I have used the import experts kits on ebay b4 and bought one recently for my nieces

07 impreza

I was a little surprised at the 239.00 price tag tho

it had the blue gates belt but I did not really need a hi perf belt

Just installed it

But this morning I happened to run across this

http://www.amazon.com/Gates-TCK304-Timing-Belt-Component/dp/B002R8HMAY/ref=au_as_r?ie=UTF8&Make=Subaru%7C13&Model=Impreza%7C62&Year=2007%7C2007&carId=002&n=15684181&newCar=1&s=automotive&vehicleType=automotive

 

its 100 cheaper

sheesh

anyone ever use these gates kits

interesting that a couple of the import expert bearings did not seem to be double

Gates is great quality. And that's a good price too.

yep, get it. gates are good kits. 

 

the tensioners are the expensive part - they used to be around $100 just for the tensioners but they're coming down in price. 

 

theimportexperts haven't really kept up with the decrease in tensioner pricing for some reason.  some of the cheaper kits on ebay are suspicious in terms of quality but i haven't seen any fail yet, though i avoid them for the most part.

No water pump in the cheaper kit. Did yours come with a water pump? If not you need to get one.

i suggest looking around for a while before doing the job.

i got mine off of ebay, it was a continental kit which i think is the best

for 200 bucks cause a guy got one and then didn't need it.

the question is the pulley quality and the water pump from Aisin:

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/128157-watch-out-for-oaw-branded-water-pumps/

Also important is the quality of the belt. In your case you say you don't care about the quality,

but if you change everything with the better parts, all it does is prolong the time till you

absolutely need to do it again, barring catastrophic filure, that is...

let me answer all of the above

 

--yes got the water pump (no it was not in the kit)...OEM...I buy from walker renton Subaru in washinton state

got oil pump o-ring, t stat...cam crank seals

--T belt quality IS in=mportant to me---in fact I used to toss the import experts belt in the trash and invest in an oem,,,,,,now THATS anal haha

 

this was a hi perf blue belt....a plain gates one would have been fine if it made the kit cheaper

 

I am going to get that gates kit next time I need one

 

Hey-----how does everyone fill the coolant so as not to have air entrapment issues

 

I take a long neck funnel and stick it in the upper rad hose ----slowly pour into the engine...and leave the t stat housing cracked open and wait for it to start dripping out----hmmm ,,,altho usually when I do the t belt job I replace all hoses and have the firewall Heater core exiting hose disconnected...and I wait for water to flow out of IT first

My niece is not replacing hers....

anyway....let me know how u all do it

Heater core shouldn't be empty so that not going to have much air in it if any.

Just fill the block through the upper hose, stick the hose back on and fill the radiator. Fill the overflow to full and run the engine til the fan cycles. Turn off and let it cool overnight. Add coolant to the radiator and overflow next day if needed.

I run the Gates kit one one my Subaru's, They are only about $165 from Rock auto for the whole kit- Belt, tensioner, water pump, pulley's and the belt spacer tool