I've searched and didn't find anything quite like this on here. I've got an '89 EA82 in a 4door wagon. This time last year I did a full timing kit that had belts, tensioners, idlers, and I added cam seals, crank seal, oil pump seal, water pump, hoses and a radiator.

 

Yesterday morning I started it and heard an extra little jingle coming from under the hood that I hadn't heard before. I popped the hood and saw the issue. It appears to be that on the oil pump pulley, there are rails front and back to keep the belt centered or at least on the pulley. The rail on the engine side has come loose/off of the pulley and is jingling between the pulley and the oil pump housing. I need to know if this is a major issue or if it can stay like this for a while without any damage. It seems I have to use a strap wrench or something to hold the pulley from spinning while I loosen the nut holding it on so I was unable to pull the pulley off tonight.

 

Please let me know! Thanks

 

 

Edited January 8, 201412 yr by LiftedSuzuki

I had this situation when I did my timing belts on my wagon before the engine swap but I had a new replacement pump already. so the offending part was discarded.

Are you able to re-install the #2 belt temporarily as a 'hold-back',  hold the crank pulley from rotating and loosen the oil pump pulley nut a turn. Take off the #2 belt, remove the nut.

 

Most of us have forgotten to loosen bolts and nuts before removing the belts. Easy to do when you are in a hurry.

i had it happen and left it like that, i think i just cut/ripped it off and forgot about it. lots of timing components have no lips and with the wrap around the oil pump i would have zero concerns about it causing any issues.

 

if you remove the oil pump a 1" socket (a "12" point so to speak) fits over the rotor on the back side and holds it in place to remove the nut.  they can be a bear to remove otherwise.  a rubber strap wrench would work if there's room to place and hold it.

Edited January 8, 201412 yr by grossgary

It would be best to remove the ring or replace the pulley.OR even easiest the whole pump. I had a similar situation on my EA82 where the timing belt slipped and broke the ring loose.

 

I tried to pop the ring back on to no avail. I ignored the issue for about a month and all seemed o.k until one day I noticed the car had a small oil drop under her.

 

It turns out the retaining ring eventually wore a hole through the oil pump housing and into an oil passage, causing a mild leak and light lifter tap.

 

Thankfully I managed to find a good used pump for $4.00 so I simply replaced the pump. Here is a pic of the damage.

Thanks for the replies! It looks like I'll have to get that thing off before I wear a hole through for sure. I did try and use the belt to hold it in place but I felt uneasy about how much pressure I was having to put on it and didn't want to trash my new belt. Looks like I'm pulling the oil pump again.

Nibble it off with some sheet metal shears.

 

replace it the next time you do timing belts.

 

No need to take a freshly sealed pump back out.

Nibble it off with some sheet metal shears.

 

replace it the next time you do timing belts.

 

No need to take a freshly sealed pump back out.

+1

Do you think I'll be able to snip enough that I would be able to break it off?

Do you think I'll be able to snip enough that I would be able to break it off?

yes, i've done it.  snip, rotate, snip if you have to.  it was a few years ago but i'm pretty sure i just grapped mine with needle nosed and bent it out...but i've probably worked on 50 Subaru's since then so I could be mistaken.

 

it'll come off and not be that difficult.

Update - Used a screw driver to wedge behind the broken ring and then snipped with a pair of tin snips. Popped right off piece of cake! Thanks for the advice guys!