2009 Forester XT - Water Pump Replacement

Hey guys, just want some thoughts to make sure I am not missing anything. EJ255 motor so essentially the same as ours, but obviously small differences like I don't need to remove the turbo, and the accessory belt system is not the same. The motor has 50k miles on it, so I am going to inspect the timing belt and tensioner when I get in there. Those will NOT be replaced if they look good but WILL BE if I have any concerns.

Parts I bought....all OEM of course.

-water pump

-water pump gasket

-thermostat

-thermostat gasket

-seal that goes on the left side of the water pump

-stretch belt (ac to crank pulley)

-2 small water hoses that go between pump and other water pipes

-Company 23 crank pulley tool

-Company 23 stretch belt tool

-Company 23 Cam Lock tool

Do I need any sealant for the water pump gasket? Anything else?

I will replace coolant with distilled water for now until I am sure there are no leaks, and then get the Subaru Coolant once that is confirmed.

Thanks!

Hey guys, just want some thoughts to make sure I am not missing anything. EJ255 motor so essentially the same as ours, but obviously small differences like I don't need to remove the turbo, and the accessory belt system is not the same. The motor has 50k miles on it, so I am going to inspect the timing belt and tensioner when I get in there. Those will NOT be replaced if they look good but WILL BE if I have any concerns.

 

Parts I bought....all OEM of course.

 

-water pump

-water pump gasket

-thermostat

-thermostat gasket

-seal that goes on the left side of the water pump

-stretch belt (ac to crank pulley)

-2 small water hoses that go between pump and other water pipes

-Company 23 crank pulley tool

-Company 23 stretch belt tool

-Company 23 Cam Lock tool

 

Do I need any sealant for the water pump gasket? Anything else?

 

I will replace coolant with distilled water for now until I am sure there are no leaks, and then get the Subaru Coolant once that is confirmed.

 

Thanks!

Other than that the list looks complete.

Subaru recommends a sealant on the waterpump gasket for 5th Gen, but from what I read it was more to keep the gasket from falling off while installing. I will do that on my next water pump installation.

Upon initial inspection, my OEM timing belt and idler pulleys, & tensioner all looked pretty good with 108k miles on them. I imagine my car had a lot of highway and faster rural roads miles which is what my car is getting these days.

Spray down the timing cover bolts with PBblaster. A bottom one broke on me and one was seized onto the metal sleeve the bolt sits in and ended up breaking a chunk off the cover when I went to turn it out.

 

Other than that the list looks complete.

So, if you don't replace the timing belt and tensioner you will need to be back in there in 50k to replace them. If you do them now, you are good for another 100k.

The FSM does not call for sealant. However, when my engine was rebuilt sealant was used, when my water pump went (15k later) it was a pain to clean the sealant off. Interestingly it was on a rebuilt motor that my Gates water pump failed too.

I didn't add any and just used the gasket and so far no leaks (15k later)

So, if you don't replace the timing belt and tensioner you will need to be back in there in 50k to replace them. If you do them now, you are good for another 100k.

 

The FSM does not call for sealant. However, when my engine was rebuilt sealant was used, when my water pump went (15k later) it was a pain to clean the sealant off. Interestingly it was on a rebuilt motor that my Gates water pump failed too.

 

I didn't add any and just used the gasket and so far no leaks (15k later)

I'm pretty sure I have a Gates WP on there that was installed as part of the Gates kit when the motor was rebuilt with a new OEM shortblock by OutFront in 2015. I started smelling coolant on occasion about the time the motor had 10k miles on it. The leak has gotten progressively worse over the last 5k miles and it now drips even when warm. Prior to that, it only dripped once in a while, only when the motor was cold, for about the last year. I will verify if it's a Gates pump when I remove it.

Find yourself a little pin so you can compress and lock the tensioner, that should make it a lot easier to get the timing belt off and back on. Probably also want a paint pen so you can mark the timing belt position on each pulley in at least 2 places (or just one, if you're not as paranoid as I was when I did the whole works on the Baja last year). Aligning timing marks on the pulleys with the block is all well and good, but if you can just line up the marks you made on the belt and on the pulleys, that's a good bit quicker. Now that I think of it, there's a fair chance you could do the water pump without having to take the timing belt off the pulleys, if you clamp it in place with visegrips and just pull it off of the water pump pulley. That may well become more of a pain than it's worth, though.

