subiedoobiedoo Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 I just bought a '95 Legacy L Wagon with 87k miles. Question: Since the timing belts have not been done, are they due? I'm hearing two schools of thought: 90k deadline & 120k deadline. I'd prefer the latter, but am not willing to "push the envelope" if it's 90k. Thanks for your feedback! -- Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Since your engine is non-interference, there wouldn't be any engine damage if the belt broke or slipped unexpectedly. However, the engine would stop suddenly; not a nice happening in the middle of rush hour traffic on I-5. You should be safe for a bit since it's likely you'll start getting CELs warning you that something is imminent. If you do push it to 120K, consider replacing the water pump since it's not likely to last much longer, let alone to the next belt change interval. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaltCar Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Check the FAQ thread at the top of the forum. I posted a link to my favorite timing belt threads. Pull a cover and look at your belt. Read about what to look for. A few cracks are not a death sentence. I am collecting parts for this job. If I don't do it to the car I'm driving, I'll do it to the next one. If you check around you can save bucks on parts. I found a hydraulic tensioner for under $60. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Speaking of hydraulic tensioners; they can be re-used. With a strong vise and patience you can squeeze it back together and hold it in place for the next belt service (I use a piece of coathanger wire). Just squeeze it slowly--it can't be rushed--and make sure your release wire is pulled upwards and not down. Check the FAQ thread at the top of the forum. I posted a link to my favorite timing belt threads. Pull a cover and look at your belt. Read about what to look for. A few cracks are not a death sentence. I am collecting parts for this job. If I don't do it to the car I'm driving, I'll do it to the next one. If you check around you can save bucks on parts. I found a hydraulic tensioner for under $60. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 is it a 2.2 or a 2.5 www.cars101.com nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svxpert Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 <<is it a 2.2 or a 2.5>> <<I just bought a '95 Legacy L Wagon with 87k miles.>> 2.5 wasn't out in 1995, in the US at least Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 a 1995 2.2 will have a 60,000 mile replacement interval. 120,000 miles is when it should be changed the SECOND time. every 60,000...so 60,000 then 120,000 then 180,000. there's nowhere that says the interval is 120,000 between belt replacements. there is no Subaru with a 120,000 mile timing belt change interval. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 yeah..... but i put on a new belt when i bought my 95 leg sed and ran it for 95k miles with out changing it. i then started to feel guilty and had it changed at 165k. at 167k the trans went out. 60k is the interval , but if you don't mind walking and towing..... i just put in a 125k trans (new rear seal and seperator plate). my son is driving it to college next month. i think / hope it will last 4 more years. i keep telling him if he trys really hard, he can tear it up, but then he'll be walking!!! a 1995 2.2 will have a 60,000 mile replacement interval. 120,000 miles is when it should be changed the SECOND time. every 60,000...so 60,000 then 120,000 then 180,000. there's nowhere that says the interval is 120,000 between belt replacements. there is no Subaru with a 120,000 mile timing belt change interval. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 correct, nowhere does anyone or any piece of literature say "every timing belt breaks at exactly 60,001 miles". it is understood this is a recommended interval and belts don't break at 60,001. i have a friend that bought a toyota with 60,000 miles. he's over 200,000 now....and he's never changed the belt. he's out of state so i can't do it for him. let your desire for reliability decide for you. if being without transportation is very bad for you, then best to have it done ahead of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 correct, nowhere does anyone or any piece of literature say "every timing belt breaks at exactly 60,001 miles". it is understood this is a recommended interval and belts don't break at 60,001. i have a friend that bought a toyota with 60,000 miles. he's over 200,000 now....and he's never changed the belt. he's out of state so i can't do it for him. let your desire for reliability decide for you. if being without transportation is very bad for you, then best to have it done ahead of time. i had one break at 60,100 miles. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaltCar Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 I have a timing belt question. I read somewhere that there is a timing belt for subarus that has a longer change interval. Maybe they said it is a California spec belt or something like that. Is this fact or marketing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 2.2 is 60,000 2.5 is 105,000 miles. Ca cars are 105,000 for 1990-1995. i cant explain why except for state regulations. about emissions.It is probably a differtn belt due to california emissions laws. www.cars101.com shows the footnote under maintanece scheduale. