Not to beat a dead horse but I noted how most of the, "How to replace timing belts." talks of pulling the Crank Pully off.

 

Why cant a person loosen the tension spring and roll the belts on?

 

Other then plastic cover nothing was removed (except old belt). Just wiggled them on over the edge with a little prying and swearing.

 

*Noob with a wrench in his hand*

 

May this possibly damage the new belts?

I think you are mistaking the timing belts with the accessory belts. The timing belts are inside the timing covers, behind the crank pulley. It needs to be removed to get the covers off and the outer crank gear off.

I think you are mistaking the timing belts with the accessory belts. The timing belts are inside the timing covers, behind the crank pulley. It needs to be removed to get the covers off and the outer crank gear off.

 

no... they were the timing belts, had motor out (Replacing with new 2 me EA-82) in my 88 wagon, Nephew had me pull black covers off, he yanked old ones off and just shoved (wrestled) the new belts over after loosening tentioners (assured proper orientation) set tention back on, used drill to roll motor over several times to assure all is well and put covers back on....and we put motor in.

 

One thing I noticed is they weren't Gates belts, I suspect cheap Japo.. but we were in a hurry and now I know how to get to them. Possibly being not as good quality allowed enough play to slip over?... but that's how he did it.

maybe the motor was missing the timing belt cover around the crank pulley. unless the cover was loosened and the belts wedged in between the space pryed apart between before the crank pulley.

 

whenever i service a motor or do my own, i take the covers off completely. that way if i break a belt off the side of the road, or need to change a sela later, it saves me all that work

In order to remove the center cover, the crank pulley has to come off. If you dont take off the center cover, you cant install the belts. But you can break the center cover off without removing the pulley, I guess

Funny you said they werent gates and were maybe cheapo japanese belts.

 

Generally (well in my opinion) timing belt quality from highest to lowest seems to go:

 

Genuine Subaru (Japan)

Gates or such (US)

Generic (Mexico)

thats pretty much right. Most oem parts are good.i just put on gates timing belts on mine.(when i replaced the oil pump, i replaced them to)

But you can break the center cover off without removing the pulley, I guess

did the same thing..