Timing Belt recommendations

I am thinking of doing the timing belt. It's been about 100,000 miles and probably overdue. My question is, what brands should I go with? I'm thinking of a Gates timing belt kit, and definitely some kind of a water pump. I'm not sure what brand of water pump. Does it matter? My bro is going to help me, because he's done it before. It used to be his car. He said to replace the spark plugs while I'm at it, which I have. I should probably do the other belts as well, right? Thanks in advance.

Mitsuboshi

Aisin TKF004. All oem components.

Gates is cheap junk anymore. Get Aisin's kit.

Aisin TKF004. All oem components.

 

Gates is cheap junk anymore. Get Aisin's kit.

 

What these guys said^ That's become the norm for a few years now.

Gates is supplying Chinese bearings in their kits now.....I’ve heard that they have addressed their issues that they originally had when switching production to China and personally I would install one of their kits without concern. If I had a choice between aisin or gates I’d go with Aisin because they supply Japanese bearings (Koyo, NSK).

 

 

It’s tough out there to be competitive in the market place, companies like Timken and national bearings have switched their production to South Korea and China. I think that the companies will still stand behind the build quality of their products even though they moved production.

I installed a gates timing kit in a friends car with the Chinese bearings he bought it not knowing the switch was made and he said he didn’t care he didn’t want to wait for an aisin kit in the mail so in it went.

 

Been 40k miles no issues.

Sorry one last thing, get a camlock tool. It’s worth every penny.

After reading around the forums, I found a post that Gates went back to Japanese bearings.

See NASIOC

 

https://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2853549

 

There's a specific kit and model number to look for and from that review I bought my Gates timing belt kit at Rock Auto. When I got my kit, all of the bearings came from Japan but the water pump is made from China.I bought the OEM water pump online and it in the end it was cheaper than going to the dealership and some other kits. GL.

 

If you are going to do it yourself, as mention above, get the cam lock tool. It is worth it every penny.

Edited June 24, 2019 by Homedepotmade

Or to throw a spanner in the mix... Get the RCM kit with the more reliable v1-2 two piece tensioner and a cast impeller water pump from partsouq.

 

https://rogerclarkmotorsport.co.uk/store/product/670-rcm-high-grip-bracket-genuine-subaru-timing-belt

If you want a cast impeller pump, buy the aisin TKF008 kit. Don't buy the TKF008 kit from rockauto though as they stock both 004 and 008 as the same. If you buy 008 from anywhere else it has the cast pump.

If you want a cast impeller pump, buy the aisin TKF008 kit. Don't buy the TKF008 kit from rockauto though as they stock both 004 and 008 as the same. If you buy 008 from anywhere else it has the cast pump.

 

If this is a better option, may be you want to have JmP6889928 add it to the sticky above where the timing belt kits are talked about.

After reading around the forums, I found a post that Gates went back to Japanese bearings.

See NASIOC

 

https://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2853549

 

There's a specific kit and model number to look for and from that review I bought my Gates timing belt kit at Rock Auto. When I got my kit, all of the bearings came from Japan but the water pump is made from China.I bought the OEM water pump online and it in the end it was cheaper than going to the dealership and some other kits. GL.

 

Read this thread post 5, the guy engine has ~45K miles on Gates kit with Japanese bearings but the tensioner is still leaking.

 

https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/dude-wheres-my-enginei-2008-2-5i-hg-service-278887.html

 

I have seen similar issues with Gates kits locally as well. I personally would not trust a gates timing belt kit to go a full 105k miles timing belt interval.

I just had mine done and went OEM, shop said they were better than Gates.

Also upgraded to an STI oil pump while it was all apart.

I just had mine done and went OEM, shop said they were better than Gates.

Also upgraded to an STI oil pump while it was all apart.

Mind if we ask what they charged? Did you supply parts?

 

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

I like the looks of the Aisin kit, what else should I replace?

 

BTW, the P.O.(my brother,) said he didn't do the water pump when he replaced the timing belt. Meaning, it's the original water pump with 220,000 miles. So, it's probably garbage and that's why I'm having coolant issues.

Edited June 25, 2019 by Jolbaru_LGT

If you want a cast impeller pump, buy the aisin TKF008 kit. Don't buy the TKF008 kit from rockauto though as they stock both 004 and 008 as the same. If you buy 008 from anywhere else it has the cast pump.

 

This kit (TKF008) fits an 05 Legacy GT?

Edited June 26, 2019 by Jolbaru_LGT

The two drive belts for the AC and PS.

 

How are those idler pulleys ?

 

The coolant will need replacing. I use Peak Global or Prestone, since back in 2008.

 

Both radiator caps, new from the local dealership.

The two drive belts for the AC and PS.

 

How are those idler pulleys ?

 

The coolant will need replacing. I use Peak Global or Prestone, since back in 2008.

 

Both radiator caps, new from the local dealership.

 

I don't know about the idler pulleys, and I just replaced both radiator caps with Subaru ones. EDIT: It looks like Aisin Kit TKF-004 comes with the idler pully.

Edited June 25, 2019 by Jolbaru_LGT

Your accessory drive belts ac/ps/alt/crank pulley/tensioner pulley not timing belt idlers I think is what max meant.

 

I’ve seen a tensioner pulley fail and it went through the timing cover and actually took out the timing belt, motor went boom, sad story but the owner knew the pulley was loud for a long time yet did nothing.

Still confused about TKF-004 vs TKF-008. I understand from what was said, the 008 Is a cast impeller, but anywhere I look, it doesn't fit my car 05 Subaru Legacy GT. The 004 does, but isn't a cast impeller?

 

Any help on clearing this up?

Still confused about TKF-004 vs TKF-008. I understand from what was said, the 008 Is a cast impeller, but anywhere I look, it doesn't fit my car 05 Subaru Legacy GT. The 004 does, but isn't a cast impeller?

 

Any help on clearing this up?

They are the same kit besides the water pump. TKF008 is coded for a 2002-04 2.0L turbo engine. There is no difference in timing belts or idlers between the 2.0T and 2.5T. This is just the only kit that still includes a cast impeller water pump.

Also, which tool? They have one that looks like a curved plate, and one that looks like a wand.

I installed a gates timing kit in a friends car with the Chinese bearings he bought it not knowing the switch was made and he said he didn’t care he didn’t want to wait for an aisin kit in the mail so in it went.

 

Been 40k miles no issues.

 

I'm running the China version of the Gates t-belt kit. I too did not realize the change from Gates until the time when the shop was assembling the short block. I was politely informed that I purchased the "wrong" kit.

 

Currently have around 5k miles since engine change and no issues. By biggest concern, if there is one, is not with the bearings but the potential for the tensioner to fail. Regardless...so far so good.

I got the Company23 Camlock tool. Looks like a little curved plate.