Also, dunno how new your alternator belt is, but if you're replacing the A/C compressor belt, and you have to peel both off anyway, it could be worth replacing it as well. Not sure how necessary the tool really is if you don't have it already- it's easy enough to get to the tension adjuster, and you're probably going to need to adjust it after the new belt stretches a little anyway.

I'm not gonna do the timing belt now if I don't have to because of budget.

Have you considered getting your kid into cheaper hobbies? Like cloud watching?

I was gonna say do the timing belt and related while you're in because I recall aside from the mileage there is a time recommendation on it from Subaru (7 years I think), but I see you say it was part of the 2015 rebuild so you should be good to go with an inspection.

I would have replaced the water pump during the rebuild so I wouldnt have to worry about opening the timing case for a long time.

Good luck getting your Foz sorted out!

Find yourself a little pin so you can compress and lock the tensioner, that should make it a lot easier to get the timing belt off and back on. Probably also want a paint pen so you can mark the timing belt position on each pulley in at least 2 places (or just one, if you're not as paranoid as I was when I did the whole works on the Baja last year). Aligning timing marks on the pulleys with the block is all well and good, but if you can just line up the marks you made on the belt and on the pulleys, that's a good bit quicker. Now that I think of it, there's a fair chance you could do the water pump without having to take the timing belt off the pulleys, if you clamp it in place with visegrips and just pull it off of the water pump pulley. That may well become more of a pain than it's worth, though.

 

Also, dunno how new your alternator belt is, but if you're replacing the A/C compressor belt, and you have to peel both off anyway, it could be worth replacing it as well. Not sure how necessary the tool really is if you don't have it already- it's easy enough to get to the tension adjuster, and you're probably going to need to adjust it after the new belt stretches a little anyway.

I was gonna say do the timing belt and related while you're in because I recall aside from the mileage there is a time recommendation on it from Subaru (7 years I think), but I see you say it was part of the 2015 rebuild so you should be good to go with an inspection.

 

I would have replaced the water pump during the rebuild so I wouldnt have to worry about opening the timing case for a long time.

 

Good luck getting your Foz sorted out!

The FSM does not call for sealant.

I am not trying to cause an argument, but the 2012 Legacy FSM does. See step 1 notes.

Edit: Rhitter, I think you're right. The sealant is a gasket.

I am not trying to cause an argument, but the 2012 Legacy FSM does. See step 1 notes.

By sealant, subaru is referring to the second gasket, I think. Still - a couple dots of permatex to hold it in place as an assembly aid is never a bad idea

I would smear the sealant on so it is barely there but there nonetheless, no sense in concerning yourself with removing a bit of sealant 50k+ miles into the future

Be very careful compressing that tensioner, use the fsm recommended method, in my forester it was supposed to take a few minute to compress it fully, so it was a painfully slow process.

By sealant, subaru is referring to the second gasket, I think. Still - a couple dots of permatex to hold it in place as an assembly aid is never a bad idea

I think you're right about the sealant.

I didn't do the rebuild, a well respected shop did it for the previous owner, I got the car with 45k miles on the chassis and 1500 miles on the motor. I'm pretty sure they did replace the water pump at the rebuild, but I think they used a Gates water pump and those have been known lately for failing early.

I see, sorry to hear that.

I heard a bit about the Gates kits now having China parts but I thought the pumps were still good to go.

So what is the way to go now with timing belt/water pump service? All OE only?

I'm pretty sure they did replace the water pump at the rebuild, but I think they used a Gates water pump and those have been known lately for failing early.

If they used a Gates water pump, you may want to also replace the tensioner while you're in there.

If they used a Gates water pump, you may want to also replace the tensioner while you're in there.

Good point. Maybe I should just do the belt and tensioner while in there. Hmmmm.....

it's like changing the throw out bearing but not changing the clutch, you might as well just do it while you're in there so you don't have to do all the labor again.