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Timing belt service question

879 views 9 replies 3 participants last post by  NoncarbonatedClack  
#1 ·
I’m doing my homework on the timing belt service that’s at 100k, planning to do it early, a 80k. So far I’ve see this suggested:

Timing belt
Timing belt tensioner
Idlers pulleys
Crank sprocket
Thermostat
Water pump w/ OE metal gasket
AC and Alternator belt
Seals around the cams/camshaft pulleys?


I’ll add the killer b water pump inlet, and replace the upper and lower radiator hoses.
Maybe it’s also worth at least checking the oil pump?

I’ve considered a fluidampr to replace the stock crank pulley, but I’m stock so.. probably no need. Would be nice while I’m in there though.

what other things would it be wise to check out just get done during that service that’s not in the regular scheduled service?

I did try searching but my keywords probably weren’t the best at getting similar threads, I know this has been asked before.
 
#2 ·
Thats a pretty good list. You will need to add the AVCS O-rings top and bottom to your list for this repair. Don't forget you'll need a cam locking tool and also the crank holding tool for this job as well.

For the cam seals, personally, id leave them alone if they aren't leaking. Its something I would only do if they are infact already leaking or the engine has very high mileage. It would require removing the AVCS gears and the bolts for those gears. This could potentially add some serious hardship. If you are going to do cam seals, I would suggest you get the company23 tool to install them properly along with upgraded AVCS bolts. Overall, this could add some serious hardship to the job just to do seals that may not even be leaking.

I think you should add an oil pump to your list. Whether its OEM oil pump or modified, its a good thing to do while you're there. Its literally the next thing behind the crank sprocket. It would really make sense to do this now. Another good thing to do would be to upgrade the radiator since the coolant is going to already be drained. You're already doing thermostat, waterpump, and some hoses too right, might as well just do the radiator at this time. I would suggest doing upper and lower rad hoses too. I would say stick with the regular rubber rad hoses. Don't spend the money on these silly silicone hoses. They're one of the very few mods that I absolutely regret.

Upgrading the crank pully to a high quality piece like fluidampr would be fine to do under the guise of while you're there. Its totally not needed but something that would make sense to do since the oem component was already removed during repairs. I wish I would have done it when I did my timing belt last year. I was already over budget so I ended up skipping it.

Here's how my timing belt job went last year. https://www.iwsti.com/threads/just-in-time-timing-belt-job.326894/?post_id=4530237#post-4530237
 
#3 · (Edited)
Thats a pretty good list.
I’m fairly certain that it’s a copy/paste from one of your posts 🤣

You will need to add the AVCS O-rings top and bottom to your list for this repair. Don't forget you'll need a cam locking tool and also the crank holding tool for this job as well.
Ok cool. Yeah unfortunately I don’t have space anymore for this stuff, so a shop will do it.

For the cam seals, personally, id leave them alone if they aren't leaking. Its something I would only do if they are infact already leaking or the engine has very high mileage. It would require removing the AVCS gears and the bolts for those gears. This could potentially add some serious hardship. If you are going to do cam seals, I would suggest you get the company23 tool to install them properly along with upgraded AVCS bolts. Overall, this could add some serious hardship to the job just to do seals that may not even be leaking.
I wasn’t aware of upgraded cam bolts, are those a failure point at stock levels?


I think you should add an oil pump to your list. Whether its OEM oil pump or modified, its a good thing to do while you're there. Its literally the next thing behind the crank sprocket. It would really make sense to do this now. Another good thing to do would be to upgrade the radiator since the coolant is going to already be drained. You're already doing thermostat, waterpump, and some hoses too right, might as well just do the radiator at this time. I would suggest doing upper and lower rad hoses too. I would say stick with the regular rubber rad hoses. Don't spend the money on these silly silicone hoses. They're one of the very few mods that I absolutely regret.
why do you regret the silicone hoses? Wasn’t really looking at them but thanks for the heads up lol.

I’ll look into radiators then as well.

as far as oil pump, can you flow too much oil? Is shimming a stock pump still a thing?


Upgrading the crank pully to a high quality piece like fluidampr would be fine to do under the guise of while you're there. Its totally not needed but something that would make sense to do since the oem component was already removed during repairs. I wish I would have done it when I did my timing belt last year. I was already over budget so I ended up skipping it.

Here's how my timing belt job went last year. https://www.iwsti.com/threads/just-in-time-timing-belt-job.326894/?post_id=4530237#post-4530237
Im tempted to buy an AP before this, get some data logs to look at, and then swap to a fluidampr and take more logs. For science.

wondering how much of a difference would make, or if that difference would even show up in what you can monitor with the AP on a stock motor/sensor setup
 
#5 ·
I’m fairly certain that it’s a copy/paste from one of your posts 🤣

Ok cool. Yeah unfortunately I don’t have space anymore for this stuff, so a shop will do it.


