Sub-Subaru

I know someone who runs an MOT garage and one of the young guys who works there does jobs on a saturday cheaper than the garage rate. He said he could do the cambelt change on my 04 Impreza for £50. Problem is he hasn't done an impreza cambelt before. I was thinking of going along and looking/helping but I haven't done any cambelt on a car before.

Arey they difficult to do? Is there a special technique that is hard to get right with these cars? I thought it would save a huge bill on dealership prices of almost £96 an hour. I'm also looking for a manual.

addi monster

iTrader: (6)

Download the timing diagram for all the timing marks so you understand what points where and apart from that its plain sailing, I would suggest removing the radiator for extra access and visibility

steve ex vauxhall

iTrader: (5)

Use the search engine on here for a guide mate.
If you have no mechanical knowledge and are trusting an apprentice to do it then this could backfire.

They are not that hard to do, I removed the radiator to do mine as it gives more space.

Cutting corners and doing on the cheap is not always the best option, especially with something as important as the cam belt

JDM_Stig

iTrader: (3)

if you just think of it as 2 x 16v engines on their sides its easy to get your head round, yes I know it only has 1 crank, water pump etc but that`s all it is, no harder as long as you lock it all off, as you would in most cases,
do a google on it and an american site has a really good idea for locking tools

damfly27

http://ken-gilbert.com/impreza-manuals

very usefull site ^^ i used this to remove my engine, fully strip it down and do head gaskets! hope it helps you as much as it did me

Sub-Subaru

I've got a bit of mechanical knowledge. I rebuilt a 500cc quad bike engine and i'm currently rebuilding my 2 stroke motocross bike. However, I have never done a cambelt or something that major on a car.

That link is really useful thanks. Other searches on here I've had trouble finding guides. I'm almost thinking of doing the job myself. The locking tool for the crank, is that something specific to subaru and where do you buy such a tool?

RICHARD J

iTrader: (4)

Easy job for an experienced mechanic, but if it's an apprentice doing it then forget it. If he screws it up you are looking at bent valves which is a major job to fix.

albob

there is a 'DIY' guide here

http://www.ryanmacdonald.com/howto/

for a timing belt change on a Subaru Svx (boxer engine) - give u an idea what is involved

also - spark plug change !!!

ken-sti

https://www.scoobynet.com/general-te...lt-change.html

i did mine no problem atall just bit of patience and take your time.
There's nothing mechanically hard about doing the change few tips are in my link there have a read

Sub-Subaru

Thanks for the links. I may have a go at doing it with my friend. I am just trying to inspect the current belt on there. I have taken off the small cover on the right hand side (when standing at the front looking at the engine). How do I turn the engine over slowly to be able to see whether the old belt has a major problem or not. I just want to see as this is my daily driver at present.

Any ideas?

dan-lincs

My local Subaru dealership only charged me £250 for doing it

sweden

iTrader: (2)

Socket on the crank bolt matey and turn it clockwise, but don't bother looking at the belt if its time to change it then change it end off, if your not sure when it was last changed then change it, simple as job and could possible save you a major rebuild

Sub-Subaru

I don't know when it was last changed. The problem is I didn't manage to get the parts to do it this weekend and one of the people who was going to assist has gone away this weekend.

It is my daily driver and I live in the stick so need to drive to get to public transport. I just wanted to see how it was to drive it another few days. The auxillary belt at the front is split right down the centre in some places on the belt (which I only discovered today) so I wanted to check the main cambelt. Taking the small cover off, it seemd okay but i'm only looking at about 1/10 of the belt.

The belt seemed very rubbery, and I couldn't see any nylon which is presumably a good sign. I wanted to be able to trun the belt and look at without taking of all the auxillary belts etc. but i'm guessingit isnn't possbile to get to the crank bolt without taking all that off?

sweden

iTrader: (2)

Auxiliary belts go a lot quicker than cam belts matey so don't panic, using a socket and a ratchet/breaker bar on the bolt in the center of the bottum center pulley turn the engine over in a clockwise direction slowly so you can check the belt you want to be looking at the teeth not the back of the belt ok.

steve ex vauxhall

iTrader: (5)

Your correct.
You need to remove the covers from both sides and the centre cover to see the belt in its entirety, to remove the centre cover you will need to remove the crankshaft pulley.

