My 04 WRX wagon has a slightly embarrassing 14000 miles on the clock. The car's never been used as much as I expected - in fact, I probably wouldn't have bought it if I'd realised how rarely it would get used. But I still love it!

Anyway, the service schedule is annual or 10000 miles, so it's coming up for its 5 year or 50000 mile service, which includes a cam belt change and will therefore be a bit steep

Is it ridiculous to get the cam belt changed after 14000 miles or should I follow the manufacturers recommendations? Any thoughts? TIA

 

It's 5 years old... belts do become brittle with age even if you don't use them.

Now it's out of warranty I'd personally be inclined to shop around and find yourself a reputable independent specialist to do the service - it could be a lot cheaper and you can still insist on a genuine Subaru belt being fitted.

 

id take the car into a garage and let them check the belt if it needs changed then it will only be the belt as i cant see the pulleys needing done be around £50 for the belt 2.5 hours labour at most.

 

Put it this way; if you leave it and the belt breaks, hard luck for you. However, if the belt is replaced it is guranteed by the parts manufacturer against failure for another 5 years or 50K (whichever is sooner), if in that time it breaks due to a fault with the belt or installation; you are not liable (ok complications do arise if the belt broke due to a oil leak, tensioner failure, pulley bearing failure, water pump seizing etc - which is why they should also be checked when the belt is replaced).

Cambelts do deteriorate and fatigue with age. Its the same on all other cars fitted with cambelts - Most manufacturers do give set time limits on a belt's life, ranging from 3years to 10 years. Just some dealers for other makes operate a "wait til it breaks" service policy (as its more lucrative for the delaers to fix when it breaks - at the customer's extra expense ) the result is alot of people are unware that a belt should really be changed on its age as well as mileage.

Visual inpection is not really an option as its impossible to do a visually check the toothed side without firstly removing it (may as well replace it), and even then it does not assertain the condition of the steel and nylon ply cords that are encased inside the belt (which inccidentally is the reason why you should never kink or fold a cambelt - it damages the metal inside the belt).

Now, here's the good bit; compared to many cars, changing a cambelt on a Impreza engine is a relatively easy and simple task for a half-decent mechanic. Whilst the belt itself is a bit pricey (OEM Gates belt can be had for around £60 though), labour-wise it shouldn't take that long, so the labour to change the belt shouldn't cost that much - so my advice is shop around!

Sometimes pulleys and tensioners do need replacement, pulleys can be had for £25 each and tensioner is around £80-90 (IIRC). Assesment of their condition will have to be done when the belt is removed, but I should expect them to be ok. Same goes with the water pump (drievn by the cambelt) and crank/cam oil seals.

 

Thanks all. ALi-B - you are a mine of useful information

 

Great reply Ali-B. Spot on with your info.

 

What Ali said, I cant think of any else to add.

 

All in all my 50,000 mile service came to just over £300 which included oil filter etc and that was at a Subaru Main Dealer so give you a good marker for the price.

The biggie is actually the 60k service heh!

5t.

 

My Jan 04 STI only had 35K on the clock, but also was 5yrs old...having lost a car to a cambelt, I tought it wiser to take no chances and had a new belt put on...main dealer fixed price service £400 inc parts for the 5yr 50K service inc a cam belt...

 

I've seen a car with 100,000 on the original belt, so long as it's oil free it will be fine.

That is not to say I'd do that ! I would have it inspected and do it next year... ( I did ! ).

HTH

dunx

 

i agree with the above,these belts will no doubt have a life expectancy of double to what the interval change time is for safety reasons,i believe the ford belts for the zetec engines have a life expectancy of 230k but they change them at 100k for safety,visual check of belt condition and any tensioner noises

 

I ran my bugeye for 8 years (48000 miles) before I changed the belt, and it was fine, but that's not say every one would be. I ran the wifes scenic up to 8200 miles before the cambelt was changed because it was 5 and a 1/2 years old. Last week it spun the engine, apparently due to the cam vernier retaining nut being lose and the cam vernier working it's way of the shaft. If I'd run it on it may well have been okay - no matter what you do there is no 100% guarantee, but on the balance of probability, I suspect I was lucky with the bug and really unlucky with the scenic

 

cannot beat chain drive lol fit and forget