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Importexperts timing belt kit


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I know you don't like half-assery. I'll take it all apart.

 

True I don't like that. But it's about not having to do things a second time - that's what I don't like. When a car leaves my shop I want to insure trouble-free operation for the life of the timing belt. It's a very short-sighted mechanic that looks for repeat business by not replacing cam and crank seals with timing belt jobs.

 

GD

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Arrrr. The search on this site pisses me off sometimes. Oil pump can't be searched for because oil too short...

That's when google search comes in handy...

For anybody wondering...

http://beergarage.com/SubyOPump.aspx

Great article. Bookmarked. Definitely opening that up on the shop computer when I take mine apart.

Edited by 987687
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Arrrr. The search on this site pisses me off sometimes. Oil pump can't be searched for because oil too short...

 

Yep... I'm a Google fan :)

 

But just in case, it's also possible to look for 3-character words using a wildcard: "oil* pump". Or use google to search USMB, using the "site:domain" parameter. In our case, site:ultimatesubaru.org legacy oil pump (here)

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You found the Beer Garage! :clap: Love that site for the great walk-throughs and pics.

 

You don't have to completely disassemble the pump like he did, but definitely check the screws. And make sure that o-ring doesn't fall out and get pinched when you put the pump on the block. It's a bit tricky to get it to stay sometimes. I put a little bitty dab of high tack gasket sealant on the O-ring and to hold it on the block.

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I wasn't planning on tearing it completely down. If the screws are loose I'll just loctite them in place.

 

Yep... I'm a Google fan :)

 

But just in case, it's also possible to look for 3-character words using a wildcard: "oil* pump". Or use google to search USMB, using the "site:domain" parameter. In our case, site:ultimatesubaru.org legacy oil pump (here)

 

yep. search site:domain.tld is great. I use that all the time.

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So I got the kit. I'm not impressed.

They didn't include the crank or cam seals, the thermo gasket is thinner than OEM, and a paper WP gasket. Not a huge deal, I have to go to the dealer anyway for the oil pump o-ring.

The WP looks flimsy... It's considerably lighter than any of my Subaru ones sitting around. It has the stamped rotor :/ Whatever, it'll probably be fine.

What annoys me most is that for the two idlers, they gave me two of the single bearing kind. Not one of the dual bearing kinds for the one top right, looking at the front of the engine.

Hopefully it holds up, but part of me doesn't want to have to go back in there and deal if it next year....

Not impressed so far by theimportexports kit :/

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Sorry to hear that.

 

I believe I've lways gotten GMB WP's from them and the impellar is the cast type.

 

The last kit I got had a GMB WP and a rubber covered metal WP gasket. I'm unable to work on cars now, and have basically been unable for about a year. Perhaps they have changed things? I've bought a ton of their kits. I"m guessing more than 50 and rarely had a problem and when I did it was because I did a custom kit and they were great to work with.

 

 

You have to ask for the crank/cam seals, accessory belts, VC gaskets if you want them.

 

They are probably the 2 bearing row idlers. They send them that style so folks didn't put the single bearing one the wrong place (IIR it's supposed to be the bottom one.

 

I have never asked them about the oil pump Oring since I always seem to need to make a run to the dealer anyways.

 

Out of curiosity what brand timing belt did you get?

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So I got the kit. I'm not impressed.

They didn't include the crank or cam seals, the thermo gasket is thinner than OEM, and a paper WP gasket. Not a huge deal, I have to go to the dealer anyway for the oil pump o-ring.

The WP looks flimsy... It's considerably lighter than any of my Subaru ones sitting around. It has the stamped rotor :/ Whatever, it'll probably be fine.

What annoys me most is that for the two idlers, they gave me two of the single bearing kind. Not one of the dual bearing kinds for the one top right, looking at the front of the engine.

Hopefully it holds up, but part of me doesn't want to have to go back in there and deal if it next year....

Not impressed so far by theimportexports kit :/

 

And that was from Import Experts? I think I'm going with the Mizumo kit:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/90-97-1-8-2-2L-Subaru-Impreza-Legacy-EJ18-EJ22-Timing-Belt-Kit-AISIN-Water-Pump-/260925109309

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Sorry to hear that.

 

I believe I've lways gotten GMB WP's from them and the impellar is the cast type.

 

The last kit I got had a GMB WP and a rubber covered metal WP gasket. I'm unable to work on cars now, and have basically been unable for about a year. Perhaps they have changed things? I've bought a ton of their kits. I"m guessing more than 50 and rarely had a problem and when I did it was because I did a custom kit and they were great to work with.

