1990 Legacy Wagon Timing Problem

[BoomerBoy]

Hey, y'all. This is my first post to this forum, though I've taken a lot of information and advice from many of you. Thank you so much for your help.

 

I need help with a timing belt on my 1990 Legacy wagon 2.2 SOHC non-turbo. I bought a Haynes repair manual but it made the problem worse. The picture in the book shows notch marks on timing belt covers that line up with the cam shaft sprocket. But the timing belt covers on the car have no notches. It also states that there are 44 teeth from the center of the crank to the right hand cam and 40.5 teeth to the left hand cam sprocket. If this is correct, I can figure it out. If they're wrong on the picture and diagram they could be wrong on the number of teeth also. I need to know how to time up the car and would like to know the correct number of teeth to each cam.

 

Thanks for any help you can offer. If you have anything to clear this up, I would appreciate it. I don't want to do all this work just to have to do it again.

 

Thanks!

 

BoomerBoy

[idosubaru]

i can't remember the exact details, but when i did my first 2.2 i used the search function and found everything i needed. links to endwrench articles, pictures and details straight from subaru. was easy enough.

[TheBigJ]

Yes, you should be able to find the info you need with the search function. I have the same car and have done this with Haynes manual and it went ok.

 

If you do not have notches for whatever reason (broken etc) on the upper part of the inner timing belt covers, you can count number of teeth and you will be ok. Your new timing belt should have marks on the belt itself indicating # of teeth (3 marks, be sure the belt is facing the right way and they will all line up). If you have not taken off the old timing belt, get the crank in the right position and the two cam sprockets will have marks pointing straight up. I am assuming your old belt did not break, slip, etc.

 

The good news is, if you do it wrong, you will not damage the engine. Your car may run like poop until you get in there again and set it right.

 

Be sure you install the harmonic balancer/crank pulley properly. You must put about 130ft lbs of torque on it or it will come loose and you will have all kinds of problems. Don't ask how I know. Be sure to get a chain wrench as the manual suggests for this torqueing or immobilize the engine at the flywheel.

[Legacy777]

Here are the factory manul pages.

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8080/subaru_manual_scans/FSM_Scans/Timing_belt1.jpg

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8080/subaru_manual_scans/FSM_Scans/Timing_belt2.jpg

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8080/subaru_manual_scans/FSM_Scans/Timing_belt3.jpg

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8080/subaru_manual_scans/FSM_Scans/Timing_belt4.jpg

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8080/subaru_manual_scans/FSM_Scans/Timing_belt5.jpg

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8080/subaru_manual_scans/FSM_Scans/Timing_belt6.jpg

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8080/subaru_manual_scans/FSM_Scans/Timing_belt7.jpg

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8080/subaru_manual_scans/FSM_Scans/Timing_belt8.jpg

 

Also, here's pics from my timing belt job

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8080/subaru/images/timingbelt

 

It's pretty straight forward. The thing most people screw up on is aligning the crank shaft gear with the front arrow instead of the mark on the back of the timing gear.

 

If you're just doing the belt and no seals, you should be able to just line up the marks on the pullies & gear with their corresponding marks on the covers & oil pump, and slap a new belt on.