner, just for peace of mind, and I think that costs more than the belt, so...

Timing belts are very important and they last 80,000-100,000 miles.

I'd go with the best one you can get.

i like the ones made by Gates, made in USA!

Really, though, when I replace the belt, I also replace the tensioner, just for peace of mind, and I think that costs more than the belt, so...

when you say tensioner, do you mean just the spring or the whole offset pully thing too?

ALWAYS replace the tensioner, the person who owned mine before me didn't and it broke.......it was messy.

ALWAYS replace the tensioner, the person who owned mine before me didn't and it broke.......it was messy.

  Can you just replace the belt and spring  or is it best to replace the whole spring tensioner assembly?

The whole piece.  The spring really doesn't where out.  It's the pully and bearing.

How much doe's the whole piece cost?

The spring doesn't really do anything except tension it while you are rotating the motor over. As soon as your done that you have to torque the bolt down on that bracket to 18 ft lbs i think it was and that spring essentially does nothing.

so if ur 8v had 78k miles on it would u replace the belt and tensioner???

Pretty soon............

damn it..theres another thing on the to do list..how hard is it to do that???

damn it..theres another thing on the to do list..how hard is it to do that???

Depends on whether or not you have air conditioning (really!).  On my 4-door (no AC), the hardest part was getting the four nuts off the fan/water pump, and the bolts out of the crankshaft pulley (because you can't see 'em - I used a mirror).  Still, the job was less frustrating than changing the oil on my wifes Grand Vitara!  I always have issues with the oil filter!

Took me about 2 hours, and I was a timing-belt virgin.

My 2-door (trail rig) has AC.  The AC lines are in the way, for removing the fan shroud, etc.  But I will do it after Moab.

The spring doesn't really do anything except tension it while you are rotating the motor over. As soon as your done that you have to torque the bolt down on that bracket to 18 ft lbs i think it was and that spring essentially does nothing.

  OK, so it would seem that the only part that wears out (other than the actual belt) is the tensioner bearing. How hard is it to replace the whole tensioner assembly and is it possible to install a new bearing and recycle the rest of the tensioner assembly parts?  Does the tensioner use a common ball bearing, needle bearing, bronze bushing or "something else?"  

Zukipilot is well versed in this.........and I have it on film!