EJ20Y timing belt difficulty for a newb?

[Panda]

Hey all.

 

I just got a 04 B spec legacy gt with 220,000kms on it, japanese Import. According to previous owner it should have atleast 5,000kms left until belt is due for replacement. However I don't have any proof of this and would like to get it out the way.

 

Just wondering what the difficulty level of this job is, timing belt, water pump and thermostat. Realistically I have minimal mechanical experience (mostly just a "YouTube warrior"), most I have done is a clutch replacement, rear suspension strut replacement, few brake pads and plugs and other small things. Never done anything requiring precision such

 as a timing belt. 

 

I am interested in doing this job myself, videos around the internet make it look pretty easy, but just after realistic advice.

 

2004 JDM imported Legacy GT B spec (supposed to be a b spec, idk how to confirm?) Manual wagon..... I believe this engine is the EJ20Y. The thing that scares me the most is what I believe is the left hand intake camshaft which is under tension when you remove the belt? Just after more information about this, hear stories of people undoing the belt and this tensioned cam causing major damage....just wanting more information about this? What to look out for?

Cheers!

 

Can anyone recommend me a decent quality timing kit?

 

New here, sorry if I landed myself in the wrong forum!

 

 

 

 

 

Also, off different topic, vehicle has a stumble/stutter at idle. I wouldn't call it a rough idle. It's a "stumble" which can sometimes be quite violent shaking the car. Every 5-10 seconds it shudders, occasionally much worse than usual. Have replaced plugs and cleaned MAF sensor.

 

 

Any opinions muchly appreciated thanks 🙂.

Edited September 22, 2022 by Panda

[Boltonator]

Based on the other jobs you have done in the past there shouldn't be a steep learning curve for timing belt replacement. The tools that will assist you in your job are the Camshaft locking tool for the LH Cam Sprockets, a 2 foot breaker bar and a Torque Wrench as the idlers need to be torqued to specific settings. The camshaft locking tool is to lock your cam sprockets into position before you start removing the belt and pulleys and helps you put the belt on correctly after everything is back together. Do read up on other people's experiences and watch some Youtube tutorials because there are a few pitfalls that can be traps. 

 

I did this job in the summer and haven't had any issues so far. If you had an Auto you would also need the wrench that holds the Harmonic Balancer Pulley still so that you can bust off the 22mm Nut. But with the Manual you can just set it to 5th Gear with the handbrake on and that should lock the engine up enough to undo that nut. I also got a proper 10mm allen bolt tool and loosened the Camshaft sprocket bolts because I want to be able to loosen them in the future. 

 

My procedure was 

• Remove the Battery and the Air box (access more than anything, was also doing Sparkplugs at the same time)
• Remove the Coolant, Hoses and the Radiator (radiator can be kept in but it makes life difficult). The fans can stay attached to the Radiator assembly, just remove the two connectors on each side at the bottom.
• Remove the Accessory drive pulleys and the A/C Tensioner
• Remove the bolts that hold on the plastic cover for the timing components
• Lock the car into 5th with the Handbrake on and bust the nut off the Harmonic Balancer. Put that nut back onto the Crank timing sprocket and rotate the engine over until all of the marks line up. 
• Optional: Slightly loosen and retorque the Allen bolts (to roughly 75nm but its really something like 37nm plus 45°) if you're not replacing camseals because it should make replacement easier down the road. If you don't have impact rated sockets you will bend the sockets, these bolts are made insanely tight over time by the AVCS system. 
• Loosen all of the guides around the Crank pulley
• Remove the front covers of the AVCS pulleys. Put your Camlock tool on the right two pulleys. Remove all of the pulleys, the tensioner and the waterpump. 
• Reinstall in reverse. You need to align the marks on the new timing belt with the sprockets. The 'Key' mark on the belt is a dotted line that goes onto the top of the Crank pulley. Use a bit of oil fliter box folded in half to set the distance for the timing belt guides over the Crank, RH bottom and LH sprockets. It should slide in with just a little bit of friction. It takes time because when you turn those bolts often it pushes the guides in a certain direction. 

One big thing that catches people out is that once you have the pin pulled on the tensioner often the LH pulleys won't perfectly line up. As the belt settles in these will line up so its nothing to lose sleep over. Turn over the engine a few times to check that the belt is keeping good alignment. Removing the sparkplugs before doing this job makes it easier to line things up and turn over the engine. Dont remove the belt until you have everything aligned and that camlock tool on. 

 

Use genuine Subaru components, if you can find the part numbers from the OEM suppliers then those are good substitutes but I just threw $650 at the Subaru dealership and came out with a box of everything i needed.

[Panda]

On 12/10/2022 at 7:05 PM, Boltonator said:

Based on the other jobs you have done in the past there shouldn't be a steep learning curve for timing belt replacement. The tools that will assist you in your job are the Camshaft locking tool for the LH Cam Sprockets, a 2 foot breaker bar and a Torque Wrench as the idlers need to be torqued to specific settings. The camshaft locking tool is to lock your cam sprockets into position before you start removing the belt and pulleys and helps you put the belt on correctly after everything is back together. Do read up on other people's experiences and watch some Youtube tutorials because there are a few pitfalls that can be traps. 

 

I did this job in the summer and haven't had any issues so far. If you had an Auto you would also need the wrench that holds the Harmonic Balancer Pulley still so that you can bust off the 22mm Nut. But with the Manual you can just set it to 5th Gear with the handbrake on and that should lock the engine up enough to undo that nut. I also got a proper 10mm allen bolt tool and loosened the Camshaft sprocket bolts because I want to be able to loosen them in the future. 

