[chad_m]

Well the other day I was backing out of the driveway with my 98 Subaru legacy 2.2 and the engine make a sudden horrific screech and came to a halt, smoke was pouring out of the timing belt cover. Well I took it apart today and one of the idlers fell apart and wedged into the water pump pulley, belt was not broke but it stripped off most of the teeth. Belt, tension-er, water pump and pulleys I had replaced less then a year ago, guessing this one was defective or something, garage did the belt replacement not me. Iv been told me 98 2.2 is an interference engine, any change the engine is still OK? I do not want to invest in a new timing belt kit and install it if their is little to no chance the engine is OK, and I do not want to pull the heads or get a new engine as the car is nearing 300k, and the transmission for the last year has been acting iffy. If it was like the old 92 legacy I know I could just toss on a new belt and go, but I hear this engine has tighter tolerances.

Thanks,
Chad

 

[canubaru]

you probably bent valves, that is the common damage. it is possible you didn't but the only way to tell is to install a new? different belt and start it up. and since you have at least one damaged idler you would need to replace that as well.

so unless you have access to used timing belt parts i think you have already made your decision.

but i would talk to the shop.
where did they buy the parts?
what brand name were they?
did they actually replace ALL idlers?
etc.

a failed idler after only a year is very rare. i would bet that they only replaced the ''bad'' parts last time. but it is just a guess, obviously. this is pretty common especially on non-interference engines. but it can get expensive on interference engines.

imho, the best way to approach this is to compare the cost of the repair to '' what can i buy with the same money?''

good luck.

 

[chad_m]

Thank you for your reply, they replaced them with NAPA parts as far as I know, will call in the am. Upon closer inspection of the failed idler it does look like sudden failure which makes since as the engine was very quiet right up to that point. The pulley has cracked near the bearing! Their is no metal dust, no gouges or ware of the bearing surface, the ball bearings look good even greasy, and the grease seal laid in the cover still wet. Guess it was my luck to get a junk one.

 

[AWDFTW]

Almost certain valve damage. Sorry, that really sucks.

 

[idosubaru]

valve damage is likely but it is worth installing a belt and used pulleys to see if you're lucky. i've had one not sustain bent valves, so it's worth a test even though usually they do.

it's actually really simple - you can install the timing belt ONLY and then start the car or check for compression. almost no work to test it. someone on here will have used belts/pulleys, i've got dozens, though you should try from someone that isn't so busy and has limited internet at home so i rarely remember what to do/look for when i get home.

if the valves are bent, i bought (and sold) last year a used set of EJ22 heads for $100. and they can be swapped in the car, those EJ22's are actually really easy as the cam doesn't have to come off. super cake.

you could even do a leak down test, if one head is good you may only have to do one side.

you already removed the timing belt it sounds like. you are 6 head bolts, 4 exhaust manifold bolts, and 8 intake manifold bolts away from the head just about coming off.

on some motors (i've never tried it with an EJ22) - you can even just unbolt the intake and prop it up with 2x4's so you do'nt have to disconnect the wiring, hoses, throttle, etc.

 

[ntippet]

As grossgary said its possible you got lucky.
Iv'e done a 98 with a snapped belt.
Somehow managed to sustain no bent valves, yeah i couldn't believe it either.

I would bet the shop stripped out the aluminum threads when they re-installed that idler that came off.
Not too difficult to overtourque them if you don't know what you're doing.
One of the first things i would do is check to make sure that idler still has threads to bolt to.

 

[cardoc]

Crack is either over torqued or its an old idler. Check your receipts for a parts list and get with the shop that did the repair and see how they want to tackle it. If it was a NAPA repair center, they generally have a minimal 1 year warranty.

There is a really good chance a few valves got hit. Will they seat? Repair the timing components and start it. The engine will start as soon as the belt is in place, so if there is a problem, the front is apart already for removing the heads after the engine is pulled.

 

[chad_m]

Well just wanted to thank everyone, put on a used belt and pulley and it fired up and ran like nothing happened!

 

[cardoc]

Cheers to you.