in doing a EJ25 headgasket and timing belt job, to not replace the guide pulleys and tensioner.....that was direct to my dad from the Subaru Dealer.

I say, replace the pulleys...they will not last til the next timing belt job, and on a interference engine, that is asking for it.

what do you guys say on this.

engine currently about 125k....ej25 DOHC 98 forester.

Edited August 9, 201015 yr by bheinen74

They're probably saying that because the Subaru service procedure does not say to replace any of the pullies. But yes it is prudent to at least check them over. The geared/toothed one and the lower smooth idler seem to be the ones that fail.

Figure that replacing the pulleys is like buying an insurance policy. If purchased off e-bay, they are rather cheap insurance against an old pulley seizing up. Very little extra labor involved when installing a T-belt, but you already prolly know this.

this has been discussed before in other threads.

 

at dealer prices very few folks would like that price tag. subaru sees more value in taking the risk than the psychological component connected to high price tag maintenance. it's a trade off and in todays world few original owners hold on to a car that long and an even smaller percent of them will equate that with anything negative. Subaru will roll the dice and take that small hit.

 

i'd at least inspect them. a 1998 is also 12 years old, age is starting to become a significant factor on that one. a 2008 with 100,000 miles will likely have better pulleys than a 98 with 100,000 miles.

 

geared toothed one is most likely to be bad in the ones i've seen.

Buy quality aftermarket (Japanese) and hand them to the mechanic.

 

No way I would run another 105k on used bearings at that kind of mileage. The dealer clearly is a pile of morons. I have spoken with my local dealer and they ALWAYS reccomend they be replaced. Customer's often opt to not do it but they still tell them it's a good idea.

 

Regardless of what Subaru says - as Gary pointed out they don't want people to have the impression that Subaru's are expensive to maintain. They would rather have the occasional angry customer than have every single customer pissed off that the 105k service is $2000.

 

Personally I think Subaru should just make these parts cheaper - take a hit on the parts profit and have satisfied customers with reliable vehicles. Obviously they are being greedy when I can buy high quality Japanese bearing equipped idlers for $25 each through my local parts house and they still are making a profit.

 

GD

Replace all the pullys, the bearings do and will fail and then it's a crapshoot on if the timeing will skip and the valves will destroy themselves. I've seen a SOHC 2.5 with a failed cog tooth bearing that the timeing didn't skip at all even though it had been driven long enough to wear the pully hub flat on on side from the outer part spinning agains it without any ball bearings.

 

Also a 2.2 turbo that ripped the bolt right out of the waterpump when the pully seized, needed a new water pump too at that point, the casting was destroyed.

 

Replace them, it's retarded not to.