Timing Belt Snapped at Freeway Speeds 2.2L Auto

[kabarakh]

Hi all,

 

Car is a 2000 Impreza Outback, 2.2L Automatic. 240,000ish miles

 

Yesterday while driving at 70 MPH our timing belt snapped on the freeway, accompanied by a very loud bang which I believe came from the passengers side of the engine, but could just have easily come from the drivers side or both sides.  Car died immediately but we were able to coast to an offramp and get towed home after the problem was verified.  Unfortunately we did try to start the car while on the side of the road before I thought to check the timing belt, so I may have exasperated the problem.  I assumed it was something other than the timing belt because I bought the car 2 years/30,000 miles ago; the previous owner had the timing belt snap on him and the valves were bent.  I purchased rebuilt heads from Shawn W and the mizumo timing kit from Ebay and did the belt and components myself.... unfortunately I got the non mitsubishi belt with the kit... Apparently I missed the memo doing my research at the time that those kits sometimes come with unlabeled belts that shouldn't be used, and now I'm paying for my mistake... Wish I would have found the articles I've read yesterday and today back when I did the install.  Hindsight is always 20/20

 

I'm assuming at freeway speeds I'm dealing with bent valves on at least one head if not both... So the way I see it I have a few different options...

 

1. Throw a new belt on it for a compression test and keep my fingers crossed as its an automatic.  Considering the banging etc that we heard I'm assuming this won't lead me anywhere except back to removing the newly installed equipment .  If this is the recommended way to go for now then how do I go about setting everything to the appropriate marks to install the new belt?  I'm assuming I can't just turn everything to top dead center, as if the valves are still where they were then me turning over the crank would cause the pistons to collide with the valves again.  Do i do the cams first and then the crank or vice versa or...?  The marks are fairly close to where they need to be already, but I'm afraid to do more damage by turning something i shouldn't or turning something in the wrong order.  I have a buddy who has a kit with the Aisin water pump included from a 2.5 SOHC that he'll part with for $100, I believe it will fit without issues regardless of which option is utilized.

 

2.  Assume that I have bent valves on at least one head, and go ahead and pull them both off and find some replacements.  I already have a post out in the wanted section for this eventuality, as I don't have the tools or time for a valve job etc.

 

3. Assume more severe damage and drop a newer engine from somewhere in.

 

4.  Call it quits with this car and buy something else.

 

This is my Fiance's daily commuter, so I'm hoping to get it back on the road asap.  My parents came to our rescue and we have a loaner vehicle for the time being, but I don't want to have to keep it any longer than necessary.

 

Thanks for any and all help/advice!

[AdventureSubaru]

I've bought a few similar cars for the sole purpose of fixing them as daily drivers so it's very worth fixing.

 

Yup. grab a cheap belt/used one and throw it on there. I'd say you have a very high chance of valve damage but you never know. Google search will show you the timing marks for SOHC subaru motors. Big thing is to align the hash mark on the back of the crank sprocket and not the arrow on the top.

 

Assuming valve damage. You can do a swap with good used heads. 99-02 2,2 heads or 99-02 SOHC 2.5 with a matching Y pipe will fit. resurface heads and buy subaru head gaskets. About $400 and a day in the garage. (Make sure you know how to properly seat the torque converter!)

 

Or - I have put two phase 2 EJ20 SOHC motors into outbacks and they are very peppy motors. I've sourced them for $600 in my area and they are between 30k and 60k. Keep the original intake manifold and associated stuff. Also put the drivers side cam pulley and the crank pulley from the original motor to match the USDM computer. Long block swap and you've got loads of miles left on the cheap.

 

It's a bummer when this stuff happens, but live and learn. A few hundred dollars and a day or two of wrenching and it will be back and better than before.

[idosubaru]

they usually bend valves.  they probably bent right away - your further attempts to start shouldn't matter, they would have already come to a resting position by then. 

 

just like you said - that's what i'd do: 
 

1.  throw a belt on to check compression, or do a leak down test (no belt needed - maybe get a leak down tester istead of a cheap belt for testing, but i guess you need compressed air for that too)

2.  install used heads - resurface the heads and install EJ25 Turbo headgaskets.

[kabarakh]

Well my valves ate definitely bent and I'm having a hell of a time finding used heads... after some serious hunting I've only found one set, and they also had bent valves.

I have a quote to get the valves replaced and the heads refinished on my original heads for a bit over $300 in labor, plus parts. Alternatively I have a line on some 2.5 heads and a matching y-pipe for $200 and I'm assuming I'll still need to get those heads resurfaced if I go that route. Is there any benefit or loss to swapping out those 2.2 heads with 2.5's? I'm assuming my intake will bolt up just fine, but some of the research I've done indicates that I'll lose compression? It isn't that big of a deal if so as long as it will still run, as this is just a commuter car... I'm basically just looking to get it back on the road asap for the least amount of time, hassle, and money. I want to be 100% sure that what I'm doing will work beforehand.

 

Thanks for any and all input!

[matt167]

you can resurface with sandpaper on a peice of glass. it does not take much.. The EJ251 heads are dual port versions of the EJ222 head. only marginally different

[montana tom]

 In the past on ebay I found and bought a complete set of japanese made valves for about $65 ... pop them in smooth the heads and bolt them up.Beware the (kits) that sell everything you could want...gaskets, valves, guides , timing belt ..... most if not all are china junk.  Or check out the japanese take out motors. They are readily available on the coast. Install the whole thing or pull the heads and save the short block.