you personality will dictate the answer: how do you view reliability, longevity, repairs, finances, risk mitigation, back up vehicles, paying to have it done verses doing it yourself if it does break, how anal are you...lots of variables.
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in general brand isn't all that concerning. i used Subaru for quite a few years with the advent of interference engines in . since that time i've drifted towards aftermarket belts now that they have a good track record. i avoid the cheapest stuff and no name brands on ebay/amazon.
there are gates kits for $130 on amazon right now, hard to beat that.
a statistically relevant reply would look something like this: Subaru belts have a 0.% failure rate.....the worst aftermarket belts have a 0.% failure rate. if you're the kind of person to sweat and twitch and rock back and forth or get worked up because 2 more failures per hundred thousand instances, then get the Subaru belt. granted the numbers are made up, but it's something like that. if you're the kind of person you have a lot to worry about too with all the risks involved in life.
then again - belts are cheap - $60 or less, no biggie. do what you want.
statistically speaking the chance of timing belt failure is probably more correlated to how well the job is done, not getting fluids on the belt, properly torquing bolts, retaining the stock bolts, properly compressing the tensioner, etc.
I am kinda set on Gates after reading a lot about their product. Now, I have an interesting dilemma about how MUCH to replace....
The water pump is bad. I already bought that. And, since the water pump is bad that means I have to take all the timing components off anyway... That said, the timing components were done 45K miles ago. So, I have these options I guess:
Option 1 $35 total (Gates T307 belt only): Just change timing belt but keep rest of the kit at 45K. These leaves me with a timing belt that can go 105K, but everything else is at 45K already.
Option 2 $136 total (Gates Timing Belt kit): Get a Gates kit and change it all out so that every piece of the puzzle is at the same mileage
Do I have timing belt and other components "off" on mileage or do I keep them all the same and replace everything there?
What year/engine do you have? Is it DOHC? After a certain year, they became interference engines, and the DOHC setup is a little more of a PITA to change a belt. I have the super easy 2.2L SOHC non-interference setup. It took less than an hour to swap the belt. I repacked my bearings since they weren't *that* bad. Worse case in my situation it throws a belt from a failed pulley. The parts get replaced and back on the road. Though it should get 60k miles w/o issue. Will probably replace all 4 pulleys then. Spin them by hand. They should spin smoothly w/o noises/squeaks. If you can feel the bearings then it's either dry or not enough grease.
Basically, it's your call. For piece of mind, spend the $136 and be done with it. I was lucky my pulleys weren't that bad yet, and given how simple the timing belt is and NO interference, I wasn't worried. Save your old pulleys as back ups and you'll be able to compare them with what the new ones will be at 60K+ miles later.
Edited November 26, by BushwickAnd an easy way of braking that bolt free on the harmonic balance is to use a 1/2 beaker bar, and put the socket on then put it so the beaker bar is against the top of the drive side frame rail and just bump the engine over once and it should break it free.. and make sure you remove the radiator it makes it so much easier (more room), plus you have to drain the coolant system anyways
Yeah, that's interference, but at least it's a SOHC. I'd at least inspect the pulleys and see how well they spin. If they were new with last belt, should still be good but you never know. If you decide to reuse them, mark the mileage down, and when you get to the mileage where the old belt would have been changed, maybe inspect the pulleys. If they ever start getting noisy while running, replace them.
Brand isn't such a big deal on an older car with the non- interference engine. (96 and older 2.2L) The old belts have a 60k mile change interval, and the components are fully capable of doing double that. And if the belt ever broke, there wasnt any harm done.
With the interference engines and the longer 105k mile change interval expectations change a bit. If the belt breaks there is almost guaranteed engine damage. More than likely a cheap belt will last the 105k interval just fine, but on that off-chance that it doesn't you're stuck with a much higher repair bill. So if for nothing more than peace of mind its usually best to go with a name-brand belt, though its usually not necessary to use OEM Subaru.
Components will go 105k easy, but will they make it to 210k? Probably not. The components are often what fail and cause the belt to break because people DONT replace them at that 105 interval like they should. Often the belt doesn't even get replaced at 105, usually it gets drawn out to 120k or longer. Then the mechanic says, "ok you're set til 225k miles!". How can we expect already worn idler bearings to last that long?