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMattyD Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 There is a california spec belt for the 95 and 96 2.2 engines. I got the california spec because they are recommended for 105000 mile intervals. I am not sure if they are made differently or if they are just warranted for longer service. My original timing belt easily lasted 105000 miles before I got around to changing it. matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blitz Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 correct, nowhere does anyone or any piece of literature say "every timing belt breaks at exactly 60,001 miles". it is understood this is a recommended interval and belts don't break at 60,001. i have a friend that bought a toyota with 60,000 miles. he's over 200,000 now....and he's never changed the belt. he's out of state so i can't do it for him. let your desire for reliability decide for you. if being without transportation is very bad for you, then best to have it done ahead of time.Endwrench pretty much says that high ambient temperature and high RPM are the two main determinate factors that conspire to shorten T-belt life. 200k is pretty good. **** ******! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaltCar Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Speaking of hydraulic tensioners; they can be re-used. With a strong vise and patience you can squeeze it back together and hold it in place for the next belt service (I use a piece of coathanger wire). Just squeeze it slowly--it can't be rushed--and make sure your release wire is pulled upwards and not down. My car has over 200K miles. I would have reused the hydraulic tensioner in the past but these days $60 is just a few gallons of gas. If I am going to put that much work into a job like this I don't mind springing the bucks for a little insurance like a new tensioner. I got the Paraut water pump and the hydraulic tensioner from RockAuto and together they cost around $90 shipped. The tensioner came in the genuine subaru box. This car doesn't lose much oil at all, don't have to add oil between changes, but the bottom of the engine is oily. I don't want it to get any worse so I will change all of the seals and such as outlined in the post I linked to in the FAQs just as preventive maintenance. Edit to add link: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showpost.php?p=19460&postcount=37 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subiedoobiedoo Posted July 1, 2006 Author Share Posted July 1, 2006 is it a 2.2 or a 2.5 www.cars101.com nipper 2.2 MM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brumby Boy Posted July 1, 2006 Share Posted July 1, 2006 when we had the daewoo dealership at key we had a big bunch of them that snaped belts a 80,000km ish and the recomended interville is 100,000k and they are an interference engine (head off ) but that daewoo they are a *************** box and thats why ill never buy one soz got a bit off topic at the end i always do belts at the recomended times Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saw Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 I have a '91 legacy and replaced my first belt at ~108K. Car presently has 186K on it, with this 2nd belt. Will not consider replacing again , unless it breaks, until after 200K. Water pump is original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 I have a '91 legacy and replaced my first belt at ~108K. Car presently has 186K on it, with this 2nd belt. Will not consider replacing again , unless it breaks, until after 200K. Water pump is original. whats that puddle in your driveway? :-p nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMattyD Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 I have a '91 legacy and replaced my first belt at ~108K. Car presently has 186K on it, with this 2nd belt. Will not consider replacing again , unless it breaks, until after 200K. Water pump is original. I think you will probably be okay, but for peace of mind, when I changed my first timing belt at 105k, I also changed the oil seals, resealed the oil pump, and replaced the thermostat and radiator hoses. I chalked it up as preventive maintenance. None of my seals were leaking, and my water pump was fine, but I figured I was less likely to have to take apart the engine again anytime soon. I will probably wait till 200k to change the timing belt again, and when I do, I may change the idler pulleys... Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaltCar Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 I bought all of the idler pulleys and the tensioner pulley. I may not use all of them if the originals feel like new. My transportaton costs are unusually low so I usually don't sweat the small stuff. It is hard to make these calls sometimes about costs vs longevity. In my case I don't know if this car will be on the road for another 50K or maybe longer. If a part is easy to get to I may skimp but I only want to do the timing belt once. If a timing belt can last 100K miles I think the job should be done with that goal in mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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