Easiest way is a 22mm socket on a bar wedged up against the near side chassis leg, or right side as you look from the front, then spin the starter for a second.

Any damage/ dust/ breakdown of the belt is more likely to be sat behind the centre cover

sweden

iTrader: (2)

You DON'T need to remove all that matey just turn the engine over slowly and check the teeth on the belt simple through the cover you have removed..

steve ex vauxhall

iTrader: (5)

Sorry, my fault, I read it that he wanted to see the belt without turning the engine over.

Apologies

Sub-Subaru

Sweden, how do you get access to that , do you have to take the auxillary belts off and remove the alternator?

Steve, I don't understand what you mean by socket wedge up against the near side chasis leg? Can you explain more? The problem is the car seems to start quite well so I would imagine if I tried to turn it over it would start. Also I won't know if I'm checking the exact same area on the belt if i let the starter spin it.

Sub-Subaru

You guys replied and I didn't see before posting last message. Do I need to take anything off to get to the crank pulley bolt?

steve ex vauxhall

iTrader: (5)

I mis read what you wanted to do and told you how to remove all the covers and the bottom pulley to get to the complete belt.

In order to turn over and see the belt, then it's just the cover you have already removed and a socket on the bottom pulley bolt, you don't need anything else off to do this

sweden

iTrader: (2)

Nps Steve

Sub if you and at the front of your car and look down between the radiator ant front of the engine where the covers are center bottom is a pulley that the auxiliary belt goes round, that's the crank pulley in the center of that is the stud you want to be attaching the socket to its easier if you lay on the groundvandvdonit from under neath just turn it a 1/4 turn then stand up and have a look at the cam belt repeat this till you've checked the whole belt nps

sweden

iTrader: (2)

Steve gave you a good tip when it comes to removing everything to change the cam belt when he mentioned about turning the engine over with a bar wedged.

The engine turns over in a clockwise direction and the crank bolt you will need to remove is going to be extremely hard to remove with out an air gun, the bolt needs to turned in an anti clockwise direction to remove it so after you have removed auxiliary belt and probably radiator so you have more room etc.

Your going to use a socket and a breaker bar place the socket on the crank bolt with the breaker bar attached you want the bar to be wedged against the ground to the right of the engine (if you think of a clock in about the 4-5 o'clock position) with car in gear drag it forward so the engine turns over till you have wedged the bar against the ground.
Disconnect your coil pack apply hand brake car in neutral, turn the car over using the ignition switch for about 3 secs you might need to do this. Couple times.

What your after is the engine to turn over and at the same time undo the center crank bolt for you, the engine turns in a clockwise direction but you need to turn the crank bolt in an anti clockwise direction by jamming the bar against the ground which will hold the crank bolt still when you crank of the engine by default you are turning the crank bolt in an anti clockwise direction.

Hope that all makes since matey might be a mouth full to read lol

Sub-Subaru

Brilliant thanks guys. I will give it another go tomorrow.

sweden

iTrader: (2)

Nps matey ill try to keep an eye out on thread tomorrow post if any probes I'm at work dropping a motor into a friends RA but will be on and off

Theriches09

Sorry to jack the post but what do I need to change cambelt. Its a 2005 wrx estate. Do I need just the belt or other stuff also.

Sub-Subaru

Well I managed to turn the whole belt and inspect it. The belt looked in okay condition, teeth all looked fine and the edges of the blet weren't damaged at all. I know I shouldn't push it, but do belts just ever break in the middle without any visible damage?

I just need to make sure I do it at a time when I can complete the job properly. Also do I need a special tool to hold the crank pully when I put everything back and need to tighten the bolts? Is there anywhere that sells the tools?

Firez34

iTrader: (5)

Watch all 5 meaty guides a few times. Probably the best timing belt video I ever watched.

Here's part 1 fella this will easily get you DIYing.

Sub-Subaru

Is there any locking tool available to do the job? Also would I need the crank pulley holding tool to do up the bolt on the crank pulley again?

Rob669

Just watch the video! Nothing needs to be locked.