Anyone ever run a 2005+ EJ without a timing belt cover - I have a question for you

[idosubaru]

I'm only running this way for testing purposes, it's temporary.  I DO NOT NEED RECOMMENDATIONS or discussion about how bad of an idea this is. 

I've driven a few hundred miles and the top smooth surface of the Subaru belt is showing odd grooving and uneven wear.   It's never touched any fluids and belt and pulleys are all OEM and only 5 years old with maybe 50,000 miles.  I checked them just in case although there's really no way for a pulley to cause such uneven wear.

All of the pulleys and water pump seem fine - so I'm wondering what's causing this - could it be the heat from the exhaust coming up from those 2005+ odd exhuast systems that run forward under the timing belts?  That seems really unlikely but I've also never seen a timing belt do this before.  

I'm going to install new pulleys and water pump and timing cover, but I'd also like to know for sure what's causing this. 

[el_freddo]

Got pics to show the wear?

Something must me misaligned - an idler pulley that’s worn, the water pump shaft worn out but this usually results in a leaking water pump. 

[forester2002s]

What about the belt-tensioner? Is it behaving itself?

And another possible suspect: the belt guide-shoe, above one of the pulleys? (only installed on manuals, I think)

Edited 2 hours ago by forester2002s