GRobbieT Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 (edited) New to forum heard this was the best place to go. The car is a subaru legacy outback w/ 2.5 DOHC engine about 150,000 miles girlfriend bought the car used about 40,000 ago first problem shes had and it giving me a RASH! I am having serious issues with timing belt keeps slipping a few teeth. I have replaced from start to now still having problems put puts at lower rpms while driving and slips a few teeth in the timing. I have started w/ plugs and wires then replaced crank and cam sensor (both new) then replaced w/ new timing belt. Still had issues realigned timing belt belt slipped a few teeth again. Replaced timing belt tensioner new from napa. still have issues. bearings seem good on cam idler pulleys ( I think). could it be a failing oil pump? I am sick of going in there and not fixing problem any insight as to what could be causing this slip in timing belt. Running out of patience but still willing to address problem Edited September 24, 2008 by GRobbieT add mileage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Couple of things I can think of: 1) get a Genuine Subaru tensioner for the timing belt. 2) with the belt off, and the crank sprocket lined up with the timing mark, turn each of the cam sprockets and see if one or more has more drag than the others. YOu should be able to turn them freely when they are not pressing on any valves (each cam has one position that does this for a few degrees. on the passenger side, it will be when the timing marks line up) If one of more camshaft is binding, it could cause the timing belt to jump teeth, even if the tensioner is good. If the tensioner is bad (and not giving enough tension) then you will be jumping teeth no matter what you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostinthe202 Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Keep in mind that the 2.5 is an interference engine so you don't want to go spinning things under power if you're not sure the belt is lined up. Follow the steps in this article, http://endwrench.com/main.php?smPID=PHP::article_detail.php&&RECID=184 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRobbieT Posted September 24, 2008 Author Share Posted September 24, 2008 I'll check the cam sprockets when she gets home I know the pasenger side sprockets turn with minimal effort is it okay to turn the driver side sprockets I moved them a little to line them back up but don't want to damage the valves. Oh and I meant to say WATER PUMP not oil pump it dowsn't show any tell tell signs of failure but could that be causing the problem cause the timing belt drives it? Maybe its binding the belt? It spins but maybe there's too much drag. Thanks for your responses. Do you really think a new NAPA part would cause the same problem as the original? Where do you buy a genuine subaru tensioner. wish I knew about this site when i was trying to get the crank pulley off and didn't know the starter trick, my impact wouldn't get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screwbaru2 Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 With that many miles I'd change the waterpump as a matter of PM. I'd also consider doing the oil pump, it'll be a long time before you'll be in there to change the belt again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2F1R Suby/dub Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Hi. What condition are the teeth on the cam pulleys? I had a similar problem on a Mustang. I changed the tensioner and the belt. The problem stopped when I changed the pulley(pulleys in your case). It seems when the engine was shut off it would kick back, or diesel, just a bit. That was enough to pull the belt over the worn pully teeth. It was my sons car and I had to fix it in the frat parking lot. I got to where I could pull that belt and set the tensioner and timing in under 30 minutes using a pair of channel locks to pull the tensioner slack to mount the belt. Cheers. Dave Allen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Is this an automatic or manual transmission? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRobbieT Posted September 25, 2008 Author Share Posted September 25, 2008 5 spd manual Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 I was talking about spinning the cams by hand to check the drag. do the same with the water pump, also recommended to be genuine Subaru. I get my parts at 1stsubaruparts.com. Give Jason a call at (866)528-5282. Good prices, and he really knows his stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 5 spd manual Did that guide plate thing that goes above the belt above the crank sprocket get reinstalled correctly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msmithmmx Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 I thought that plate was only there to protect the belt during shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 I don't know; it's just something I was thinking of that has a possibility of allowing timing to jump on a manual trans soob anyway... it say Beginning with the 1998 model year, 2.5 liter engines have this sheet metal belt guide mounted above the crankshaft sprocket. The belt guide serves to maintain belt engagement mainly during the time the vehicle is being shipped. Manual transmission vehicles are shipped in gear, which transmits the rocking action of the shipment vehicle to the cambelt tensioner, compressing the oil chamber. The tensioner begins to refill the oil chamber after the engine is started and in some cases the tension of the belt was not increased in a timely manner. This would cause the torque of the engine to slip the crankshaft sprocket ahead of the timing belt, creating a crankshaft to camshaft timing problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screwbaru2 Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 (edited) There's a clearence dimension for that guide plate thing. I reinstall it when I change belts. I forget if it's 1/6" or 1/8" clearence. I'd install that little thing whata got to lose? Edited September 26, 2008 by screwbaru2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 any previous work done to this car? original engine? head gaskets replaced? how many previous owners? have the cam sprockets ever been removed? i think there's some info missing. the cam sprockets are installed on the correct sides? the pulleys didn't get swapped around (can't imagine it but..)? the crank sprocket is installed properly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screwbaru2 Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 What brand of timing belt is it? ARe you absolutly sure its slipping, or are you just not getting on quite right. Sooby belts can be a pita even for the pros. nipper You said a mouthful there nipper! When I finally figured out what the timing marks on the belts where for it became easier. They put the timing aligment "off" about a tooth and a half so when the tension is applied and the slack in the belt is taken up the timing marks line right up. Get em right 1st time everytime since then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frag Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 You said a mouthful there nipper! When I finally figured out what the timing marks on the belts where for it became easier. They put the timing aligment "off" about a tooth and a half so when the tension is applied and the slack in the belt is taken up the timing marks line right up. Get em right 1st time everytime since then. That's the reason why OEM belts with marks on them are useful. If the marks on the sprockets are lined up with the lines on the belt, nothing will change when the slack is taken. I'm an amateur and I replaced 2 belts on an EJ22 with no problems doing it this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msmithmmx Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 I do not trust the mark's, I count the teeth between sprockets. That method has not failed me yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screwbaru2 Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 I do not trust the mark's, I count the teeth between sprockets. That method has not failed me yet. That's good once the slack is taken up it's getting to that point that the marks on the belt are for. The count can be right but the sprockets could still wind up off once the slack is taken up. Trust but verify. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 EJ22 is an entirely different animal then a DOHC engine. There is no comparison. nipper Yes, thank goodness! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screwbaru2 Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 Yes, thank goodness! +++1 on that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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