Timin' Belt Covers.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

The whole timing kit, which includes Both timing belts, tensioners, etc, were installed new and coverless since year 2009 and everything looks pretty Good so far, to be such an old timing kit; but it is a genuine Subaru brand, which I found new old stock at the -now defunct- local Subaru dealer.

 

I suspect that the belts and bearings run a lot cooler without the covers in place.

 

Yes, and a lot Cleaner also, I believe by a mix between the free centrifugal action, and the radiator fans blowing warm air to them.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

However, to read this...

 

 

...made me to obtain a Gates TCK 299 timing kit ~► https://www.amazon.com/Gates-TCK299-Timing-Belt-Component/dp/B000C2UL5U

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Which I have not installed yet.   

 

The reason is that somehow, I don't really want to remove that old Timing Kit from my Subie, because it really looks and feels pristine like New, making me feel guilty, like Wasting good parts for nothing, if I change it. 

 

 

...made me wonder about how often we drive the cars, that features non-interference engines, 'till their timing belts just simply Snap, without worrying too much on changing them at the proper interval.

[DaveT]

I've gotten a little oil and or coolant on them, nothing bad happened. They were either gates or subaru, most likely gates. The ones that snapped, were all before I switched to running without the covers. I have no plans to try to run a set beyond 40,000 miles. Reliability is #1.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

... I have no plans to try to run a set beyond 40,000 miles. Reliability is #1.

 

Yes, of Course, I Agree.

 

Also I am afraid of being stranded in the middle of nowhere on this Subie, even worse if I am with my little daughter and wife; as we usually go in my Subaru at different Mountain offroading adventure trips on Weekends; but every time I am about to change the Timing Belts, the Dilemma starts over again, as the old ones still looks intact, like new... I've seen less older timing belts on other cars, that has worn marks and they looks like about to fail, but not this ones.

 

However, I am only Delaying the inevitable, and sooner or later, I will change this old Timing Kit from my Subaru "BumbleBeast" and use the Gates TCK 299 new timing kit.

 

Kind Regards.

[Len Dawg]

Hell with it!! I'm goin to fabricate tomorrow... I'm cutting the center in half and glue/screw them to the outside pieces and use only 2 maybe 4 screws to secure per half to the back covers.

 

I agree with both points of view open for splooge ability for flexibility during the summer months, as well protecting from Tooo much water when rains up here in the Pacific Northwest like today.. axillary belts gave a squeek today

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Needed update: 

Appreciated fellows,

I've been driving my beloved Subaru "BumbleBeast" without touching the timing kit that I installed in year 2009, as a long term test, to see if they perform better being coverless, rather than being covered on their original plastic housings.

So, this incoming september, they will reach a whole Decade of being functioning as they should, which is far much more than the seven years that lasted the original set that came with the car, when my father purchased it brand new; and much longer than the three-to-four years of average that lasted any other aftermarket timing kit that we used on this EA82.

Please notice that this Subie has being with us, since 1985 when it was brand new; with more than three decades of uninterrupted ownership and daily use so far... this Subie is beyond awesome and has payed for itself and all its mods and repairs.

This timing kit is about to reach 100,000 kilometers and I know that I'm crazy for doing this, but it still looks good ...  ... However I am searching for another, brand new timing kit in order to change it after the ten years' mark / 100,000 kilometers as I planned.

The lifted Subie is usually being drove crazily on weekends, on rocky / gravel \ muddy roads, and drove regularly on paved streets on weekdays, not having a single issue so far.

Kind Regards.

Edited October 25, 2019 by Loyale 2.7 Turbo
I mistakenly wrote "Miles" instead of "Kilometers" ... fixed.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

I forgot to mention that had to sell the Gates TCK299 timing kit that I obtained, some years ago, sealed in its Box as it came from USA; now it seems impossible to find it as cheap as I obtained it back then ...  ...

[el_freddo]

2 hours ago, Loyale 2.7 Turbo said:

I forgot to mention that had to sell the Gates TCK299 timing kit that I obtained, some years ago, sealed in its Box as it came from USA; now it seems impossible to find it as cheap as I obtained it back then ...  ...

What’s even worse is that Gates have apparently gone to poo with Chinese components. Other members will tell you more about this and what to buy instead  

Cheers 

Bennie

[idosubaru]

jesek - you're so talented just press in new bearings into the timing pulleys and all you need is belts and tensioner springs if you want to replace those.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

On 3/5/2019 at 7:22 AM, idosubaru said:

jesek - you're so talented just press in new bearings into the timing pulleys and all you need is belts and tensioner springs if you want to replace those.

Thank you for your Kind Words, which I really appreciate.

Yes, I've changed just the ball bearings in the past, also on the outer belt's tensioner; but the main concern here, are the belts themselves.

However, I'm doing an experiment here, to test if the timing belts are more durable by being used coverless on this EA82 engine, rather than being used with their covers.

The experiment is about to reach Ten years, which is what I've been waiting, meanwhile my "BumbleBeast" Subaru has been used as daily driver on week days, and as my offroader weekend warrior, running on gravel unpaved roads, plenty of small rocks and dirt, and the timing belts somehow keep themselves clean, much cleaner than before, when they where enclosed onto their plastic covers which held inside oil, mud, dust, greasy residues... etc.

 

Kind Regards.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

[BEECHBM69]

Completely off topic, but I'm glad to see you back. You've been missed. 

Dan

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

17 hours ago, BEECHBM69 said:

Completely off topic, but I'm glad to see you back. You've been missed. 

Dan

Thank you, Sir. 

