Last week I posted about the 99 obw I bought. The po was doing 65 on the freeway and lost power. Shop said timing went and motor was bad. I bought it with the intent of swapping motors. When I opened up the timing covers one of the idler pulleys was in pieces. I decided to put a new one on and retime it and it runs perfect. No valve damage was done.

 

Well I picked up a 99 legacy gt sedan, also with a dual cam 2.5 that had rear ended a truck. Motor looked fine except a very small hole in the passenger side timing cover. I tried starting it but it had no spark. After trying and trying, I decided to open up the timing cover. I found the upper passenger side cam pulley was shattered. I put a new pulley on it and timed it and it started and runs perfect.

 

So that 2 for 2 in 2 weeks that double cam 2.5 motors have had catastrophic timing failure, but yet no internal damage.

 

So my question is, does everyone just assume those motors are bad when timing fails? Or am I really that lucky?

 

I'm starting to question all that I've read about valve damage when timing fails.

Just lucky. Many cases just on this board of DOHC engines with bent valves after having timing belt failures.

It doesn't happen every time, but I do think a lot of mechanics (not entirely familiar with Subarus) will just say it has bent valves without verifying if they actually are.

That's what I thinking. Easy money to just say motor is bad. Makes me wonder about all the Subarus I see for sale cheap because a mechanic said it has bent valves.

sometimes they'll run but might still have low compression - maybe a comp test would still be a good idea?

thats very interesting thanks for posting this

but either way youre lucky id say

sometimes they'll run but might still have low compression - maybe a comp test would still be a good idea?

 

+1

 

runs doesn't mean not damaged.

Not only do they run, but they run extremely well.

Lucky. Good job. I (and many others) test them and see the carnage as do most on here, and of course some sneak through rarely.

 

Here’s why you “got lucky” twice.

 

At this point people are dumping them for age and low value. Breakdown = people lose faith in an old vehicle and don’t want to put $500-$1,000 into *any* job. They don’t care if it’s bent valves or timing belt, either way it’s way more than they want to spend on a low value car they just lost faith in.

 

And it’s the norm for people to exaggerate or favor the truth that supports their interests or favored outcome, I see that all the time too helping people with cars. I see people move on from older vehicles with minor issues, major, catastrophic, all the time, it’s a revolving door and you got two good ones. Once they’re done, they’re done. And that’s the norm.

Edited October 16, 20178 yr by idosubaru

Like my golf game, I'd rather be lucky than good. Lol