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Timing Belt Replacement 2.5T


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Just finished up my belt yesterday. The belt itself looked perfect. One or two idler pullies had a bit of notchiness, but not bad.

 

My allen plugs in the block were oozing a bit of oil from them, so I tightened them up a bit, not sure if anyone else's leak too??

 

FBP timing belt has marks on the belt (at least the gates TBK).

 

I would reccomend that instead of changing the coolant hoses you just change the clamps, the constant tension spring clamps near the exhaust were rotted and allowing seepage. These were mostly the smaller ones for the water pump and oil cooler coolant hoses.

 

All in all not bad of a job at all. My parts total was about 450 with upper and lower rad hoses and a few other misc items.

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  • 4 weeks later...
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You guys are awesome. I'm 90% done with my timing belt replacement. Working in a dimly lit garage at night with a work light and a flashlight is not ideal, but I can only work on the car after the kids are in bed.

 

The vise grip suggestion worked beautifully - I wish I had known this trick when I replaced timing belts in GC8 Impreza's a few years ago.

 

I bought the Gates kit including water pump on Ebay for $290. It has quality parts inside with ball bearings in the pulleys that are identical to the originals. I noticed that Subaru used narrower ball bearings for the lower left pulley with an orange seal, whereas the Gates kit supplies two pulleys with wide ball bearings identical to the original upper left pulley with the black seal. I used the paper water pump gasket, and applied a thin coat of RTV to both sides per the kit instructions.

 

The small hoses on the water pump were in good condition. The large radiator supply hose at the thermostat housing was in bad shape, and had already started seeping coolant. Instead of replacing it, I'm just going to replace the spring clamp with a band hose clamp. My belt and pulleys looked like their age of 100K - clean but worn, so it was due for replacement.

 

The kit also came with a thermostat gasket and a mystery small o-ring about 1/2" diameter. Does anyone know what this is o-ring might be for? Perhaps it's a shipping or packaging device of some sort?

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The subaru t belt kit did not have the 1/2" diameter o ring (well at least mine didn't). It had a tstat gasket and another z shaped gasket that went on the water pump.

 

I have no idea where that 1/2" oring would be used. Dipstick tube???

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The subaru t belt kit did not have the 1/2" diameter o ring (well at least mine didn't). It had a tstat gasket and another z shaped gasket that went on the water pump.

 

I have no idea where that 1/2" oring would be used. Dipstick tube???

 

The water pump & t-stat gaskets are accounted for.

 

The small o-ring is too thin for the dipstick tube. I've had the dipstick tube in and out no less than 10 times while I also upgraded to the Killer B oil pickup. I'm guessing it was an extra piece that fell in while they were picking parts at the factory for this kit.

 

I'm very satisfied with the Gates TCKWP328 timing belt kit with water pump. There was, however, a small confusion with a piece of paper in the kit saying that it was for use on VIN numbers with a "7" in the 6th - my VIN has a "6". The Gates website, however, says VIN numbers with a "B" 4th digit, which matches.

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  • 1 month later...

Hey guys quick question. I have an 05 LGT 5EAT. Chassis just hit 125K miles, but a new short block was thrown in @ 59K by Subaru. It is stage II tuned w/Cobb AP. Should I be looking to do the Gates T-belt kit now or wait till it hits 100K miles? I was looking into this kit if I had to do it now...http://www.fredbeansparts.com/index.php/gates-racing-subaru-timing-component-kit-s-with-kevlar-racing-timing-belt.html

Thanks.

Edited by Soobiedoobiedoooo
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rockauto and amazon both have the parts as well at good prices, but the people at fredbeans are great.

 

I would do the belt now, unless you know that this one was replaced via some paperwork from the swap. Do you have anything like that?

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rockauto and amazon both have the parts as well at good prices, but the people at fredbeans are great.

 

I would do the belt now, unless you know that this one was replaced via some paperwork from the swap. Do you have anything like that?

 

Yes I have the receipt from the local Subaru dealership. I do see they "replaced timing belt, installed new cam belt w/replacement of short block".

 

So should I still change the timing belt since it has been a bit over 60K miles & running stage II or wait? By the way I'm running 17.5 lbs psi...

Edited by Soobiedoobiedoooo
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PM some Tuners on this site or the one that tuned your car. See what they think. From what I read. I haven't read about people with or without enhance power levels changing there timing belts earlier then OEM spec. +/-10k.

 

Mike

Mileage:331487 Retired/Sold

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Yes I have the receipt from the local Subaru dealership. I do see they "replaced timing belt, installed new cam belt w/replacement of short block".

 

So should I still change the timing belt since it has been a bit over 60K miles & running stage II or wait? By the way I'm running 17.5 lbs psi...

 

I would wait till 100k.

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PM some Tuners on this site or the one that tuned your car. See what they think. From what I read. I haven't read about people with or without enhance power levels changing there timing belts earlier then OEM spec. +/-10k.

 

Mike

 

I would wait till 100k.

 

I agree with these guy's.

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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  • 3 weeks later...
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o and the chain wrench? how does that work to take off the harmonic balancer?

 

As far as I understand - you use the chain wrench to hold it still while you remove the center bolt.

