EA82 timing belt change.

[kybishop]

Getting ready to change the belts on my 1986 EA82 GL wagon. Is there a write up or anything on this? I never have replaced one on one of these. Sounds pretty simple.

 

Thanks.

[MilesFox]

OF course, there is a write up:brow: it is really easy to find. It is posted all over the place.

 

search for "ea82 timing belt check and replacement"

 

If you have any questions, just ask me. I wrote it.

[MilesFox]

http://www.economysuperstar.com/milesfox/subaru/service/timingbelt.htm

 

 

[Redcap]

While it may seem daunting at first, the timing belt job on a EA82 is very easy!

[kybishop]

Thanks guys, appreciate it.

[idosubaru]

i'd get the ebay kits with all new pulleys, great price for what you're getting. the pulleys are scrap by now and worse off than the timing belt by this time sine that's probably been replaced once...and they probably never have.

[kybishop]

Thanks, I'll check the pulleys out.

 

Whoever put the case on last must have put it on too tight. I got most all the bolts out but the ones on the passenger side. Three of them just spin with the brass fittings spinning with them on the back side. I will have to grind them off I guess.

 

Also, since all the cases are on I have to remove the pulleys to get the case off. Having a hard time getting the big central pulley off. Need something to hold it secure while wrenching on it. I am assuming this is the crankshaft pulley. However, I have a strong arm and socket on it and can turn it with the car in gear. Not a ton of resistance but some. Car ran strong before the belt went.

 

I have removed most all to get to the belts, alternator, A/C already removed. Fans are off but one bolt spins on the housing of one of them and will need to grind it off as well.

 

I see why a lot of guys run with the covers off. But, exposes the belts to the elements more.

Edited November 7, 2011 by kybishop

[MilesFox]

IF the threaded inserts are just spinning, you should be able top pop the covers off with a flat screwdriver while turning the bolt.

 

Put your 22mm socket on a breaker bar, on the pulley nut, and butt it against the battery side of the car. bump the starter, and this will break it loose for you.

 

Putting it back on with enough torque will be the tricky part.

 

put the car in a higher gear with the parking brake on to tighten it. you will be torquing all the slack of the driveline out before the bolt itself torques on. so you will need a good half circle of movement to do it this way, orient your tool so you can get it tight!

[kybishop]

"Put your 22mm socket on a breaker bar, on the pulley nut, and butt it against the battery side of the car. bump the starter, and this will break it loose for you."

 

Man, I love these ideas that are so simple yet I would never think of it. That is most excellent.

 

I will try to pop the covers off. I thought they might but didn't try. I can feel them spinning on the back side with my fingers as I turn the bolts. The three that spin were never tight but all the others took a bit to break them loose.

 

Thanks!

Edited November 7, 2011 by kybishop

[man on the moon]

You will need a pipe extension, or a creative way to brace the wrench (you may be able to wedge a bar in place somewhere on top of the engine to brace the wrench).

 

Leave the covers off after you're done, it'll make the whole mess WAY easier the next time you have to do it, and won't harm much in the meanwhile.

[kybishop]

Thanks everyone. She is back on the road.

[MilesFox]

:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:

[rae houghton]

Very helpful...Watched the videos over and over...but engine was out of the car.

I was wondering if the engine has to come out of the car to do this repair?

And can the crank shaft seal be replaced easily without taking the engine out?

Any of the pulleys or tensioner a problem if engine is still in car?

thanks

Rae

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Welcome!

 

No, I believe that the idea of showing the engine outside the vehicle is to obtain a better footage for the Video, otherwise the camera will not gain enough free space, angle and distance to show the ideas in a better Way.

 

So, the answer is: Yes, you can do all that with engine inside the Car; however it is easier with engine, out.

 

Kind Regards.

[DaveT]

Timing belts and front seal? Do it in the car. Headgaskets, I do on a spare engine on a stand, then swap.

[rae houghton]

thank you both for your rapid replies.

sincerely,

Rae

[rae houghton]

as I am not a mechanic and getting on in age, (65) I am using this as an excuse to make enquiries with automotive shops as to the cost to do this repair.

One fellow said they could do it (replace the timing belts in 3 hours for $400......... and another said he had to do all the pulleys and seal and waterpump and belts and new fan and alternator belts because he didn't want me coming back and saying I had another problem....'why didn't you fix that too , when you had the timing belt cover off?".....and you know ...hey, he is right...should do it all at the same time....but his quote of minimum 10 hours (at 1500-1700$) said to me that he was going to take the engine out OR he was simply ripping me off.

