Help with changing timing belt! :(

[Martin959]

Quick question, when we change the timing belt do we also have to change apart from the belt anything else? 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks! :D

 

[stants]

Pullies and idler is a wise move

[Rick 2014]

I would at least change the tensioner

[Gambit]

I'd also do the water pump. If it goes after you have done it be pretty annoying ;) 

[Dino]

Don't over tighten the belt or the water pump bearing will blow or a pulley will fail. Ensure the timing is not affected else it will be expensive. Getting it right is key to not having to replace anything else.

[Martin959]

Don't over tighten the belt or the water pump bearing will blow or a pulley will fail. Ensure the timing is not affected else it will be expensive. Getting it right is key to not having to replace anything else.

 

But the tighten is given by the tensioner, right?

[stants]

Yes and no in a word, you can adjust the tensioner but if you move it too far and cause it to put too much pressure on the belt then bad things may happen

[savage bulldogs]

I've seen a few pulley failures due to the bolts being being over tightened as well [emoji6]

[Martin959]

So I should get also:

• Tensioner
• Water pump

 

And thats it? :)

 

And no over tension it 

[Rick 2014]

Thing is with the water pump you could actually cause more problems by trying to make things right.If its not noisy and there is no leaks then I would leave it imo

[Rick 2014]

As for over tightening things go by the torque settings with a torque wrench and you carnt go wrong

[Martin959]

Ahhhhhhh hahahaah, I have just bougth a new one :(

 

But Im having problems with the tensioner, since mine is a Catalunya and its from 1997 engine code EJ20GN, the ones that I found on eBay, are these and apparently they "wont fit"... :(

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Subaru-Impreza-timing-belt-tensioner-roller-type-EJ20-/380195452053?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item58856a3495

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Subaru-Impreza-Timing-Belt-Tensioner-Roller-Type-EJ20-EJ25-/261331189045?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3cd88d7d35

 

Any thoughts? :)

[Rick 2014]

Ive not looked at mine  so I carnt comment on the differences.if you have already bought and you want it fitting then get it done or send it back

[Martin959]

Probably is the same... someone knows? :)

[Rick 2014]

If its a ej305 engine then I would have thought so

[savage bulldogs]

Couldn't tell you which spring tensioner is correct but being a my97 engine I'd have thought it should have the earlier hydraulic tensioner .

I was advised to use the hydraulic type for my build (as their stronger).

Have a look on the import car parts website to see which one is correct for your year or give them a bell and speak to luke (as he knows his scoob bits)

[Scoobyghost]

We done my cambelt last weekend and that had a hydraulic tensioner. My car is a classic on x reg(2000)

[Mr B]

I would of personally bought the kit off of ICP as only like maybe £60 more for idler/pulleys to be included.

You can get away without replacing them but that depends on car mileage & known history.

Same goes with water pump over 100K I tend to be inclined to do it for extra £55 for quality Jap pump.

waterpump acts as idler on back of cambelt so some pump failures can fubar your cambelt.

Subaru pumps are damn good though so not something that should be done on engines first belt change but on 2nd or 3rd it getting good idea.

 

Tensioners are all hydraulic driven by spring & oneway restriction valve mainly due to the boxer belt run length.

[Scoobyghost]

There was no proof of the water pump being done on mine so we did it for peace of mind. The one we took off looked in really good condition though.

[Mr B]

Yeh the original pumps can go for years as superb quality, i've seen a few original pumps at close to 20years & almost 200k.

I tend to advise on pump around 100k but if pump seem good when inspected it can be chanced, once over 140k I don't give them choice on pump.

On performance subarus I would insist on new quality pump at 100k, just don't like chancing it on well wazzed motors ...

 

Main thing is replace with top quality jap pump from ICP or BluePrint. Only around £50

Meyle pumps ok for run of the mill cheap subaru budget option (£31) but likes of Circoli should be avoided at all costs.

A 150k mile original subaru pump would still be better than a tat Euro Circoli pump.

[Scoobyghost]

Yeah my pump was from icp. Car is on 160k now so with no paperwork of pump ever being done I don't care if it was still gleeming fresh out the box it's getting swapped [emoji1]

[savage bulldogs]

Tbh I've never seen the later type tensioner in the flesh as I've only ever worked on v1 to v3

A rally engine builder gave me a bit of advice while i was building my engine and described the earlier tensioner as "hydraulic" rather than spring loaded

Here's a pic of the early one in situ it looks like a little hydraulic piston above the water pump and is different to either one in the links

[Mr B]

Yeh they basically same in principal as both types are hydraulic.

Your type has the hydraulic over spring assembly in the separate alloy cylinder that then pushes the piston onto a tab on the pulley.

Later type has the pulley & hydraulic over spring assembly all in one working as a pivoting arm.

I like the earlier one too as hydraulic unit stronger & the pulley is stronger in mounting too.

Got that type on my old 95 Legacy ...

Not everything new is better, bit like front wishbone bushing idea on the 05 onward foresters went a bit junk ...

[Scoobyghost]

Here's my tensioner for comparison.

[Martin959]

So, if I buy one of those hydraulic tensioners from the links, it should fit and work? 

 

 

Thank! :)