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when I get my timing belt changed in my 01 forester, should I get the water pump changed too?

 

I assumed that I did, but someone told me that not all cars are like this, some have easier access to the water pump so changing out one just because you have things taken apart to get to the timing belt isn't necessary.

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on subaru engines, the water pump is driven by the timing belt, so if it ever fails, you have to remove the timing belt to replace it. everybody has different opinions on if you should change the pump or not, mostly depending on mileage and how long you plan to keep the car. when i did my timing belt and head gaskets at 72k, i replaced the pump, since i was changing everything else. it was only around $60 from http://www.1stsubaruparts.com, and i can't imagine installation would be that much more.

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It MAY depend on your personal tolerance for risk combined with your personal mechanical skills. Also, I think if the belt breaks on an '01 Forester, you're gonna have bent valves. If, say , you will pay a mech. to do do the work on a daughter's car that will drive 200 miles every other weekend to and from college - I say you spring to replace everything that touches the belt. If you are adept at doing the work yourself on you personal daily driver that is never more than 20 minutes from your home - just change the belt - IF a tensioner bearing seizes and melts through the belt (this happened to me on a Toyota, 3K after the first scheduled belt change and 200 miles from home with my daughter in the car) you can get it home and fix it yourself.

Because of an 'anecdotal' experience I had, I will always change evrything(within reason) in there.

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To me it depends on the timing belt interval for your car. If it is 105k like our outback, I would change the water pump. If the interval was say 60k on the timing belt, I would change the pump at 120k.

 

Like Carl said, idlers do tend to "dry out". I would also consider; thermostat and gasket, cam seals, main seal, oil pump o-ring, loctite back cover and reseal oil pump, accessory belts, dipstick tube o-ring, maybe valve cover gaskets, oil filler o-ring, and bolt seals.

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...a list of what you'd replace is most welcome!

 

The interval for the Forester is also around 105k. I drive it long distances every weekend to go paddling, so I want it to be as 'bomber' as possible. Also I intend to drive it as long as I can, right now it has 93k miles but I'm about to get surgery on my arm, which means I won't be able to drive it for a few weeks (stick shift) so now is a good time to get things done to it.

 

Any other suggestions of what you'd get replaced?

 

Thanks

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does the 01 use chain driven cams??

 

My H2O pump died at 105,000. Not quite long enough to make 2nd T-belt change. I've heard that's just about right for soobe pumps. Bosch replacement cost $50.

 

DITTO THE OEM T-BELT ONLY!!!!!!!!!!!

 

mike

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everthing thses folks on this board told me about needed to be done to my Forester at the first belt change interval.

There was slight leakage of oil so it got crank seal and oil pump done.

The water pump had a bit of play but I was going to have it changed regardless after hearing of it taking out timing belts and valves.

Of course I had the usual leaking head gaskets and the second rate clutch. If you are going to do the clutch you might as well change the plastic oil slinger on the back of the engine for metal.

I would change the oil seals and the water pump on your car for sure with the belt.

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what is a good test for the external leak? I haven't had any problems, but I have been reading the posts on here about head gaskets and apparently *if* I had a leak it would be external - so what is a good test for it?

 

Oil seals - where do these go and what do they do?

 

Does the 'overhaul gasket set' include these seals = a better question might be what *is* included in the Overhaul Gasket Set? (listed on 1stSubaruparts.com).

 

So far I am set to replace: timing belt, water pump, radiator hoses, thermostat, radiator cap, spark plugs, fuel filter.

 

Differential - how do you check the fluid in a manual transmission? Should I have this drained and filled with new stuff?

 

 

Clutch is the Tax Return project -

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there's a dipstick on the tranny fowards the firewall... May have to really look around to find it on the new soobs.

You could change the gear oil, but look at it and see how the oil condition is.

I usually change my tranny oil once a year. to do that, its about straight down from the stickshift on the bottom of the tranny theres a 21 or 22 mm drain plug. Drain and put plug back in, then fill through the tranny dipstick.. Slowly squirt the gear oil in, if you put too much in, it will burp out gear oil all over everything

 

Oil seals go on the front of the crankshaft, back of the tranny, sides of the tranny where the axles stubs stick out, in the rear end, and on the oil pump

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oil seals seal any time something rotating has to exit the block - where the cams leave the head, etc.

 

if you are having the work done, the mechanic will probably order the specific parts you need. the overhaul gasket set has more parts than you would need for what you are probably going to get done. but here is the list of what is included.

 

gasket_kit_parts_list.GIF

 

when you get all of the parts, none are labeled, and it is kind of a guessing game as to what is for what. i had some left over when i was done... and it doesn't include the valve cover gaskets or spark plug hole gaskets (though it includes the valve cover bolt seals, go figure...)

 

i wrote a site about changing the head gasket and changing the clutch. it may give you a better idea of the work involved, though a mechanic would probably not pull the engine... you can view it here . i don't think i would have it done unless it is giving you warning signs...

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Replacing the rear main seal requires the removal of the engine or transmission, so doing that when the clutch is done makes the most sense.

 

When this belt is done that area of the engine shouldn't need attention until 210k. I personally wouldn't trust any seals for that long if I had the opportunity to replace them relatively inexpensively while in the area.

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