Timing belt - how long does it take to change

[boomer308]

I bought a 1999 Legacy Outback with about 120,000 miles. The garage I bought it from said the timing belt had been replaced once, but didn't know when. What is theexpected life of a timing belt?

 

The nearest Subaru dealership quoted a time of 3 hours to replace the  belt. Two other garages said the same thing. One garage said on a Subaru that's a big job and would take about 13 hours. Who is right, the dealership, and garages that said 3 hours or the one that said 13  hours?

 

Could the 3 hour quotes be for replacement of the belt only and the 13 hour quote be for replacement of the belt, pulley and water pump? Is it always necessary to replace everything?

[DaveT]

Change mileage is about 100K.  13 hours?  if you never did one before, and everything goes wrong, and you do it in the dark.

 

Change all of the idlers and tensioner.  Waterpump.... Many do change them.  They seem to go more than 100K, but will it go over 200K?

[Bushwick]

You do NOT want to wait until 100k miles on interference engines. Rubber belts can literally break at any time, whether just idling or babying the engine and shifting at 2500 RPM with light throttle pressure, it doesn't matter. On interference engines, it also doesn't matter as it can damage regardless. Sometimes you might luck out and not damage anything, but that seems to be rare.

 

 

Is it a DOHC or SOHC? SOHC is less involved as you aren't trying to align 4 cam sprockets with the crank sprocket like on DOHC.

 

 

I had done at least two other timing belts (most of my cars have been timing chain) before buying my 95', so I had a rough idea what was expected, and like your car, I couldn't get a clear answer on when the last belt was replaced, and car had 172k miles roughly, but at least was a non interference. Belt did appear older and was most likely overdue.

 

 

Anyhow, going into it blind, about 15 minutes to remove the fan shroud assembly and unhook it and maybe 10 minutes to remove timing covers (1st time taking your time, and assuming all the bolts actually come out w/o snapping) and alt/ps belt. Decide how to crack the crank bolt loose (5 minutes with breaker bar on pipe and bumping the starter). From here, you can cut the old belt in under a minute, remove the pulleys and tensioner in another 5 minutes, install new new pulleys in 5 minutes, install new tensioner, slip belt on, align the cam sprockets with crank in 20 minutes. Hand crank engine a few revolutions to be sure valves aren't hitting, then start engine briefly to make sure all is well. Replace covers and fan shroud another 15 minutes.

 

Water pump is optional unless it's squealing or original.

 

I think mine was done in an hour roughly, and the hardest part was the small screws snapping on the fan shroud assembly. Dragging feet should be 2 hours I imagine.

 

3 hours is what the shops are quoting from a service manual as a general guideline. Good shops will be done quicker than that. Lazy shops on a slow day might take every bit of the 3 hours. 13 hours? They are probably a hole in the wall shop that seriously don't want to touch the car for whatever reason- avoid that place at ALL costs.

Edited March 13, 2016 by Bushwick

[1 Lucky Texan]

13 hours is a number that makes YOU say no - that way, the shop didn't say no. They throw that at you because they are uncomfortable with doing the job, backed-up or ????

[mikaleda]

It shouldn't take 13 hours to do the head gaskets, let alone the timing belt. 3 hours sounds more like it.

[matt167]

I had a local shop that charged a low rate, but his stipulation was that he kept the clock running during coffee and lunch breaks.. he would pretty much take any time required, and double it.. He didn't last very long and now I think he mows lawns.

Edited March 13, 2016 by matt167

[vtwinjunkie]

Just did my timing belt yesterday. 

 

It took me 2 hours and I have never done it before. 

 

replaced belt, all pullies, waterpump, tensioner, coolant flush and oil/filter change. The job is cake. 

[AdventureSubaru]

Yep. 3 hours is what the book will say. Anyone who's done one before can do it in half that time. I would have busted up laughing if someone told me 13 hours to do a timing belt.

 

Subaru reccommends timing belt and components to be done every 80,000 miles. If you know when it was done last, you know when it will be due. Gates kits are usually around $200 and last as well as the more expensive Subaru OEM kits.

 

If it was done at the first service interval at 80,000 miles it will be due again at 160,000 miles. There's no guarantee that idlers and such were replaced with it. For the cost of a timing belt job (Expect $200 to DIY and $500 to have a shop do it) it's cheap peace of mind to know it's new and not due for 80,000 more miles.

[vtwinjunkie]

Yep. 3 hours is what the book will say. Anyone who's done one before can do it in half that time. I would have busted up laughing if someone told me 13 hours to do a timing belt.

 

Subaru reccommends timing belt and components to be done every 80,000 miles. If you know when it was done last, you know when it will be due. Gates kits are usually around $200 and last as well as the more expensive Subaru OEM kits.

 

If it was done at the first service interval at 80,000 miles it will be due again at 160,000 miles. There's no guarantee that idlers and such were replaced with it. For the cost of a timing belt job (Expect $200 to DIY and $500 to have a shop do it) it's cheap peace of mind to know it's new and not due for 80,000 more miles.

My 2005 calls for the tbelt to be done at 105k.

 

Are you talking about an earlier model? 

[Rooster2]

My 2005 calls for the tbelt to be done at 105k.

 

Are you talking about an earlier model? 

Yes, 2005 model calls for belt change at 105K miles.

 

Earlier models back in the 90's is 60K miles, as I recall.

[1 Lucky Texan]

105K miles OR 105Months - w'ever comes first.

[ThosL]

Water pump on my 99 with an ej22 was $400; they said the timing belt looked OK with little wear so did not replace that, though they are about $50.  Car has gone about 175K miles without it being changed.

[idosubaru]

change the belt and pulleys now - a new belt still probably means old pulleys which are about as unreliable as an old belt. 

 

they're easy.  i've done the belt only in less than an hour before...one cars with no rust. 

add an hour or two for pulleys and water pump or first timer if working methodical. 

[Tetonvalleynick]

99 legacy outback should be a DOHC

 

I recently worked on mine.  It takes me about 2 hours depending on if the intake cam slips or not while putting on the belt.

 

I didn't replace the pulleys on mine mine but did replace the tensioner.  All of the pulleys still spun well and had very little play in them so I left them on there.

 

My front crankshaft seal was also bad, and I took care of that while I was in there, which only added an addition 10 minutes.  If you have an oil leak behind the timing cover it doesn't hurt to check on that now while yo have all that off.

 

Also 13 hours is ridiculous.....