 

I'll be doing this all this weekend on my new-to-me 05 LGT. It only has 65k miles, but it's going to be 7 years old & IMO environmental rot of the rubber/plastics over time has more affect than mechanical wear & I'd feel better knowing it was done sooner than later. Going to do all 3 kevlar Gates belts, all idlers & tensioners, water pump, radiator hoses, Grimmspeed thermostat & oil pump.

[CENTER][URL="http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18504"]Subaru Plug & Play Aux-in Mod[/URL][/CENTER] [CENTER][URL="http://www.jazzyengineering.com"]www.jazzyengineering.com[/URL][/CENTER]
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  • 2 months later...

I'm having a problem doing my timing belt. i can not get the crank pulley bolt to budge. i have tried the 2 3/8s extensions in the holes with a pry par, and snapped a pry bar. i have tried brakes + 5th gear, and it feels like im making my clutch slip. i get a good 120 degrees or so loosening it up and then it feels like clutch is slipping and there's a creeking noise (car did not budge though). i have also tried the dreaded starter bump method and it keeps stalling my starter out, and now i think my starter is fried. i can not get this bolt to budge. i've done all except take the inter cooler off and try a pry bar in my flywheel teeth, and i'm afraid to. afraid to crack bell housing because of how tight this seems to be on.

 

any advice??

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I'm having a problem doing my timing belt. i can not get the crank pulley bolt to budge. i have tried the 2 3/8s extensions in the holes with a pry par, and snapped a pry bar. i have tried brakes + 5th gear, and it feels like im making my clutch slip. i get a good 120 degrees or so loosening it up and then it feels like clutch is slipping and there's a creeking noise (car did not budge though). i have also tried the dreaded starter bump method and it keeps stalling my starter out, and now i think my starter is fried. i can not get this bolt to budge. i've done all except take the inter cooler off and try a pry bar in my flywheel teeth, and i'm afraid to. afraid to crack bell housing because of how tight this seems to be on.

 

any advice??

 

We used an air impact-wrench to get mine off. It barely fit between the pulley and radiator, but it worked.

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I'm having a problem doing my timing belt. i can not get the crank pulley bolt to budge. i have tried the 2 3/8s extensions in the holes with a pry par, and snapped a pry bar. i have tried brakes + 5th gear, and it feels like im making my clutch slip. i get a good 120 degrees or so loosening it up and then it feels like clutch is slipping and there's a creeking noise (car did not budge though). i have also tried the dreaded starter bump method and it keeps stalling my starter out, and now i think my starter is fried. i can not get this bolt to budge. i've done all except take the inter cooler off and try a pry bar in my flywheel teeth, and i'm afraid to. afraid to crack bell housing because of how tight this seems to be on.

 

any advice??

 

For really stubborn items such as wheel axle nuts and crank bolts, I use this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/370x370/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_15098.jpg

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-volt-1-2-half-inch-emergency-impact-wrench-92349.html

 

It's completely unsuitable for its original marketing purpose of removing/installing wheel nuts due to complete lack of torque control, but I find that the centrifugal flywheel/hammer action works well on rusted and stuck bolts/nuts. I've had mine (the older version, which has a black housing) for 5 years, and although fit and finish is low grade, it really does work as an impact wrench if you are patient with waiting for it to spin up over and over again for each "hit".

 

I've had to "hit" one wheel axle on my old Impreza over 50 times to break it free. This was after a 3' iron pipe on top of a 18" breaker bar merely bent the pipe into a bow, and the end where my hands were holding already moved at least 18". I stopped because I didn't want the breaker bar pin to snap and send shrapnel flying towards my house and/or car and/or me.

 

I used this tool again on the crank bolt on my OBXT last fall, and only had to hit it a few times to break it free. I use regular sockets with this tool and have yet to break any sockets.

 

-Wayne

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Here's my thread, see post 27 for pictures. You'll see I used a breaker bar and the starter to break it loose.

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/replacing-timing-belt-94193.html

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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  • 5 months later...
Hey guys I hope people still look at this i did my water pump and I'm trying to get my t-belt back on and I having a lot of trouble with it I check with three different stores and on line that I have the right belt and they are all said it is and I have my tensioner pulley with the grenade pin in but I still can't get it on I'm just shy of it I also check to make sure that there is no slack in between any of the pulleys and the none any suggestions??
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Hey guys I hope people still look at this i did my water pump and I'm trying to get my t-belt back on and I having a lot of trouble with it I check with three different stores and on line that I have the right belt and they are all said it is and I have my tensioner pulley with the grenade pin in but I still can't get it on I'm just shy of it I also check to make sure that there is no slack in between any of the pulleys and the none any suggestions??

 

It sounds like you have the right belt, because it is a very tight fit especially on the DOHC engines. I always have to apply a torque to each of the cams in opposite directions to give me that last little slack by compressing the valve springs. Once I get the cams set up properly, it just goes in perfectly. I've used bungees for doing this, but a helper would be much easier.

 

Good luck!

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Did you take the belt off the lower pulley on the passenger side. You pull the belt out and over that pulley last.

 

It took me about 3 hours to figure that one out. I think there's a note about it int heservice manual.

 

You may need to remove the main tensionor to do this, I can't remember.

Edited by Max Capacity

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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