 

 

You have to ask for the crank/cam seals, accessory belts, VC gaskets if you want them.

 

They are probably the 2 bearing row idlers. They send them that style so folks didn't put the single bearing one the wrong place (IIR it's supposed to be the bottom one.

 

I have never asked them about the oil pump Oring since I always seem to need to make a run to the dealer anyways.

 

Out of curiosity what brand timing belt did you get?

The idlers aren't the dual bearing type. The cogged one is, though.

The timing belt doesn't have a brand stamped on it, just "Made in the USA".

It's a lot stiffer than other timing belts I've bought from napa, or wherever else.

I was pretty sure the kit I ordered had the seals included, maybe not. That stuff I don't really care about so much.

 

I saw you post somewhere else about not working on cars, maybe I missed a thread. Why have you been out of the business?

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Generally speaking - on the 60k belt cars I use the Mizumo kit. I have one customer that (despite my warnings) has been running a Mizumo kit for 80k. Not a single issue.

 

The only problem I have had with their kits is that the "Kabuki" piston type tensioner rollers have a sleeve that's too short - you have to use the old sleeve from the original roller. No big deal since that's not a wear item. And they invariably include four cam seals in all their kits regardless of the kit being for a SOHC engine :-p. I never use their WP gaskets - I use Anearobic for both water pumps and oil pumps.

 

Again - apart from these two idiosyncrasies, I have used at least THREE DOZEN of their EJ22 kits without a single failure.

 

The single bearing idlers are not a problem if you change them at every belt change. This should be a no-brainer for $110 to $120 shipped for these kits. They aren't going to fail in 60k. Just not going to happen.

 

The mizumo kits are by far the best deal going for EJ22 non-interferance 60k kits. RUN, don't walk, to this deal when you need to do a timing belt job on one of these cars. The parts for a 60k non-interferance EJ22 simply don't need to be of amazingly high quality - they are going to get changed again in 60k!

 

For the 105k belt cars (97+ and '96 EJ25D's) I use NTN and Koyo idlers, NPW water pumps with the cast impellers, and Mitsuboshi timing belts. These I get from my local supplier that deals only in import parts and all components are Japanese. I don't mess around with the interferance engines.

 

For jobs that don't require immediate parts aquisition I also have bought the kit from theimportexperts that has the Aisin water pump and Mitsuboshi belt.

 

ALL of the kits I have ever bought from EVERY supplier both ebay and local purchased have had idlers with Japanese bearings. Usually NTN.

 

GD

Edited by GeneralDisorder
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I just did an EJ22--on our '95 Legacy--with the Mizumo kit (GMB water pump). I absolutely agree with GD's advice. It was due "by the book," but I would have waited another 20,000 miles had the front of the engine not been leaking oil. Everything in the kit seemed perfectly adequate, although the pump did come with that paper gasket, and both smooth idlers had single bearings. It's great that the seals are included, although it's funny that the box contains four cam seals for this SOHC engine. Anyway no complaints: the price was right, the job is done, and no more leaks! BTW the sleeve for the tensioner roller bolt appeared to be exactly the same length as the original, but it didn't matter; I had no reason to change it. I resealed the oil pump at the same time; the o-ring came from whomever would send it to me without charging an outrageous shipping fee or running up the item price to hide an outrageous shipping fee. I don't remember the vendor's name at this moment, but the delivered cost was slightly under $3.00, which beats having to make a trip to a dealer.

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I used the Mizumo when I did my car's EJ22. If I remember correctly, the tensioner's pulley spacer was 0.4mm too short :\

 

One thing to note, with the Mizumo kits at least, is that the description of the "item" on ebay specifies which water pump you are buying. I bought the kit with the GMB pump and it came with the metal gasket. The four cam seals were included as well, but someone had suggested using OEM ones instead so I got them from a dealer. The idler pulleys included were single row as well.

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I was not at all impressed with importexperts quailty, but price was cheap

 

IF, it is a car you love love love, and plan to keep forever, then give it OEM stuff, you know that stuff lasts.

If you are flipping a car, and the belt is old, then at least put this cheapy set on and tell new owner it is new but needs changed in 60k

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Thanks for the advise, GD. I always appreciate your opinion.

I don't know how long I'll keep the car, just signed up for college. It's a good reliable car, so I'll probably drive it through college. I'll just change the belt in 60k with one of better quality to last 105k.

I don't know if the automatic transmission going to last another 60k (300k miles) anyway...

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