I can't be the first shade tree wrench to cuss the fan nuts or the crank pulley bolt. My 93 Loyale (EA82 engine) up and died all of a sudden, while driving. The drivers-side timing belt snapped open. Instantly lost spark because the distributor is run off of the left side. Towed home. No hint of any trouble at all until it instantly died. The belt was not new, but it was visually very nice looking. No nicks, no evidence of cracking, or anything. In fact, it looked virtually new to me. The cords inside the belt let go. Can't see in there. I guess the take-away info on this is to just change them every 60k miles (I think that is the number) instead of just inspecting them and checking tension.

 

To change the belts, you have to remove the fan and crank pulley. Took me a good hour to fiddle with the nuts because it's so tight in there. There must be a trick to doing it. What is it? You can barely even touch the nuts, let alone start them or turn them.

 

The crank pulley is another problem. Takes a 22mm hex socket, but how do you keep the crank from rotating while tightening it? I ended up using a chain wrench and busted the pulley. It has to be tight or the belts might spin it. There is no key on it. There is nothing to grab while turning it. When the engine is out, you can hit it with a rattle-rench, but not while in the car.

 

Any tips are greatly appreciated.

 

cnc

i believe on these cars if you pull the radiator and grill it makes everything a lot easier but I've never had a EA82 car long enough to worry about the belts

Well, after crawling around the web, it appears that the hot ticket is to stick a breaker bar on the crank bolt and wedge it against something down there, like the skid plate, and crank the engine over for a second or two. Make sure the distributor cap is off, so it won't start! The bolt will back right off. Ok.

 

To retighten, it looks like you need to use threadlock of some sort and tighten to some spec, maybe it's in the book somewhere.

 

Still flummoxed about how to deal with the little hex nuts that hold the fan on. Can't find boo on that one. Ideas? Thanks. cnc

The fan nuts suck. Long pattern 10mm and a long flat-blade screwdriver to keep the fan from turning.

 

The crank pulley is easily removed or installed with a 1/2" ratchet and a hand sledge. Like a 3 or 4lb sledge. Just whack the end of the ratchet handle. It's like an impact gun but cheaper . I do it all the time.

 

GD

Usually when I have to tighten the 22mm crank bolt in the car, I put it into a gear, set the parking brake, and use a long handle ratchet to get it as tight as I can. It takes a little finaglin cause the whole setups goes through a sort of torque preload, but eventually I get it as tight as it needs to be. I've never had one back off with this method. Another thing I've done is take an old v-belt, put it on the crank pulley and twist it up a bunch, put a screwdriver or bar through the loop at the end and wedge it gainst something. That works too. As far as the fan bolts go, I use the force! Fingertips, patience, concentration, and diligence! Good luck!

Ditto what's already been said about the crank nut.

 

As far as the fan nuts, if you look closely you'll see that there are flats on the hub behind the fan blades that can be held with a 10" crescent wrench to keep the fan from turning and then use a long handled 10mm combination wrench on the nuts. To get them back on a pair of long handled needle-nose pliers can be used to slip the nuts onto the end of the studs and then hold them as you (carefully) start them with a finger tip of your other hand. It requires patience but it can be done with a little practice and - if you're lucky - small hands.

 

As far as timing belts go, they need have the tension checked at least every 30K miles and definitely replaced at 60K - there are many posts about this such as this one: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=74304

 

Then there is the real inside trick about the fan nuts. Get rid of the mechanical fan and put in an electric. See my comments in this post: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=110298

I like that idea. May take you up on that suggestion to add an EA81 thin fan in place of the mechanical one. Like to squeeze a few more miles out of a gallon if I can. Thanks.

if you use a 22mm wrench to hold the shaft the fan is on, and remove the fan shroud(I never put mine back on, my car runs cold) and a long 10mm you should be alright.

 

 

Rob

Small hands work great for the fan nuts. Don't have 'em? Borrow some from a small child/woman (these work great in all those hard-to-reach EA82 spots). When I first got my soob my friend was complaining about how I would hate taking off the fan, but I can get it off in a minute or so.

Yep, crescent wrench + long 10mm for the fan.

 

I always thread some nylon rope into one of the cylinders to loosen/tighten the crank pulley. Then I know I got a good bite on it.

I like the rope trick. Good suggestion on the small hands, too. I have neighbor kids that might like to earn some $. Whipped up a special tool today for the fan nuts. Took a junk 10mm box/open wrench and cut it in half and stuffed each piece into a mashed piece of pipe that just fit. Now braze it and I'll have a 20" 10mm wrench for that.

Definately helps to remove the fan shroud first. 4 bolts and it slides up and out. tight fit, but it will come out.

My fan shroud has 2 bolts and only extends 2 or 3 inches downward. Piece of cake.

My fan shroud has 2 bolts and only extends 2 or 3 inches downward. Piece of cake.

 

It's been modified - lots of them are like that. I've even cut a few myself.

 

GD