Hi Folks,

 

I'm new here. My kid has an '89 Subaru GL. The driver's side timing belt let go the other day on the freeway. Before I break my poor old back tearing into this thing, I'm wondering what the odds are on engine damage with the belt letting go at such a high rate of speed. Anybody got an opinion? He said he didn't hear a bunch of ugly noise, but with the stereo blaring, he couldn't hear thunder.

 

Thanks, Bob Maple Valley, WA

Absolutely none. Non interference engine. You get a new belt on it and it will go better then before!

 

Just make sure 1. piston 1 fires at the correct time. 2. the belts are installed so they are 180 degrees out from each other (1 dot points up, other sides dot points down)

Good Deal!!

Thanks very much for the info!

 

Absolutely none. Non interference engine. You get a new belt on it and it will go better then before!

 

Just make sure 1. piston 1 fires at the correct time. 2. the belts are installed so they are 180 degrees out from each other (1 dot points up, other sides dot points down)

Yep you heard it right, it's a non-interference engine.

 

 

I would recommend that you replace both belts, the water pump, camshaft seals and oil pump O-rings. That way you only need to tear into it once.

Heres a helpful diagram taken from a manual. Notice the flywheel marks. These are not timing marks, those are a little further to the right. These are 3 marks and you line up the flywheel on the center mark. Do the drivers side first, then the passengers side.

from milesfox,

 

http://www.economysuperstar.com/milesfox/subaru/service/timingbelt.htm

 

basically:

 

align crank to three marks, driver side cam straight up, put belt on

 

crank engine 360*

 

align pass. side cam to straight up, put belt on.

 

now cams are 180* from each other

 

My car did the same thing; blew the driver side belt doing 60mph down the highway. New belts and it's still going.

good luck

Pretty much what I said, with a diag

Pretty much what I said, with a diag

 

sorry, I thought the 'passenger side first, then the driver side might've thown him off' since the driver side belt has to go on first.

Doh! Dislexia strikes again

Your right, drivers side first. See what you youngins got to look forward to?

Doh! Dislexia strikes again

Your right, drivers side first. See what you youngins got to look forward to?

That wouldn't make it Dyslexia, but rather Old-Timer's Disease!

Darn, I didnt even spell it right either. Pat, you must be familiar with this disease, eh? :-p