Replacing pulleys, balancer, idler- need advice and part #s

[bstone]

The most of the guys advocating the Ebay kits have a lot more experience with Subarus than I do, so I'm not going to debate with them.

 

However, the Ebay kits are not an apple to apple comparision with factory parts. The Subaru pullies have two bearings. The Ebay pullies only have one bearing. Personally, I feel better having the pullies with two bearings.

 

$123.72 is cheap if it prevents a timing belt meltdown. Are Subaru timing parts less likely to fail? Who can say, there isn't enough data. But I will say that 105,000 miles is a pretty lengthy timing belt/ timing component replacement interval. I'll be replacing all the timing components on my 2006 Forester next month. I have 105,000 miles on my Forester and I bought all genuine Subaru parts, at discount, naturally. Maybe when I have 210,000 miles on my Forester $123.72 in my pocket will look more attractive.

 

That's exactly the point. This is arguably the most important maintenance that you can do on the car (lumping in the timing belt and water pump). I would much rather go with a superseded OE part that has 2 bearings than an aftermarket with one. I am going to be spending a few bucks on this, so may as well do it right.

 

I am in MA and subarupartsforyou is CT, so I figure it'll be here in a day or so. No rush, tho the whining balancer is getting me nervous.

 

I also ordered an OE timing belt and will do that when all the pulleys are replaced.

 

Does anyone know if I missed any important parts?

[davebugs]

Get whatever makes you feel comfortable.

 

But FYI the Ebay kits were the first to come with the 2 row bearings I believe. I suspect because folks were intalling them in the wrong place.

 

Also 2 cars I purchased not long after an idler failed after a dealer did a timing belt job had that lower, single bearing idler have a melt down.

 

And all internet or Ebay places aren't the same. Most of us have said we've had good experience with a particular vendor.

 

If you have most of the OEM parts already then getting the rest OEM probably makes the most sense since you already have a significant investment in parts that are part of the kit.

[idosubaru]

$123.72 is cheap if it prevents a timing belt meltdown. Are Subaru timing parts less likely to fail?

you misread. that $123 has nothing at all to do with aftermarket parts. he was comparing SUBARU prices to SUBARU prices. aftermarket price difference are a much wider gap, multiple hundreds of dollars difference in some cases for a total timing belt job.

 

The most of the guys advocating the Ebay kits have a lot more experience with Subarus than I do, so I'm not going to debate with them.

there's no need to debate. rarely, if ever, is one choice a good fit for everyone.

 

the cost-effectiveness of new parts for you is different than most since you're talking about a $10,000+ 2006 vehicle. if your maintenance costs were the same percentage of value as folks with a 10 or 15 year old car - meaning it would cost you $1,000 or 2,000 or $3,000 for timing pulleys, then you (or most people in your shoes) would think differently.

 

most people don't want to pay the exhorbitant $500+ timing belt parts job cost from Subaru. if you want to - then awesome, that is a great choice, but it's an undesirable fit for most people.

 

i don't currently drive a 105,000 mile interval vehicle since mine is 60,000 miles or has a timing chain (H6), but if i did i would probably inspect it at 50,000 or replace early even if they were Subaru pulleys. i wouldn't trust even a Subaru pulley to 105,000 miles.

[bstone]

Update:

 

All pulleys and the balancer is/are installed. Replaced the timing belt, as well. Additionally, did the oil pump and gasket since I happened to have it. Next is to replace the AC compressor as the current one doesn't work and has a high pitch noise coming from it.

[idosubaru]

sweet nice hit. subaru's a/c's are at least really easy to work on and replace stuff. no special tools, etc. the a/c compressors fail so rarely that used ones are cheap (because there's no demand) and unlikely to fail, and very easy to replace - like 4 bolts hold it to the car once the belt is off and 2 bolts for the hoses. but of course new is a good choice too if that's your style.

[bstone]

sweet nice hit. subaru's a/c's are at least really easy to work on and replace stuff. no special tools, etc. the a/c compressors fail so rarely that used ones are cheap (because there's no demand) and unlikely to fail, and very easy to replace - like 4 bolts hold it to the car once the belt is off and 2 bolts for the hoses. but of course new is a good choice too if that's your style.

 

I might go with a new one. I know it's a lot more expensive, at the same time I caution all the car owners I work on "if it moves don't buy it used". Also, this is *my* car, not someone else's, and I would prefer to have a nice new part and not something used. This is sort of the reason why I just paid several hundred $$$ for OE pulleys and tensioners instead of getting an aftermarket kit.