i was wondering if its safe to run with no timming betl covers, not even the center one or the ones behing the cam gears. i did a search and didn't find any thin helpfull.

leave the back covers on (ones behind the cams) and you can take off all the front covers.. I've ran mine for 2 years like that. had no problems what so ever other than a used belt cracking but I still got 10,000 out of it after the first crack I saw.

 

Your raidiator and core support will protect the t-belts and gears from almost everything. For something to get in there on a stock subaru, it would have to get thrown almost straight up into the belts, but if you leave the back covers on, it protects the bottom of everything.

i've done the same with no issues, no front covers. that's with a decent amount of offroad driving in mud, snow, dirt, water.... i leave the back covers on, but might try removing them all on my next build/install.

trust me, leave the back covers on. You arent gaining anything by taking them off. They help keep the guck out of there. My front of my engine is clean considering the lift opening up the bottom of my car more.

well i have a problem with the covers on the back. they seem have to melted. i had a hard time getting the bolts out, i have to chip some peaices off to get the bolts out and the cam gears have started to eat the back covers. the right side over i have to lift up really hard to get the belt off. sorry i forgot to tell you all this.

I'm running with them all off...no problems yet (almost 10k miles)

that's where mine are getting too, falling apart and not staying tight to the motor. the left/ride sides tend to "fall forward" after the plastic breaks and the bolts won't hold it on. i'm tired of rigging it and it'll be that much easier to do cam/crank seals i guess. i'll put 'em on if i got them. but i'm not paying $100 for a new set either!

trust me, leave the back covers on. You arent gaining anything by taking them off. They help keep the guck out of there. My front of my engine is clean considering the lift opening up the bottom of my car more.

 

well i i think i could take care of the problem of guck getting in there, bend up some sheet metal at like a 90 degree, using the old t belt bolt holes just bolt it up. but i will take a look at it the next time i'm at my shop.

timing belts are rather sensitive. As are the idler bearings ect. lots of water and fine debris go thru the radiator right at the front of the motor.

either run with no covers and cut a few muinets of the belt and idler changes that you will be doing on a more regular bassis. Or find a new(used) set of covers and make your belts and idlers last a full life span.

60,000 miles is the normal T belt change. thats quite a few years for my car that I dont need to mess with it. I certianly dont want to do more work than I really have too.

Just my opinon. I know I am in the minority here and thats ok with me.

*note* I have my original idler pulleys on my car. 20 years old. They work fine. And timing belts should only take 15 minutes to change.. If that.. not too much work?

I still have mine. I like knowing that any junk that gets in the engine compartment isn't going to affect the belt. I found a good set and use anti-seize when I put the bolts on.

I bought Austin's XT and he ran without them. I have been driving the car everyday for the last year and put 32,000 miles on it now since I got it. I had the idler on the drivers side give out a few weeks ago. 134,000 miles on car.

 

I put a piece of window screen inside the grill to help stop crap from comming in and also Austin had made a pretty big skid plate on the bottom of the car and it covers almost all of the bottom of the engine. Just a pain in the butt when you want to change oil and filter.

 

My old Camo wagon still has the covers and they were a pain in the butt when I had to replace belts last year.

I still have mine. I like knowing that any junk that gets in the engine compartment isn't going to affect the belt. I found a good set and use anti-seize when I put the bolts on.

I solved the bolt seizure problem by using "poor man's" studs: I got a set of bolts that were long enough to screw through the BACK of the cover nuts and protude throught the front covers; a nyloc nut on the front and never have to worry again about getting the bolts broken loose.

I like my engine as naked as possible, it kinda turns me on. If you are getting rocks, mud and snow up there, you need a batter skid plate anyway!

 

I run without them on my ea82t so I can keep an eye on my belts. Plus, it's easier to steam clean the engine with them out. If you've ever had a Car-B-Q, then you know why I do this.

 

I didn't put the covers back on my wife's EJ22 after belt a swap and the engine is MUCH louder now. They obviously dampen a lot of valvetrain noise. They will go back on with the next belt change.

well i think i'm going to run with out them as soon as i get the motor back in the car. i will try and make some kind of sheild for the bottom. thanks for everyones help

run them all off. i leave the one behind the idle pulley there as its the only place the belt is exposed from behind. break off the little tab that overlaps the oil pimp

 

10 minute belt change withonly a 12mm deep and 7/8 sockets. dont bother with a shield. dont car how long the belts last especially when you have a multiple sets that will last a long while

 

havent had any failures with mine off road, snow, mud, grass, outrunning the sheriff, or even this:

..........yes if you look closely it says "ea82" on the fender

 

the only reported belt failure is from a loose rag under the hood, got caught in the crank and busted both belts

what the hell were you doing miles? i don't plan on doing a whole lot of offroading with the wagon, thats what the hatch is for when i get done with it. allways like to hear that you can out run the sheriff in a suby.

what was i doing? bringing my car back from idaho and decided to baja somehere in iowa on the way back.

 

oh, you mean the sheriff? i was out baja'n in a private field when the property across the stream called the pigz. wrong property. the pigs got smart and came onto our side of the stream and i gave them a run. man, i should have taken them for LAPS!! i knew better than to go on the road with it. they shouldnt have been there to begin with so i dont want to hear it!!