When to change a timing belt?????
 

Have an Impreza WRX 2005 - now 5 yrs old with 41k on the clock.

Was sourced from Malta.

Subaru UK say 60 months or 50-60k miles whichever comes first.

Subaru Malta say 84 months or 66k miles whichever comes first.

Subaru North America say 105 months or 105k miles whichever comes first.

Have contacted Subaru Malta and they say that 84 months or 66k miles should be fine.

No wonder Subaru UK get a reputation as rip off merchants!!!


http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...es/ponder2.gif

you take your chances

do you fancy spending big money on a rebuild for bent valves and squashed big ends when the pistons hits the valves

5 years or 50,000 miles

so Subaru Malta and Subaru North America where they sell Imprezas in their tens of thousands both wrong?????

remember the rubber on the belt goes off with age

and the car was from malta, different climate can affect rubber on the timing belt and tyres from malta are not suited to the climate here either, they go off or split quite easily

car was uk spec with exactly the same Bridgestone tyres as Subaru UK supplied cars.

North America has a much more extreme climate than UK and they allow 105 months or 105,000 miles - it doesn't make any sense at all.........

as i said

it's up to you on when you do the cambelt

just hope it doesnt go before you PLAN to get it done at what ever mileage you decide to get it done at

I have always changed the timing belts on second hand cars, for what it cost compared to how much a rebuild would cost it's buttons really!

hi, just a quick comment, i dont know of a subaru impreza (unmodified) with proper service history that has suffered cambelt failure! sure someone might but it is extremely rare. prevention is better than cure. i,ve stuck to the service schedule. 67,000 miles later and the only problem has been both rear shocks. maybe subaru look at climate and roads, speed limits and many other things or you maybe right and they might be ripping us off. by the way i dont use main dealer, so save some ££££,s

It's a good question Tim & I have to say that after 23 yrs of being a technician who has been factory trained by Rover, Land Rover, Jaguar, Subaru & Prodrive, that I am at a loss to qualify the difference in the intervals of the belt change.

It would be quite easy to come up with theories as to why this would be the case, but it would be guess work on my behalf as I was not there when the technical boffins decided what interval to allocate to each country.

One thing is for certain though.... The interval for England is 5 yrs or 50,000 miles (whichever comes first) & there have been cases of snapped belts well before the 105k mark…. If you want to push for 9 yrs or 105,000 miles then be our guest, it would be an interesting experiment, and I’m sure that many would follow your progress with baited breath... Be warned however, if the people in the know have got it right, you will end up with one hell of a repair bill!!

Personally, I would let someone with deep pockets do the experimenting ;)

It's a legal requirement chaps ... the USA demands that belts last 100,000 miles - that's why the different change regime.

Most belts will last longer than 100,000 miles - but, in America, for those which don't Subaru USA will take a view as to what action to take on the very few belts which break under 100,000 miles.

I have taken a cover off to look at mine and it is fine - was due, under the UK rules, to be changed last May. There is very little risk on standard engines to go over the time a sensible stretch.

It's poppycock about the different climates :lol: Damned funny reading though ;)

Hi their,i have a 55 plate wrx from Cyprus from new.Had it serviced from day one at subaru and so mine will have the cambelt done this september as its 5yr even though im only on 30,500 miles.But to be honest its not alot for peice of mind.

Pushing 12 years and 82,000 miles, still going strong!!!

Each has their own opinion, mine had a cambelt @21k on 2012 and I just had it done @ 33k

If Tim has still got his WRX it's been nearly 5 years since he started this thread so will be due for another cambelt :)

What a hero 👏

I think that you're more likely to suffer a failed idler/tensioner/pulley than a snapped belt with equally devastating consequences.

Think I'm still on the original alternator belt too. The fast Fords of yesteryear snapped belts every 45 yards. I think all the unsold spares were recycled to make Subaru CV Gaiters.

I had mine done at 41k last year, not worth taking the chance

Mine was due in may this year due to it being 5yrs, got one sat in the garage but not got round to doing it yet, spoke to a very well respected engine builder and he said it should be fine, still got about 8k miles before it's due based on miles covered. This engine builder said they are not really known for snapping belts, I think you'll find it's 60k that's when mine was done by subaru dealer last time round. I'm going to wing it as I want a new engine anyway and don't see the point of going to the expense of belt, tensioners, oil pump and water pump on an engine I plan on junking sometime next year, if it let's go in the mean time I'll deal with it when it happens. Fingers and toes crossed.:D

I always go by the millage rather than the age of a belt and after over 30 years of motoring I've never had one break. When they start putting sell by dates on the boxes I might reconsider. :wonder:

35 miles on my new one! Hope this one lasts 12 years too!