Prisbylla

As I said, I did check the timing marks and the belt DID NOT jump. I am well aware this is an interference engine. I turned the engine over 2 full revolutions with a ratchet and nothing was hitting. As far as the tensioner, it had been doing its job up to that point and I figured it wasn't likely to experience sudden catastrophic failure in the next couple of days. My wife and I have one car, I need it to get to work and we don't have much money. Making do is par for the course. Mike

I am having a problem with my wife's Subaru and need some help. Let me preface this by saying I am a DIY mechanic, but a very competent one. I've done engine and transmission swaps, head gaskets, timing belts, but none in a Subaru. The situation: I started on a timing belt install for a 98 Forester today. After disassembling everything I put the 22mm bolt that holds the crankshaft pulley on, back in order to turn the engine over to line up the timing marks on the crankshaft and all 4 cams. That done, I go to remove the bolt and it won't come out. After trying a few things and failing I had the idea of putting a breaker bar on both the crank bolt and a 17mm on the left upper camshaft sprocket bolt. As I put pressure on the crank bar and my father holds the cam bar steady, the crank bar moves the cam bar and a very loud click is heard seemingly from the left head. Try it again, same result. The timing belt did not jump a tooth or two. I took it back apart and all the timing marks were aligned. After noticing the hydraulic tensioner was leaking I put the car back together because I didn't have one and none was available locally. And, as you've gathered by now, it didn't start. 2 questions: 1 - What happened when I tried to remove the crank bolt and the very loud clicking was heard? 2 – How do I fix it? Thanks in advance - Mike