I have a 2003 outback wagon and have purchased a new timing
belt, water pump and crankshaft seal.  I had a person who was going to
install for me for free but now has health problems.  What would be a reasonable
price to have these parts installed?  I
don’t really have the tools to do this job myself. Ballpark estimate would be
great.

 

It should be about a 3 hour job, so base on the hour price at the shop (usually around $80 for a good independent one). 

 

You should also do the water pump and all idlers while in there.  

 

For parts I went with the evergreen kit on Amazon which usually runs around $200 w/ an Aisin Water Pump runs around $200.  

 

Add a gallon of non-premix coolant at $20/$25 and a new thermostat for around $20.

 

All in all you should be able to get it done for around $500 including parts and labor.

$500 plus or minus $200.

more likely on the higher end in the DC area.

 

all timing components should be replaced, not just the belt.  Gates kits on Amazon are like $120 for everything.  pulleys and tensioner.  those are just as likely, if not more, to fail as the belt itself.

Make sure you get a thermostat from the dealer!!! 

I don't need to say more than post this picture.

 

 

Someone who is fast at doing subarus should be able to bang out a timing job in an hour, it's not very hard. Yank the radiator (if you're doing the pump, why not, it's 2 bolts), then there's great access to everything on the front of the engine. If they don't have the right pulley holder tool for getting the cam pulleys off, those can waste serious amounts of time...