Halfway through changing the timing belt on my STI3 and thought I'd share some advice and ask a couple of questions..

First belt change @ 45,000. New Gates belt from Graham Goode.

Removed radiator to help with space and coolant needs changing anyway. Left aircon radiator in place as I did't want the hassle of refilling.
Removing old belt etc went ok except for the following inconveniences..

Loosening crank pulley bolt - tried car in gear, brakes on but no joy. Crank pulley has 4 12 mm holes so I made a locking bar from and old piece of 1" angle iron and drilled two holes to match two adjacent holes (not diagonal) on the pulley. Locking bar was long enough to lock on the garage floor and with a 3 foot extension on the T bar it loosened pretty easily.

Timing belt cover bolt - last one bottom left on the centre cover. Must've had some corrosion as it rounded as soon as the 10mm socket went near it. Continued to round with a 6 sided 10mm socket then a 3/8 12 sided socket. Eventually 'persuaded' a 3/8 6 sided socket to fit (gentle though as cover is plastic).

Turned engine over by hand using the Crank bolt and T bar to line up timing marks. Removed tensioner (think it's new type?) and watched the two right hand cam pulleys spin through 180 degrees cause the valves on that side of the engine are obviously open when the timing marks all line up. These can be turned back into place when fitting the belt.

Tensioned tensioner vertically (Subaru recommendation) for refitting - I used a G clamp locked in the vice.

Refitted tensioner (still locked) and refitted belt. Started with crank pulley mark, Gates belt has a dotted line for the crank pulley. Fitted to LH top cam pulley next, made sure double timing marks were at 6 O'clock then solid white line on belt matches white line on pulley. Then RH top cam, timing marks and white line as per LH side. Then lined up timing marks on bottom RH cam pulley (12 O'clock - lines up with top cam pulley marks) then the bottom LH pulley. Timing marks as per RH pulley (line up with top pulley)

Now the qustions..

Is my tensioner the Phase 2 type? - single bolt, no green paint so I guess it's the early unmodded version.

Timing marks on pulleys. They didn't quite line up before removing the old belt and it's the same with refitting and checking the new one. I've read a fair few posts about folk being half a tooth out and not sure what's wrong. I reckon the marks maybe aren't as perfect as folks expect them. Anyone have a view on this?

Will update tomorrow once all back together.

Kevin.

It's quite a tricky job to check the pulleys are all lined up, use a mirror to aid the view. The belts i have used have had markings on them that line up with all the timing marks on each pulley making it fairly easy to get this right.

pretty sure one of the cover bolts is a smaller size that the rest, so you probably were using the wrong size socket on the bolt you thought was rounded off.

Top tip, use mini mole grips to clamp the pulleys together when refitting belt :)
On mine the two marks didn't line up perfectly, but you could tell it wasn't a tooth out.

I used the GATES belt from GGR too. I found the RH cams are a doddle. The LH exhaust is OK but LH inlet is right on its lobe stroke so a complete bugger to hold still. We managed it but the engine was out the car.

When I removed the timing belt it was out one whole tooth. On fitment it did look like it was never going to line up but we found if you get the RH inlet & exhaust marks to 9 o'clock then align the LH markings to 5 past 4 then release the tensioner thats pinned , the belt tensions up and it all aligns perfect.

I've pic's on my website of what it looked like on removal and refitting.

The Subaru manual suggests you fit the belt with tensioner already unpinned and bolted down and the last pulley to be fitted is just above the oil filter.

Anyhow once you align the marks on the belt and everything matches up JOB COMPLETE.

Old belt - Timing marks out & other picengine in bits[/url]

New belt - Plus my rebuild story

I believe in our engines if you don't "lock" the pulleys when changing belt it's quite common to cause valve interference...!
JIM

Thanks for replies chaps. Good piccies CAZ, looking at the timing marks pictures then mine are as close as yours so must be fine. Is yours the phase 1 or phase 2 engine as I have the other type of tensioner. Back to the garage it is then...

good article guys !
thinking of doing mine soon but not sure if the main dealer will give me a 90K service stamp if I do the job myself ?

Does anyone have a picture or drawing of the front pulley tool ?

Back together now and running like a Swiss watch (well maybe a cheap one), Suggest setting aside an afternoon to do the job and make sure you've something to lock the crank pulley for undoing the bolt. Lining up the timing marks wasn't that difficult, they don't line up perfectly, close but not exact. CAZ's picture shows how far out the marks are if you're one tooth out - very helpful.

http://www.derekcarswell.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/subaru/engine/140903/LH%20timing%20mark%202.JPG

Macca, assume you mean the tool for locking the crank pulley - let me know and I can send you a piccy.

Kevin.

Kevin,
yes, I'll try and make a tool for the front crank pulley if you can send a picture.

cheers

Well done Kev! 10 yrs ago I wouldn't have flinched at doing that job, but as you get older and do less and less work on motors, you loose confidence in doing what really is a skilled job replacing cambelts. and as a result I'm afraid I will be paying someone to change my belt mate.
dave

[Edited by misty - 1/7/2004 9:39:03 PM]

Misty, likewise, it's been a while since I got 'this' involved. Last time was when I built an engine for my MK2 RS2000. Enjoyed changing the belt, know it's been done properly and it cost me £65 for the whole job. Reckon it'll be the clutch next in about 20k miles hopefully.

Kevin.

Kevin, whats the timing belt make and part number you got. I have MY00 UK Turbo and its due a change now. You said it cost you £65 was that just belt? I assume you did not change tensioner just reset it ?

Moray,

Twas a Gates belt from Graham Goode - apparently Gates manufacture the OE belts. Gates belts have the marks which line up with the marks on the cam pulleys. My tensioner was ok, no sign of any leaking and it felt fine when I tested it with a G Clamp. Car had only done 45k miles though.

Kevin.

Thanks Kevin, whats the procedure for checking tensioner with G Clamp. I would search on this forum but the search engine isnt that good as picks up everything. The procedure seems straight forward, will need to become the A Team for a while and devise a crank pulley locking wrench.