I've been replacing the timing belt and pulleys in my 1999 Legacy Lancaster (a Japanese import similar to an Outback) with a kit from Amazon, I noticed that the rusty looking "guide" just left of the top cam on the right side (looking at the engine from mechanic perspective) was actually a small pulley with a destroyed ball bearing inside it. None of the belt kits I looked at, and I looked at many, included this pulley. All of the DOHC kits I saw included only the 2 smooth pulleys, the toothed pulley, and the hydraulic tensioner with its pulley.

Can anyone please enlighten me why this would be? And where can I get the missing 5th pulley?

Thanks.

Looks like the above?

Only 4 and the Water Pump and Crankshaft gear.

^ that’s a phase 1 DOHC setup. 

The DOHC phase 2 has that little pulley between the tensioner and the LHS inlet cam wheel. I believe it stops belt flap. 

Cheers 

Bennie

11 hours ago, Stokie said:

I've been replacing the timing belt and pulleys in my 1999 Legacy Lancaster (a Japanese import similar to an Outback) with a kit from Amazon, I noticed that the rusty looking "guide" just left of the top cam on the right side (looking at the engine from mechanic perspective) was actually a small pulley with a destroyed ball bearing inside it. None of the belt kits I looked at, and I looked at many, included this pulley. All of the DOHC kits I saw included only the 2 smooth pulleys, the toothed pulley, and the hydraulic tensioner with its pulley.

Can anyone please enlighten me why this would be? And where can I get the missing 5th pulley?

Thanks.

That’s pulley isn’t found on any typical US market 1996-2004 EJ25s. You definitely need something other than a standard kit as far as US market stuff goes. 

I have seen additional pulleys but it’s been awhile - I think maybe some turbo or JDM engines.

first step is to make sure it’s the original engine and it wasn’t swapped at some point to something else.  There are plug and play bolt in options for just about all EJ25s.

search on a Subaru online website - enter your VIN and search that way to get the right part number.

It's used on the 2.5 turbo DOHC engines. We buy them all the time. NTN makes them. 

GD