Timing chain ea82?

[blazelate]

Ive got a 1991 loyale in the shop getting new heads. I said we may as well do the belts too while were under there. He tells me that its a timing chain, not belt, and that the kit would be 300$ =O .

 

So is there a timing chain on these motors? i saw a chain looking thing hanging over my dissasembled motor, but everywhere i look online i cant find a timing chain, only belts. Is this guy trying to rip me off?

 

I made a post in another thread about this so yeah, sorry

[hatchsub]

I would bring it to another mechanic who knows what hes talking about or read up on here and do it yourself. Its two belts not a chain.

[blazelate]

thanks for the input im just making sure im right before i call out the mechanic tomorrow. He said they were gonna install all this stuff for free since theyre doing my heads.

[idosubaru]

a lot of folks incorrectly substitute names from previously common things for new components. happens all the time, i'm not too surprised or concerned.

[blazelate]

well, he said it was gonna be 300 bucks, belt kits run ~100$ or less.

[idosubaru]

well, he said it was gonna be 300 bucks, belt kits run ~100$ or less.

$100 is online or ebay pricing, mechanics don't get parts from there. auto parts stores are higher. mechanics often mark up what they buy as well. that's legit. they have to maintain relationships, keep track of parts, liability, return parts, and repair if it's under warranty. he's going to round up to cover costs and to make sure you don't end up with a higher bill (should be only a small amount of course). sounds reasonable to me and at least he's doing it right by not just replacing the belt.

 

i only do work for "free", having friends/relatives pay for parts only. i always end up getting hosed and loosing money. tools, rags, oil, grease, coolant, heat the garage, penetrant, anti seize, brake cleaner, degreaser, gas to get parts, returning wrong parts...i always loose out, but that's okay i'm helping folks out.

 

it's very time consuming to get exact prices, much simpler to round. multiply penny pinching by how ever many customers he has and he could conceivably loose time...customers, jobs...money, just for accounting.

 

now if you have reason to think he's hosing you, that's one thing but you haven't mentioned that. if you question his pricing, i'd say give him a little slack at least. particularly if he's a good mechanic.

[Duraznov]

In fact are two belts, and they are very fun to replace. . I didn't replaced them until one broke, nothing happened to the engine. Look on the net for the EA82 service manual, I used it as a guide and it was easy.

[blazelate]

grossgary

 

In response to your post, hes doing this work for free because they have already done the heads and labor on that was enough. he said he would do timing and water pump for free. I know how things work between shops and parts distributors

 

I do think hes hosing me on this, as i stated at the end of my first post. He wants to charge me 300$ for the timing chain alone. I have searched all over the internet and can only find timing belts, no chains for the ea82.

 

My only question: Is there a timing chain in my ea82 motor?

[Bucky92]

your question has already been answered...NO EA82s have 2 timing belts ..Belts...and they run about $50 for the pair..then new tensioners. ( which should be installed.) are a few more dollars...its been awhile since I have messed with them enough to remember the cost.

 

EA82 .. Chain ..NO belts YES

[Uberoo]

If I had an EA82 I would love it if it came with timing CHAINS rather than belts..especially the crappy EA82 belts...

[GeneralDisorder]

You are being hosed. It doesn't need the heads replaced. I'll bet they told you the heads were cracked eh? The cracks between the valves are normal and if these guys don't know a belt from a chain.....RUN, don't just walk away from that place.

 

GD

[blazelate]

Yea all the valves had cracks between them, they said one head was warped too. Im going to call them out on the phantom timing chain wjen i pick up the car, im pretty pissed, these guys are gonna hate me haha

 

thanks all for the info!

[Ricearu]

the tci kit costs 60 on ebay, the Gates kit costs 240 bucks, autozone wants 270 for their kit.

 

There was never a timing chain on a EA82

[GeneralDisorder]

Subaru put out a technical service bulletin many years ago saying that cracks between the valves will not affect operation and are to be ignored. Further, a warped head can be milled flat again for $35.

 

You were totally hosed by a shop that knows nothing about your engine but knows a lot about your wallet.

 

GD

[idosubaru]

+1 to what GD said. You didn't need new heads, those are superficial "cracks". Every EA82 on the road right now has those cracks, every single one i've ever pulled anyway. I'd bet 10,000 dollars my XT6 has them because every other one I've ever pulled did (and i've owned like 2 dozen of them). They're benign.

 

The heads should have been milled, they just saw the cracks and I guarantee they never actually measured/checked for warpage. Why would they ever go through all of that if they junked them because of cracks?

 

That's like buying new tires for a car that doesn't even have an engine...or some another more creative analogy.

 

Your best bet is to get acquainted with the car, ask questions here and/or find a mechanic that knows Subarus, particularly old ones.