M9G

I seem to be able to find lots of tuts on how to remove the timing belt but not to change the water pump.

After the belt is off do I have to remove the right hand side cam sprockets and then remove the backing plate to get access to the water pump bolts?

Also, the tensioner, i realise it needs to be compressed and a pin put through it but is it removed and then compressed and pin put through or does it need to have the pin put through before taking off?

Cheers

rob84

iTrader: (5)

Compress the tensioner first before removing the belt, then take off the lh lower idler as you look at the engine, it will give you move free play on the belt to take it off and assist when fitting the new belt.

The water pump should unbolt and slide out without the need to remove the rear timing belt cover and cam sprockets, just unclip the rubber pipes off the pump first and slide them off before you attempt to pull the water pump out

M9G

Brilliant cheers, Is there a way of compressing the adjuster and get the pin in while its in situe, i have read about people having to get them compressed in a press or using a g clamp

rob84

iTrader: (5)

Only if your changing the belt use this method, gently press the tensioner up by means on the idler roller levering it against the inner most part of the block. The other method is to remove the lower lh idler and let the tensioner push itself fully out, you then have to remove the tensioner and press the pin back down and this is a timed press of 3 minutes so as to not damage the internal parts of the tensioner.

M9G

So am i reading right to actually lever the pully on the end the tensioner back to push the pin back rather than lever the pin itself?

Cheers

Picking up new belt, new water pump and new thermostat later - £212 OMG!!!! belt was £90 on its own

M9G

Couldnt compress the tensioner so took it off as is and will take to work and stick in a vice or a local garage said they would do it in their 10tonne press.

So took the belt off and OMG!!!!!!! I have read loads of tuts on removing the belt including the pdf subaru workshop manual and info from autodata and non of them tell you or prepare you for what happens next, both cams on the right hand side must be under some tension as they both release and spin, frightened the life out of me and i really hope this is what normally happens to everyone as i'm worried about the valves hitting. I did find info on which direction to turn them to avoid valves hitting, top one (inlet) clockwise and the bottom one (exhaust) anti-clockwise, was a bit scary as they turn freely and then some resistance (valve must be opening) to get the marks to line up.

Is this normal for these to spin when belt removed?

Nice new water pump and thermostat fitted, old one had definately been leaking from the hole in the side, which i suppose is like a safety valve type thing.

M9G

So is this normal?

rob84

iTrader: (5)

In an ideal world with the tools from subaru they lock the pulleys on the rh side but without the tools they will spin, two 10mm allen keys top pulley must be turned clockwise and the lower pulley anti-clockwise

M9G

Phew!!!! i'm glad its a common thing, yep turned top clock and bottom anti, must admit i did turn them on the centre bolts but they did turn quit easy until the cam lobe opened a valve, all lined up now and hopefully if this bloody rain stops tomorrow i'll get the belt back on.

Thanks for help and advice, really appreciate it.

M9G

So went out just now a put well tried to put the belt on, what a nightmare!!!! I spent ages taking it off, lining marks back up, putting belt back on and so and so on, I just cant get get them all to line up with the belt on, i always end up half a tooth out, if i move the belt by a tooth then i'm out by half a tooth the other way, ggrrrrrrrrr

I have turned the engine over by hand a number of times and nothing knocking, I can accept it being half a tooth out but dont know which way too be half a tooth out.

Here is a pic of the right hand side (looking at engine from the front, these are on my right) with the crank and both lefthand side sprockets all lined up.

Any advice will be greatfully received

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

There is a timing mark 0 on the rear cambelt cover that lines up to a mark on the crank pulley this should have been lined up when the belt was taken off, if not you may have damaged a valve, too late now but not seen any mention of that so thought i would post it.

As for your current situation, i had a similar problem and was nervous about it so i wound the crank anticlockwise some 90 odd times i think, which is how long it takes for the belt to come back to everything being lined up,lol not fun, mine was on a bench though so not as hard as having it in the car.

The reason for it that was explained to me, is that the cam timing will have been adjusted by a mapper so can be slightly out on the marks, although im not 100% convinced by that, i'm more inclined to think the marks on the belt are not 100% perfect.

There was no resistance on mine so in the absence of any other choice i decided to suck it and see, and it was fine.

This does not help you too much, i know, i'll be interested to know other peoples comments about this.

M9G

had everything lined up perfectly, all 7 marks, put the belt on, all marks still line up perfectly but then put the bottom roller guide back on whhich lifts the bottom of the belt up and the tension pulls on the right hand side sprockets and this happens in the picture

I am reading that its ok to be slightly out but thing is i'm not sure which tooth to be slightly out on, if i move the top sprocket round by one tooth as you can see in the picture i would then be half a tooth out the other side.

At this point in the picture the crank marks and both lefthand side inlet and exhaust marks are ligned up perfectly

I have turned the engine over by hand quite a few times and turns freely

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Thats what mine did and i just went with it as was.

I'm not advising you to do that though!!

Maybe just hang fire till some one else comes along, as mistakes are costly.

It's a bugger, i know, sorry i can't be more helpful.

RICHARD J

iTrader: (4)

Iv done belts a few times my own cars & friends & often you get this problem. All you can do is go with which way is closest. I now put my own paint marks on aswell as using the factory so at least I can fit it how it was, but Iv even had these not line up perfect due to belt stretch.

M9G

Ok thanks, I think i will go with what i have and fingers crossed, i think by looking at the picture if i move the top pulley round by one it will be even more out than what it is the way it is.

Ultimately, what i am after is a few to come back and say 'yes, mine looked exactly like that'

RICHARD J

iTrader: (4)

I think you will be unlucky if it bent valves. My mate fitted his own belt & had the same problem. It was his mapper who told him it was a tooth out & it ran fine but was down on power. I'm not suggesting you just chance it, I'm just sharing my experience of this problem. If you aren't sure where the timing should be the get a specialist to look at it. Good luck.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Lol, well thats two of us sat on the fence then.

RICHARD J

iTrader: (4)

When giving such advice the fence is the safest place to be sat. I think we'd both hate his next post to be that he took our advice & now he's destroyed his engine.

M9G

I took your advice and now my engines destroyed

RICHARD J

iTrader: (4)

Sorry to hear that, should have got a specialist to look at it.

scooby1929

iTrader: (1)

How has it destroyed your engine?

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Lol, i recon he's pulling your p1sser.

If it was turning freely, and the timing was out a little bit, it would just have problems starting and run lumpy, as the cam sensor would be out.

If it is destroyed it most likey happened when he took the old belt off without setting the crank at 0 .

M9G

sorry trying to be funny, look at post#18 above where i say engine destroyed

Out to the car this morning to stick it all back together and fire her up and see what happens

Fingers crossed

RICHARD J

iTrader: (4)

LOL, thought you were winding us up, but didn't want to post anything which may have p####d you off if you had destroyed it. Good luck & let us know how you get on, hope you don't destroy your engine.

M9G

YAHOO!!!!! SHES ALIVE!!!!!!!!!! - my god doesnt she sound loud (oooops neighbours lookign out the window - sorry)- oh need a new downpipe that wont help - took it down the road for a 10 second blast OMG throw you back in the seat - hehehe

Engine management light on but have disconnected the battery as dont know if it was on before i got it

This car is such a mess, lived on a farm and has never from new been cleaned, its minging but i'll work my magic on it

Full service next and sort exhaust, leak on the zaust is by the lambda sensor after the cat, as there is a heastshield around the zaust am i right in thinking the section i need to replace is from the turbo back to half way down the car, i mean is it one piece? as its a 94 model would i get away with having a decat pipe on? or do i get a second hand cat?