TARManiAC

My 01 bugeye is getting close to the big one. Since it has about 280HP now, and looking for 300, I was wondering if I can use the normal cambelt type or do I need the stronger STI belt?

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

The belts are all the same for the EJ20 range of engines. Buy a Gates belt from a reputable source at anywhere from £50 - £70 quid. There are cheaper oners out there but generally not Gates ones.

David APi Engines / APi Impreza

TARManiAC

Thanks for the answer, but are you sure there is no such thing as a STI cambelt? strange cos I´ve seen ad´s for these. What´s a Gates belt?

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

You can buy an STi belt off me if you like!! we'll just charge you more for a standard one !!! There is no difference really, unless you go Kevlar.

'Gates' are owned by Good Year, if I remember, and make 95% of all cam belts for all manufacturers throughout the world. They probably make the cheapo ones too, by reducing the quality of polyesters in the reinforcing etc etc.

David APi Engines / APi Impreza

JIM THEO

I wonder - as I bought recently a kevlar STI reinforced cambelt - if there is any difference between tha standard WRX/STI and the kevlar made regarding performance, I guess it is more noisy but does it adds in power loss?
JIM

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

Jim, My understanding is, that the kevlar ones don't flex so that the timing remains fixed better. It is obviously stronger.

However I do wonder about the long term effects of the inflexible belt on the tensioners and pulleys. There is an amount of cushion in a rubber belt which you don't / won't have on Kevlar. AND in the case of a competition Subaru engine all parts to do with the cam belt, pulleys, etc. are thrown away at the 1000 Km rebuild.................

David APi Engines / APi Impreza

TARManiAC

What kind of belt do you guys with modified engines use? Please name belt and amount of power.

DaveW

Depends how modified you mean? Mine is only running about 300bhp and 300ft/lb and just uses a standard belt as supplied by API.

Dave.

AvalancheS8

There is no particular reason why a higher output engine would need a different belt unless it was revving higher or had different cams, the higher output of the engine won't be reflected in higher loading on the cam belt. All it has to do is keep turning the cams at the right speed, it isn't working any harder to turn the cams when your engine has been tuned up to 300 bhp than it was at 200.

JIM THEO

Yes but have seen myself some high powered STI's in local service that need not only cambelt change but some of the pulleys also!
When I asked the manager about he told me due to increased power they change them for safety reasons as they have more play than normal!
Better safe than sorry...
David, have you seen this before?
JIM

TheSquirrel

Gates Power Transmission are located in Dumfries, i pick up frieght from there every day at 3 o'clock. One day while chatting to the despatch clerk staring at a warehouse full of every "power transmission belt" under the sun. I happened to ask if he had one for an Impreza. He had a wee look in his stock code book and suprise, suprise Gates only make one belt for the EJ20, there is no separate strength for the STI. So if someone charges you extra for a STI belt tell them where to go and buy a std belt as they are the exact same. The original equip belts are made by Gates/Unaisi Power Transmission in a factory in Osaka. The belts for the UK dealers come service time are made in the UK at Dumfries and the belts from the local motor factors are also made in the Dumfries plant.

One thing i will say about the belts are the way they are packed. When the belts are shipped to Japan for either Subaru, Honda or Toyota, the belts are always packed kept circuler, over a massive polystyrene drum. When the belts are shipped for Domestic or European use the are folded up and clamped with a cardbord outer casing.

Grant
DHL Courier

P.S the clerk slipped one into my usual pick up the next day ...................

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

Jim, after over 500 rebuilds I can honestly say; not often. Debris damage and accident damage yes - but wear and tear? not enough to make a material difference to the settings.!

We had an exploded STi 7 brought here after the Subaru dealer wanted to change everything on the drive train. He cited new VVT gears as they would be full of debris and cannot be cleaned !!

True they can't be cleaned, EASILY. However, The feed pipe for the VVT oil supply has a gauze filter at either end and the chances of debris getting through is about less likely than winning a lottery - any lottery !

Mostly dealers just change everything because they don't have the engineering understanding to be able to evaluate and make a decision about serviceable parts. If the computer can't tell em what's wrong, they're lost.

IN MY OPINION.

David APi Engines / APi Impreza