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My 2007 Impreza (2L SOHC) due for 125,000 service and timing belt replacement. I have had a few quotes from dealers and mechanics, and prices range around the $850 mark.
However the dealer said I also need to replace the iddler pulley and tensioner. Is this correct? The mechanics said on the first replacement you don't need to do these. If I don't get it done and it does need it later - is it a break and cause expensive damage situation or will I know it needs replacement and then pay the labour again?

For the extra bit of money i would get it done

Jan

what does a workshop manual say

Technically, he's right, the engine MAY benefit from replacing these parts, then again, some mechanics are shifty little yob's, and dealership shops usually HAVE to suggestive sell product to the client, its amazing how many people would not know the difference, and if the mechaniic told me that, then it must be right. ......KA-CHIIIIIING!!$$$$$

DEFINATELY CHECK THE MANUAL, for your own piece of mind.

The chances of them failing would be low IMO, but if you give it a caning regularly, it might be worth the price of replacement IMO, but thats just MY opinion.

Have a look at this Youtube link to see what they are talking about and work it out for yourself if you can live with a failure and the cost of tearing down the front of the engine again.

MY personal opinion is replace i used to replace them on every timing job i did then i skipped it on one and the car came back a week later... jumped 5 teeth due to the tensioner failing... 3 valves and a tensioner later it was fixed... so id do it it isnt worth the risk especially not when coming into summer

This blokes videos are awsome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezlP1AUz ... re=related


I have just replaced the bearings on the idlers of the EJ20 which is going into my Brumby.
Replacing the bearings is not an easy job and requires a press some pressing jigs and some know how, which I guess is why most opt for buying the whole ilder and just bolting it on.

Rule of thumb in the past is replace belts at first interval, then whole lot at second interval. I guess the dealer sense that your first interval been stretched to 125,000 the idlers may not make it to the second extended interval. I've removed some that have been aboutthe 190,000km mark and they feel a little worn, yet they were also about the 20 year mark and as I have found , it is not always distance that wears things - it is age.

i had a belt with 200k on it... my laziness made me not bother changing it... you wouldnt believe the damage that can be done at 120 when a belt gives way... i had the advantage of manually adjusted tensioner tho

Thank god the EA81's dont have timing belts. 200k is a lot!

considering their only designed to last 150 at the most... alot is what it costs to replace valvegear, injector pump and camshaft

I've just bought an 06 Impreza 2.0L R, with 75k on the clock. Do I wait 'til the 125k comes around or should I be worried about the months (75 mths since new) and replace the timing belts?

You'll get most value out of new belts the sooner you do it - peace of mind also comes into play. Most do not use time as a measure for these things - just distance

thanks, Steptoe. Will look into it next service. The potential disasters are disastrous ... and worrying

Your owners manual should say service intervals, which is measured in distance travelled or age, "whichever comes first". I'm sure its been mentioned a few times somewhere but belts of all types deteriorate with age. I'm not sure of the time interval to replace the belts but I think its more than 75 mths.

Worth replacing on the EJ's since they're an interference engine. I'd rather shell out for a new timing belt kit than have the headache for a rooted engine.

My 5c

Cheers

Bennie

just an observation guys.

$850 bucks!!!! plus tensioners etc.

I'm echoing Brumby kids comment page one. I'm happy for you guys that like the EJ series engines but we ea81 lovers (yes, I dearly love my little engine, it purrs, it starts without choke and seems bullet proof) constantly read "go EJ"...when it comes to advising conversions. "The ea is ancient" etc

On top of this there is the front cut of an EJ series car at really low cost. Parts easy to come by, choices of engine from 1.6 to 2.5 even 3L. So going ea81 did bother me until I had Tweety running and that when the love affair began and I realsied I'd chosen the best option for a trike at least.

I'm just saying here that there are positives in the ea that seem to be overlooked. No timing belts, no tensioners, no EMU's ECU's ...emus. all adding to the running costs. It's convinced me that I've gone the right way- for me. And the ea didnt need engine mounts as it hung off the VW transaxle (and I had no where to mount them anyhow so another issue was lurking) small compact powerplant. Plenty of old ea81's around for rebuild and if I ever go supercharged and sorted that out it would be the best of both worlds. just saying. each to their own but when a brumby guy asks about conversions I think the extra ongoing costs and issues - the negative ones, should be included in the advice.

sorry to hijack your thread.

go ahead and replace what you need to replace. those videos convinced me you should replace the tensioner.

oh bugger it....go ea!!!! They're simple :D

the EJ timing belt kits can be had much cheaper on USA Ebay

on a different matter i have an L with the ea82 and there one of many few motors when they break a timing belt the will just free turn without the top and bottom end having sex, is this the same on the newer model motors?? i as have just done mine [full kit] and i thought $250 was asking a bit much..