 

I would like to try to do it myself, but as my leg is broken just now, getting in and around anything is a chore. .. and it is the only car we have, (1990 Subaru L-series wagon with a spare 1994 wreck for parts) and the wife needs it. I did manage to check the distributor shaft to see that it wasn't the gears that had been mashed and that was why the car had broken down on the highway. I did test the coil to make sure that didn't / wasn't the cause of the electrical problem as I had no spark (I had an extra working coil)   Recently,  I did manage to put a new fender on the car, whilst having the leg in a cast. (Now that was tricky) So getting on my knees under the car with my moon - boot will  prove to be quite a chore.

The belts in the 1994 were changed 1 1/2 years ago (20,000 km ago) on the tag inside the hood, and I did think of using them over again....but that does not seem wise, and no mechanic is probably going to want to use used gear....sensible. I wonder if they did the water pump too.? Just trying to get value out of this wreck I bought. Has already "just" paid for itself in tyres alone.

Any thoughts on the time to do this job? pulleys, seal, water pump, timing belts, and fan  /  alternator belts ????

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Mr. Rae,

 

If you are having rough time with your broken leg, and you have another L-series car for spare parts, whose EA82 engine was serviced not long ago and is in good working conditions; why don't you simply Swap engines?

 

Doing that will be pretty easier than swap the timing set and waterpump between the two, and you can leave the other engine out, in order to service it as soon as you can.

 

Just my kind suggestion... Best Regards.

[rae houghton]

Yes that would be a marvelous suggestion. Unfortunately, the reason the other car won't pass the roadworthy test is that it has a lot of rust , AND every conceivable seal on the engine seems to be leaking oil. But your idea has merit. Thanks

 

Any other thoughts on time to do this job with new parts?

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Something that will easier this timing Job, and future timing Jobs, is to leave the timing belts completely Coverless; you'll discover that the plastic with metal insertions of those covers, is fragile and the covers seems to complicate the process, also running coverless makes an inspection of the timing set, to be as easy as a visual thing.

 

I run mine Coverless since years ago, and I use it for Offroading, besides being a daily driver for the last thirty years...    

 

The time that such Job will take, depends on various factors, such as having experience, having the right tools, not finding seized bolts, having everything needed for the timing Job might include a new Waterpump ... etc ... 

 

By the way, there are two designs for waterpumps in the EA82 engines, one has the 110 mm long shaft, the other has 105 mm long shaft; it depends on the options the car has, so the Pulleys for A/C and Power Steering might or might not be present. If waterpump is alright, then you maybe want to keep it there, untouched.

 

I believe it will take you that a Whole Afternoon to do that timing belt job, if you have everything. 

 

Kind Regards.

[rae houghton]

thanks for your words and thoughts,

 

 NO no power steering, and Air Con has been taken out as it didn't work anyway. Had to improvise and put in a length of bolt material to create a new bolt to keep alternator in place when A/C was taken out. maybe that will speed things up. I will think long and hard about leaving the cover off for the future...seems like a good plan....except that we live near the beach, and I do worry about salt corrosion.

sincerely,

Rae

[crazyhorse001]

The only REQUIRED new parts for an ea82 timing belt change are...

1. Timing belts

2. Idler pullies (these can be skipped, but pose a risk if they're originals)

The water pump can be done separately, as can anything else. Any parts charged beyond this are unnecessary. As for time, an experienced subaru tech should be able to do the job in 2 hrs or less barring any broken, or stripped bolts.

Heres hoping you can get it done reasonably. I can totally understand not being able to do what you know is a simple job. It's fruatrating

[rae houghton]

Many thanks for your replies.

I have taken the timing belt covers off and found the culprit...the long belt is broken.

I note on the cam that someone previously has marked a touch of paint beneath a tooth on the cam....but this touch of paint on each cam DO NOT match the tiny holes in the cam pulley. Strange....but I guess I should use the little hole to deal with my timing.

 

Also the car I am using for parts had a timing kit installed (says the sticker on the inside....I haven't removed the covers yet...and am working on that right now...but taken a break because of visitors). I am thinking that if the kit was installed 20,000 km ago...the belts and tension adjusters and idler pulley can be reused....Any thoughts on this??

 

I notice that there is NO indication of oil inside my timing belt area...although I didn't take off the cam pulleys and inspect behind them.

I read somewhere (possibly here) that ""if it isn't broke....don't fix it""  and since seals can be easily inserted incorrectly, I am leaning in the direction of not putting them in....even if I go down the path of buying a kit.

Again...thoughts on this????

Thanks in advance

 

Rae

[rae houghton]

one more thing....I have tried to spin the idler pulley and it is rather stiff....will move but won't spin...is this normal?

and the adjuster pulley spin but not for long at all....like 2 --4 seconds max.

Again....normal???

[crazyhorse001]

Those idlers are siezed/siezing. I reccommend taking the lower km ones from the parts car. Idlers should spin freeish, and quiet. If you hear it, replace it. If you're handy, and have a press or a vise, you can replace the idler bearings on the cheap. Gently hammer or press the old ones out, and new ones in. Just make sure they go in STRAIGHT.