Rasterman

Thanks again everyone for the information. Checked the belt itself, no cracks or checking or other signs of wear, rubber still felt supple. When the belt was last replaced the water pump and other timing components were replaced along with a new head gasket and resurfacing. I'm thinking I should be OK but definitely looking for advice on that. Not making any odd noises and still seems to be driving great.

OK, I will definitely check it out, I feel quite foolish but I want to make sure I'm doing this right, is there a diagram I can reference to make sure I have the correct cover?

Hello All, Been reading this forum for some time which has been an incredible help with my amateur knowledge of Subarus. I have a 1999 Forester that's really getting up there in miles, currently at 277K. Had the timing belt changed at 258K back in October 2010. As you can tell I haven't driven but 20K miles with this vehicle in the last 6 years, it was a backup vehicle for a long time and would only get run once a week for very short trips, mostly has been sitting in open air (no garage unfortunately). I've done a lot of scouring over the internet and it seems there is a pretty wide range for the timing belt's replacement before it hits 105K miles. I've read that the timing belt should be replaced anywhere from 5 - 8 years. Since this was a replacement belt from a reputable mechanic and not a factory belt, am I overdue for a change or am I good for at least another year? If it helps clarify I live less than 5 miles from where I work and don't plan on driving it much more than to and from work with a few stops on the way. Any help is greatly appreciated!!