Also I missed a lot to be here, on USMB, it feels like Home 

I will post updates regarding on this subject, as anything occurs, but my Goal is to reach the Ten Years mark, which will happen next September, if the Timin' belts doesn't snap earlier ... Anyhow, the "Coverless" Setup has proven to be Better to help elongate the timing kit's Lifespan, without doubt; besides of making a service in that area / engine's front, much much easier.

Greetings from the Caribbean, Honduras.

[robm2]

Interesting.  Jeszek, how many miles/kilometers in that 10 years of use?

My experience with coverless belts was not as good. 

One broke at about 60000 km.  A seized oil pump may have been the issue.

Another stripped at about the same number of km's. 

On another car, one broke, age unknown.  The PO had assured me the belts were quite fresh when I bought the car. 

 

My climate is completely different from yours.  Cold, wet, snowy in the winter (down to -20 deg. C) to hot, dry  in the summer (up to 35 deg. C).  I wonder how much that affects the longevity?

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Climate! ... Yes, we have a pretty stable climate here, never goes too hot nor too cold.

Usually between 60º F to 80º F ... That obviously helps to extend their lifespan for sure.

I've surpassed 84,000 kilometers with them, trying to reach above 100,000 as a goal.

Kind Regards.

Edited October 25, 2019 by Loyale 2.7 Turbo
I made a mistake with my fingers, writing the mileage, Fixed.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Well, the time challenge has been met, successfully!

Almost three decades and a half of continous ownership of my Subie, all of them running with this carbureted EA82 which is the original engine, having almost everything original inside it; and these last ten years, the engine has been running with the same timin' belts, coverless!

However, my beloved "BumbleBeast" has not reached the 100,000 kilometers' goal with the same timin' belts, yet; thus means that the mileage challenge hasn't been met... So, I decided that I'll let this old timin' kit to stay there, working for few months more; I'll report here as soon as anything new happens regarding the subject; meanwhile I must better find a brand new timin' kit... 

Kind greetings from Honduras.

Edited October 25, 2019 by Loyale 2.7 Turbo

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

I've not changed anything, yet...

in part due to the horrid situation of the Coronavirus Pandemic and its many different consequences, such like Quarantine times, stay locked at home, etc... Also in part because I've had health issues with my right Knee after a falling from a Mezzanine at work; so the level of usage of my Subie, decreased a lot this year and I've not reached the mileage I spected, yet.

Please be careful during this pandemic times, take care of your loved ones and you. 

Greetings from Honduras.

[Step-a-toe]

Good to see you are still lurking this forum Jes.

Still got the blue ink in your pen 

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

On 10/24/2019 at 10:47 PM, Loyale 2.7 Turbo said:

Well, the time challenge has been met, successfully! ... the mileage challenge hasn't been met yet...

 

Well, long ago the Mileage Challenge got Surpassed as I couldn't find a new timing belts' kit on time; but now I have to update this Thread with new information: I had to buy separately the left and right timing belts in Gates brand, the T-299 and the T-300.

The old Timing belts worked Coverless for more than Eleven Years almost reaching twelve and also reached a total of 114,XXX Kilometers, which means a little above the 70,000 Miles and those belts doesn't looked as bad as other timing belts that I've changed in other cars, even in this mere Subie in the past, when it had the covers for the timing belts; so, the warm air blowing from the radiator and the centrifugal action has helped these belts to be cleaner and last longer, being Coverless; as the covers tends to get oily and dirty.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

I purchased the T-299 belt, the T-300 belt and a set of valve covers' gaskets, online at RockAuto:

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

I decided to remove the Engine from the Car for three reasons, one was to do a deep Cleansing and repainting all the Engine bay; other reason was to change the Pilot Bearing from the Clutch, as it became loudly Noisy; and finally I decided that it was time to change the old, worn Hydraulic Lifters with a fresh set of new ones... even change the timing belts is easier outside the car, so I did everything at once.

 

I obtained a set of new Hydraulic Lifters at eBay:

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

My beloved Subaru "BumbleBeast" has the oil pump and its Mickey Mouse Shaped seal, in healthy conditions, so the noise that the old, worn Hydraulic lifters were doing, was not the TOD ("tick-of-death")  sound; the clockwork noise were coming from their normal wear at this age and mileage...

As I've read several times, long years ago on these Forum; certain members exposed that the oil access holes on the Hydaulic Lifters' body, are so tiny that with age and usage, the varnish and sludge of these engines could restrict and even block the access of the oil at them, making them to work dry and noisy.

Furthermore, experienced mechanics suggested that such small openings on the Hydraulic Lifters' bodies, could be drilled and opened to the next size, in order to minimize clogging and let them get the oil pressure in a better way which may lead to a self cleaning operation.

 

Here's an example:

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

My "BumbleBeast" it has being running with Valvoline's "MaxLife" semi sinthetyc multigrade oils; however it ran on mineral multigrade oils in the past and after all these years and miles, I decided to change the Hydraulic Lifters with a fresh set of new ones with their tiny holes already Drilled in order to improve the oil flow to them.

 

 

The back from a 5/64" drill bit, fits perfect on the tiny holes, but its cutting knives on its other side are wider up to the next size of it, you'll never know how many of these bits I wasted until I found a suitable one that could drill their metal, it is amazingly hard and even tungsten carbide drill bits were wasted by the dozen... so, it is better idea to get the Hydraulic Lifters to a professional lathe shop and let them do that aggrandizement for you, if you can... in my case I done that manually.

 

Then, a deep cleansing of each Hydraulic Lifter were nessesary.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Eating your Favourite Snack and Soda will help you to be Patient enough...