5 replies to this topic

[Robdog77]

Gday guys..
So I took my Gen3 Liberty EJ25 Auto to the mechanic the other day..
My current issue,and an issue I have had since purchasing the car,is that it severely lacks power up hill.
It also seems a little thirsty to me and doesnt exactly jump off the line either..
So I took it to the mechanic and I told him that I have replaced the following..
New plugs
New coil leads
New air filter
Cleaned throttle body
Engine oil and filter change
Transmission oil and filter change
Seafoam Trans Treatment
Liqui-Moly Engine Treatment
He then asks me when the timing belt was done..I told him it was done around 12k ago according to sticker under the bonnet..
I couldnt tell him who did it or when as it was done before I purchased the car..
He asked me if it had always had the power issue and I told yes..
He then told me that without even looking at the car,that he thought the timing belt had been incorrectly installed and that it probably was out a tooth..
So without forking out cash for a full diagnosis and half a days labour(in his words)..
Does anyone know if this sounds like a possible reason for my lack of power and poor fuel consumption?
The car has a slight vibration sometimes,when sitting idle at the lights..but apart from that ,there are no noises or knocks or anything that would cause me to be concerned..
Going uphill,the car seems to laber and be revving around 3 grand to get to 70-80kms..
My last question is..if its the timing belt,can that be adjusted,or do I have to replace the whole timing belt kit again?
I really appreciate all of your time and helpful knowledge..
Cheers guys

[El_Freddo]

Not having the cam(s) lined up correctly will cause them to always be out of time which means they're not running as intended and thus not getting the best performance or economy.

No need for a new kit - unless it's blaitenly obvious that someone just swapped the sticker for a sale or if you want to put a new kit in for piece of mind.

All that needs to be done is remove the fan belts, AC idler pulley and the crank pulley (22mm socket) to get to the cam belt covers. Once you've got access to the cam belt refit the crank pulley (don't fully tighten the bolt - or don't use it at all) to align the crank marker with the cams aligned. Once the crank is on its marker you'll be able to assess how well the cam belt was fitted. And from here you can adjust it if needed.

And by adjust it I mean remove the belt, align the cams properly and refit the belt after sorting the tensioner's piston. You'll need a pin or a suitably sized nail to hold it for fitment. We use a G clamp for the job.

Getting the belt right is a bit tricky as you need to keep the tension across the bottom section and between the RHS cam and crank. A cable tie on each cam could be of huge service - just make sure you remove these before reassembling the whole thing once you're happy with the belts fitment/alignment you can pull the pin from the tensioner. Rotate the crank twice and re-check alignment. If out, start again...

Or pay your mechanic to check it out for you

Cheers

Bennie

[NQRSoobee]

Just had the timing belt changed on my EJ25D as it had reached 6 (or 7) years according to the sticker which Gates recommend changing it at that age.  Did it more for piece of mind rather than questioning the quality of the purported Gates belt that the sticker said was in there.

 

Couldn't be a#$%d mucking around doing it myself and waste a weekend even though I definitely can do the job myself.  So:

1.  Bought a Gates timing belt kit off E-Bay; was way cheaper than from Subaru (but the kit came from the U.S. so had the wrong water pump).  The kit included idler pulleys & a new tensioner and was something like a bit over $250.  An OE kit is way more $ than I paid for the Gates kit.

2.  Bought new cam & oil pump crank seals direct from my local Subaru dealer; they're reasonably cheap and good insurance against an oil leak.

3.  Paid my mechanic to put the kit & new seals in, cost me a bit over $400.  My mechanic and his apprentice did it in my driveway (which isn't flat) and in under 3 hours tops.

 

Also worth remembering that the EJ25 series of engines are interference fit for the valves in the heads.  Lose the timing belt and it's... pistons meeting the valves which is an expensive exercise to remedy.

[Robdog77]

Thankyou guys for giving up your time to reply to my question..and in so much detail..
El_Freddo..physically I would struggle to do the job as I have back issues,but I appreciate the in depth instructions..
If I was to take it to a mechanic,other than the one I spoke to..could he determine if the timing belt is out of position without pulling the valve covers and whatever else off?
Or am I up for big money just to determine if the timing belt fitment is the issue?
Also..i should have stated the engine has 270k..next timing belt change is due at 345k..it doesn’t exceed half temp or have any CEL light..
Cheers guys

[duncanm]

Rob,

 

he'll have to pull the plastic timing cover off the front.  Then should be able to rotate the engine by hand and inspect the timing marks on the crank and cam gears to see if they're correct.

 

It may take an hour or so -- as above ".. remove the fan belts, AC idler pulley and the crank pulley (22mm socket) to get to the cam belt covers."

[Robdog77]

Cheers Duncanm..
Appreciate your time mate