 

My procedure was 

• Remove the Battery and the Air box (access more than anything, was also doing Sparkplugs at the same time)
• Remove the Coolant, Hoses and the Radiator (radiator can be kept in but it makes life difficult). The fans can stay attached to the Radiator assembly, just remove the two connectors on each side at the bottom.
• Remove the Accessory drive pulleys and the A/C Tensioner
• Remove the bolts that hold on the plastic cover for the timing components
• Lock the car into 5th with the Handbrake on and bust the nut off the Harmonic Balancer. Put that nut back onto the Crank timing sprocket and rotate the engine over until all of the marks line up. 
• Optional: Slightly loosen and retorque the Allen bolts (to roughly 75nm but its really something like 37nm plus 45°) if you're not replacing camseals because it should make replacement easier down the road. If you don't have impact rated sockets you will bend the sockets, these bolts are made insanely tight over time by the AVCS system. 
• Loosen all of the guides around the Crank pulley
• Remove the front covers of the AVCS pulleys. Put your Camlock tool on the right two pulleys. Remove all of the pulleys, the tensioner and the waterpump. 
• Reinstall in reverse. You need to align the marks on the new timing belt with the sprockets. The 'Key' mark on the belt is a dotted line that goes onto the top of the Crank pulley. Use a bit of oil fliter box folded in half to set the distance for the timing belt guides over the Crank, RH bottom and LH sprockets. It should slide in with just a little bit of friction. It takes time because when you turn those bolts often it pushes the guides in a certain direction. 

One big thing that catches people out is that once you have the pin pulled on the tensioner often the LH pulleys won't perfectly line up. As the belt settles in these will line up so its nothing to lose sleep over. Turn over the engine a few times to check that the belt is keeping good alignment. Removing the sparkplugs before doing this job makes it easier to line things up and turn over the engine. Dont remove the belt until you have everything aligned and that camlock tool on. 

 

Use genuine Subaru components, if you can find the part numbers from the OEM suppliers then those are good substitutes but I just threw $650 at the Subaru dealership and came out with a box of everything i needed.

Sorry for the late reply. Thank you very much for your time!

 

Just to confirm I am understanding a couple things correctly

 

I must align the center crank FIRST and then put the camlocking took on. I must not remove the tool until the new belt is on and tensioned? What if the two cams are slightly out of time due the the age of the belt and need to be realigned. How can I adjust the timing of the two camshafts if they are locked together?

 

 

Both of the intake (upper) camshafts are AVCS and not just the right hand one?

 

When you mention the right hand side, you mean looking into the engine bay correct? Not in relation to the direction of the vehicle and the engine.

 

Quite a few kits I have seen come with seals. Are these seals for behind the camshaft sprockets? These are optional and not necessary for just a belt replacement right?

 

 

 

Thanks heaps again, any input is muchly appreciated 👍

[Loren]

You should replace the cam seals at the same time... you'd be crazy to not replace them, then find you have to do practically all the same work again in a few months because they have started leaking.

 

There are a few good youtube videos on how to fit the cambelt.  

[Boltonator]

"I must align the center crank FIRST and then put the camlocking took on. I must not remove the tool until the new belt is on and tensioned? What if the two cams are slightly out of time due the the age of the belt and need to be realigned. How can I adjust the timing of the two camshafts if they are locked together?"

 

-Yes you keep the tool on until the new belt is on. It doesn't need to be fully tensioned to take the tool off, the teeth just need to be engaged on the sprockets. I must have turned the engine over 20 times before I was satisfied and pulled the tensioner pin. 

The tool has wrench flats for turning the sprocket when the tool is on and there is a bolt to provide tension to lock it in place. When you set the crank mark to the correct position the belt should align the marks that face each other on the two sprockets. If these are not aligned due to a stretched belt then you would have to make a small adjustment to make them line up. It was easy enough to just have 'enough' tension on the tool and then turn the sprocket. 

 

Both of the intake (upper) camshafts are AVCS and not just the right hand one?

 

-On the EJ20Y and X all four are AVCS. If there's a cover over the Allen bolt then it's AVCS. 

 

When you mention the right hand side, you mean looking into the engine bay correct? Not in relation to the direction of the vehicle and the engine.

 

-The Camshaft locking tool goes on the LH sprockets or the passenger side sprockets. So I believe I am referring to the driver's point of view but I my have made a mistake somewhere in my wall of text. 

 

Quite a few kits I have seen come with seals. Are these seals for behind the camshaft sprockets? These are optional and not necessary for just a belt replacement right?

 

-Yes they are optional as far as belt replacement goes. There are lots of opinions on the internet regarding the frequency and necessity of replacing them. The most common is that you should replace the camseals as a preventative measure. That is what the mechanics certainly recommend but the average consumer doesn't want to have to go back to the shop and duplicate work just to save a hundred on parts. 

Others say that they should only be replaced if there is evidence that one is leaking. A severely leaking one can compromise the integrity of the belt. Certainly if one is leaking then you would be remiss if you did not replace them all. For my own particular car they made a change from a black rubber cam seal to a tan coloured one midway through the 4th generation that from internet anecdotes doesn't seem to fail at the same rate as the ones before. Camseals can leak for other reasons that are not wear related like a blocked PCV valve (excessive crank case pressure). 

 

I feel like I need a Wikipedia-esque [Citation needed] because a lot of this comes from internet research I did while preparing to do my own timing belt. Best of luck.