October 20, 200421 yr Hi there, I just bought a used 99 Forester S with 115K. It has not had the timing belt change at 105K so i am planning to do this. My aim is to be proactive with areas of wear and tear and keep the car on the road for many years! Should I replace the water pump whilst the timing belt is being done? or should i leave what works alone? it is the difference between $400 and $750 (ish) and i am hurting for bucks after my recent purchase, but would rather spend if necessary to avoid problems and failures later. Any advice on this much appreciated. Also (as a side issue) the clutch is sort of sticking to the floor when i am in start and stop traffic. Not a major issue as i pop it up wth my foot, but definitely needs to be dealt with..... any side advice on this? all fluids are at correct levels and no leaks around the cylinders...... many thanks from a newbie who has finally got to the point where he can afford a 'ru!
October 20, 200421 yr I had the same problem with the clutch sticking to the floor. Mine would come and go, but eventually got worse. I found it to be the clutch slave cylinder which acts as a return for the pedal. Get under the hood and find the slave cylinder in the center of the bay, somewhat close to the firewall. Have someone depress the clutch or push the piston into the body by hand and see whether the piston returns quickly. From what I understand, there shouldn't be any slack between the finger (piston) and the dimpled arm. I think I paid about $45 online for a new slave cylinder and installed it in about 30 minutes. I replaced the clutch master cylinder at the same time for another $60 or so. Don't forget to use new brake fluid when bleeding the system. As for the water pump, you might want to get another estimate. The only additional cost should be for the water pump since the labor involved for the timing belt is the same for the water pump. $350 for a pump and a few bolts seems a bit high.
October 20, 200421 yr plus the two silly washers per the bulletin. It was sitll not right so I changed the master. Ahhhhhh! Yep I did the water pump, seals, and the tensioner in mine and I have had no further problems from the front of the engine. Don't ask about the clutch.
October 20, 200421 yr If it was my doing the timing belt I would do the water pump and the oil pump seals while I had it apart. Not to mention the pulleys. I know it seems like a bit much but these are all parts that tend to fail down the road. Did I mention a timing belt tensioner too?? Hope this helps.
October 20, 200421 yr I believe my pump and belt were replaced at around 100K and 200K. The previous owner took real good care of this car.
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