So I am starting to do the cambelt change on my 2004 WRX and I have question about the cambelt guides/guards.There is the central guide/guard and then three other small ones on three corners. The manual and online guides don’t seem to give an explanation for the gap and torque settings for these.

I know that there is a red circular spacer that you can buy for the large central one but what about the corner ones? How do you set these correctly? I don’t actually understand the point of any of them?

 

A bit of Weetabix box doubled over gave the right gap on mine. (didn't have corner ones, tho')

 

it should be 1.0mm gap for all the guides. feeler gauge works well. the guides just stop the belt from jumping a tooth.

 

I had another look at the manual on the computer this time and saw the link to a description in the manual with more details of the procedure and specifications. It is a shame that they don’t make and include a spacer to set the corner guides. It is little fiddly jobs like this where you have to be so accurate or face major problems that I don’t like doing.