Edited November 27, by Fairtax4meDo I have timing belt and other components "off" on mileage or do I keep them all the same and replace everything there?
The company is the world’s best Automotive Timing Belts supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
Do you not mind doing the work? If not - just do the belt now and do the belt and timing components in 50k. That engine is easy enough to do that's a great option. Belt and timing components only take 30-45 minutes, they're easy, no cleaning of surfaces like water and oil pumps.
There's lots of reasons you may opt to do it all now too, if you don't like working on cars at all then get as much out of this as possible. If the vehicle is questionable in terms of lasting very long then maybe you just do it all now and never think about it again. Or if you are likely to have life situation changes (moving, family, job, large future projects/commitments) - then being done with it for as long as possible may be of value to you.
Thanks luko. Looks like RockAuto's Gate TB kit, after shipping = $170,
http://www.amazon.com/Gates-TCK304-Timing-Belt-Component/dp/B002R8HMAY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr=8-1&keywords=subaru+gates+timing+belt+kit
Timing is everything. For jokes, music, cooking, dating—even engines! That’s because your car’s engine relies on a timing belt to stay in sync. The timing belt makes sure everything in the engine is operating smoothly, keeping you safe on the road.
Replacing the timing belt is an important maintenance item! So, if you own a car, you should understand how a timing belt works and when to replace it.
Read: The Car Maintenance Checklist Every Driver Needs
Think of a timing belt like a bike chain for your vehicle—it keeps all the internal moving parts of an engine in sync. It also sometimes powers the water pump, oil pump and injection pump.
The timing belt is a rubber belt with hard teeth that interlock with the cogwheels of the crankshaft and the camshafts. It synchronizes the movement of the crankshaft and camshafts. This ensures that the engine intake and exhaust valves open and close in time with the pistons. If the crankshaft and camshafts are not operating in unison, the vehicle will not run correctly.
If the intake valves open too early, there may be too much fuel-air mixture flowing into the engine combustion chamber, leading to poor combustion and power loss. And if the exhaust valves open too early, the combustion chamber will lose pressure and cause a power loss. If the engine components are very out of sync, they might collide and damage each other, resulting in costly repairs.
Depending on your vehicle model, you might have a timing chain instead of a timing belt. A timing chain functions the same as a belt, but it is metal instead of rubber. Because they are lighter and quieter, timing belts became popular to use after they were introduced in the s.
Thanks to design improvements and a long lifespan, many modern cars have returned to using timing chains instead. If your car has a timing chain instead of a timing belt, you may be able to go longer before replacing the timing chain. As always, check your owner’s manual or give us a call to be sure.
It’s important to replace your timing belt at the mileage intervals your vehicle manufacturer recommends. Every manufacturer is different, but typically, it needs to be replaced every 60,000–100,000 miles. The recommended interval for your specific vehicle can be found in your car’s owner’s manual.
Because the timing belt is made of rubber, it will wear down over time and eventually break. When it breaks, the engine will stop running or the components will be out of sync, damaging the engine.
If you don’t replace the timing belt at the recommended time, you could end up with total engine failure, broken or bent valves, cylinder head or camshaft damage, and piston and cylinder wall damage. This is not the type of situation where it’s safe to think: ‘If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.’ Replace the timing belt according to the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule to avoid thousands of dollars repairing or replacing your engine.
Often, there aren’t any warning signs before a timing belt breaks. But here are some possible indicators that it might be time to replace your belt:
While your vehicle is in for service, we recommend also replacing the water pump. The water pump usually has a similar lifespan and is easy to access when the timing belt is off. That way you save money on labor costs.
Read: What Is a Serpentine Belt & When Should You Replace It?
Replacing the timing belt is an expensive service. It is an intricate, labor-intensive process that can take 4–8 hours, depending on the vehicle. But replacing the timing belt before it breaks will prevent engine damage and save you money in the long run. If you’re unsure about your belt needs to be replaced, stop by Virginia Tire & Auto today.
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