I wasn’t aware of upgraded cam bolts, are those a failure point at stock levels?


why do you regret the silicone hoses? Wasn’t really looking at them but thanks for the heads up lol.

I’ll look into radiators then as well.

as far as oil pump, can you flow too much oil? Is shimming a stock pump still a thing?


Im tempted to buy an AP before this, get some data logs to look at, and then swap to a fluidampr and take more logs. For science.

wondering how much of a difference would make, or if that difference would even show up in what you can monitor with the AP on a stock motor/sensor setup
The AVCS bolts dont fail nor would I say a failure point. However they do strip/get ruined while trying to be removed. They're in there real tight. They're also a larger allen headed bolt so that makes it easier to strip. The aftermarket upgraded bolts have a regular bolt head on them. This is pretty well documented on the internet. Many have gone through some tough times because of this.

Radiators are a good upgrade at any time but now would be a good time to do it. Koyo or CSF should be what you're looking at. Oh and dont forget to replace you're current rad caps with brand new OEM subaru caps. Another thing that has been a known overlooked and forgotten about issue....yes radiator caps. Just get new oem ones.

Oil pump can be regular oem from subaru or high quality aftermarket like IAG, and RCM. There have been post on here on shimmed, ported, 10mm, 11mm, jdm 12mm oil pumps. I would say stick with the 11mm regardless of what route or brand you go for.

@JDM-STI Like I said one of the mods I regret the most is those silicon hoses from grimmspeed. I may be one of the few that have had issues however I know im not the only. I've had absolutely nothing but leaks from these stupid hoses. I went through multiple different sets and styles of clamps over the past year on these stupid hoses. They all leaked! I finally tried a set of T-bolt style clamps from HPS and they seem to have the best results. They still do need to be checked and tightened every once in a while to make sure. My car has never ever had a single coolant leak or coolant smell until I "upgraded" to those hoses. It drives me nuts every time I open the hood and get a slight wiff of that coolant smell. Maybe its my keen sense to it or paranoia. However I can tell you that I dont smell it anywhere in the engine bay except right in front of those hoses. While I never cut or modified them like some others have had to, they fit fine so I left them alone. The lower rad hose where it connects to the thermostat elbow kind of rubs the bottom of the timing cover but whatever its slight. The upper hose fits fine from the rad to the coolant crossover pipe. Yes they are in the correct orientation too.

I know others probably have never had a single issue with silicon rad hoses on this that and the third car, I have had nothing but frustration with them on mine. If there is ever another time when the coolant is drained or getting replaced for whatever reason....those pieces of sh*t hoses are going right in the trash. I will gladly go back to oem rubber subaru hoses with the expanding clamps. Don't get "hosed" like me and spend $100 on junk silicon rad hoses.
 
#4 ·
@Jay11STI im curious as to why you hate your silicone radiator hoses.
I’ve got a Cobb upper and lower set waiting to go on my car. But I’ve run certain coolant silicone hoses on my diesel Excursions for years without issues.
 
owns 2019 Subaru WRX STI Base FP Green Flex Fuel
#6 ·
The AVCS bolts dont fail nor would I say a failure point. However they do strip/get ruined while trying to be removed. They're in there real tight. They're also a larger allen headed bolt so that makes it easier to strip. The aftermarket upgraded bolts have a regular bolt head on them. This is pretty well documented on the internet. Many have gone through some tough times because of this.
Interesting, I'd never seen that honestly.

Radiators are a good upgrade at any time but now would be a good time to do it. Koyo or CSF should be what you're looking at. Oh and dont forget to replace you're current rad caps with brand new OEM subaru caps. Another thing that has been a known overlooked and forgotten about issue....yes radiator caps. Just get new oem ones.

Oil pump can be regular oem from subaru or high quality aftermarket like IAG, and RCM. There have been post on here on shimmed, ported, 10mm, 11mm, jdm 12mm oil pumps. I would say stick with the 11mm regardless of what route or brand you go for.
ok, can do. I actually just found out about RCM, seems like they make some pretty nice stuff.
I'll look for a pump comparison, I feel like I saw one years ago.

Koyo and CSF are what I remember being the go-to, sweet.
 
#7 ·
Interesting, I'd never seen that honestly.



ok, can do. I actually just found out about RCM, seems like they make some pretty nice stuff.
I'll look for a pump comparison, I feel like I saw one years ago.

Koyo and CSF are what I remember being the go-to, sweet.
If you're going to spend some money on expensive items like radiator, timing kits, and oil pumps....you may want to wait for black friday. There are usually some kinds of deals going on that weekend. Thats how I sourced my IAG timing kit and oil pump the year prior. I saved a decent amount to easy the pain of the IAG pricing lol