replacing the timing belt ?

I have 95,000 + miles on my 05 Legacy GT and winter is coming. I'll have 105,000 miles about Jan.I would like to do this myself. I have all the tools except for a lift and garage. Have a 40ft trailer the race car travels in with compressor and tools.

 

Thinking about doing this in a month or so.

 

So is it a straight forward as it looks?

 

Remove the radiator

loosen the belt tensioner

remove those belts

remove crankshaft pulley after setting to TDC

remove timing belt covers

loosen tensioner

replace belt

reverse order

 

Anybody have any tips?

 

Thanks

Edited August 14, 2008 by Max Capacity

+1. Im not due yet, but seems that I heard thats its really not too difficult a job compaired to other makes. Is this accurate.

I haven't done this job on an 05 motor before, but I have done it on a SOHC '00 Outback and it was exactly like what you listed. You might want to go ahead and get a new tensioner, but it can be reused by using a press to recompress it for reinstallation. I have heard that the cams will want to move slightly once the timing belt tension is relieved (because of valve spring pressure). It's just re-aligning them properly when putting the belt back on and being sure they didn't slip a tooth when getting the tensioner back in. I think that there are some tools for locking the cams in place to prevent this, but not absolutely needed. Again, just some basic familiarity with Subie motors on my part. I replaced the head gaskets and did all the other work at the same time.

 

Also remember that you have a fine opportunity to replace some problematic seals on Subie motors at the same time: valve cover seals, oil pump gasket/o-ring, new water pump, thermostat, belts/hoses if needed. You can also check the cam seals as well to see if they are seeping any oil.

 

I used a Haynes manual and it detailed every step, Subaru service manual was ok as a reference. I did not need a lift or jack to do that job, once I drained/pulled the radiator I had plenty of room to get to everything. Not a bad job with some reading beforehand. I took a lot of pictures of the motor before and during disassembly so that I could get everything back together easy. It helped having those pics for the intake/hoses reinstall and belts.

Edited August 15, 2008 by rubberman

Thanks, Yes, I plan to pick up a Haynes soon also.

 

I will check out something to lock the cams, I guess it's like the 5mm pins for a Honda B series cams.

 

Thanks for that tip.

 

Still open for more ideas.

I would plan to replace the tensioner too, we didn't do that @ 70,000 on mine, and it sheared off around 140k......

I am gonna do mine this weekend but i have a question on the new tensioner. the pin that is sticking out of the new one, do i just pull that out once everything is installed?

these cars have timing belts and not timing chains?

You do not have to remove the radiator to do a T-belt, only remove the fans and place the wiring connectors out of the way. After that the accessory belts are straightforward and you do not have to remove any accessories to access the timing cover.

 

A little trick to remove the crank pulley is not to use a pulley holder. Instead use the torque of the starter motor to break the bolt loose since it's on at around 120ft.lbs. Use the socket (22mm iirc) and a breaker bar to turn the engine until the end of the breaker bar touches the floor. Then bump the key and turn the engine over. The pulley will clockwise but the bolt will stay stationary and break loose from the torque. Reinstallation will be easy with an MT car since you can lock it in 5th gear and pull the e-brake. An auto trans will require a prybar to hold the teeth of the flexplate when the pulley is torqued.

 

The T-belt is easy enough, just make sure you line up your timing marks at TDC before you take the old one off. Take a picture to remind yourself incase one of the pullies gets bumped off. I recommend replacing the tensioner and do not compress the piston quickly as the silicone fluid can leak and cause failure. Using a small cotter pin to hold the piston it is the best tool. After the belt is in correctly and the tensioner is bolted down, pull the pin out and the piston will extend outward and apply tension to the bolt. Make sure you crank the engine over by hand a few times to make sure everything is in time.

I removed the radiator just to give me more room. I have heard of people placing a piece of cardboard against the radiator if left in place to protect the fins while you work.

 

To break the crank bolt loose, I put a couple large screwdrivers in the access hole for the flywheel / trans case on the top of the motor. Those screwdrivers held the motor/trans in place nicely so that I could break loose the crank bolt.

 

Before I pulled the tensioner pin, I actually also loosened the spark plugs and put the crank bolt back in place so that I could slowly rotate the crank and double check that nothing was binding up, ie if the cams were not aligned correctly a valve could come into contact with the piston. It's an easy check and you can also see the timing marks on the cams aligning correctly while doing this.

Just some alternative methods, whatever works for you. Just be careful and take your time when double-checking your work.

I'd suggest going ahead and replacing the tensioner while doing this, makes me sleep better at night. Our 2.5's have timing belts...if i'm not mistaken the 3.0's are the ones that have a timing chains

Some 2.5's have chains. Like the 96.

All modern Subaru 4cyl's have timing belts. 1.8, 2.2, 2.5, 2.0. The ER series 6cyls are the only current engines that use chains. There was no U.S. market engine in 96 that used a chain.

OK did my belt and tensioner today It seems Like I did fine one quick question on the tensioner though, all I had to do was pull that pin out of the new tensioner and it releases right? I thought it would come down hard but that pin pulled with no effort. The belt is tight and the car runs fine so that should be it right?

The tensioner uses a thick silicone fluid with a gradual tension that take a few minutes to fully engage. It's not a spring tensioner like many hondas would have. Give it some time and turn the engine over by hand a few times to put tension on the belt and make sure the engine stays in timing. Five times is good, and then push on the belt by hand to make sure it's tight.

Good post. I'm going to need to do this work next spring.

Good post. I'm going to need to do this work next spring.

 

I agree. Maybe we can do a 2 for one next spring. I will turn 82,000 this week, and with a few road trips in the next few months, figure it couldn't hurt to get it out of the way.

Sounds like a plan, my good man!

casey jones and rubberman,

 

Thanks for the tips. I'll order the parts later this week.

pat on the back for doing this one yourself. I'm at 98k now. no way in hell I can do this job myself. as much as i'd like to it's going into the shop to get done properly.

On the way home I stopped by Advance Auto parts and ordered:

Timing belt $59.51

Water pump $115.88

Timing belt component $170.44

 

Parts need to be ordered.

 

I still need to get a Haynes book and anti freeze

On the way home I stopped by Advance Auto parts and ordered:

Timing belt $59.51

..........

 

Will the AA timing belt last 95,000 miles, like the OEM belt? IMO, go with another OEM belt.

I believe he said something about having to order the OEM belt while we were talking about other things too. I have been buying my parts from this same guy for a few years. We have an account with this store.

 

Even at that most of the aftermarket belts and hoses are as good if not better. Domestic guy's have been using Gates, TRW or other parts for decades.

I don't subscribe to the "water pump must be changed with the timing belt" mentality.

Can someone explain why this is a rule of thumb?

I don't subscribe to the "water pump must be changed with the timing belt" mentality.

Can someone explain why this is a rule of thumb?

 

 

Kind of agree with you, but the thought is, as long as your in there, might as well replace it. It's kind of insurance, the OEM one will go before it's time to change the timing belt again.

 

Same with the tensioners.

 

Now if it were a Honda I'd leave it alone. We did replace the Honda water pump when we built the race engine at 216,000 miles. That engine made 735whp a few months back with the oem crankshaft and oil pump.

 

But you right to ask the question, I'm still thinking about not replacing the water pump, but knowing my luck...

A water pump only has one wear item.... the bearings. If you change your Antifeeze on a regular schedule (say ever 30K-35K), it should last well past 200K miles, IMHO.

I see your point, however.