I need to do the timing belt, and replace my water pump and I need to order parts from work like always. Everything has to be ordered for my car. BTW it is a 98 Forester. SO anyway, I am lookin gup parts and am wondering when they ask for engine code, is it the 6th number over in the VIN, or the 8th, or what? If anyone knows please tell me. thx

I just go to rockauto.com and navigate through the fields and they send me the right parts everytime. Second timing belt and second water pump from them and good so far. Buy a new h2o pump not rebuilt in my opinion though.

 

While you are doing the timing belt and H20 pump, I think the cam seal might be worth doing.

 

Chime in if others think anything else is worth doing at the same time.

 

 

The engine code is on the top of the block on a little raised bit. You should have an EJ25 DOHC. Some one correct me if I am wrong.

 

I just ordered a new timing belt, fuel filter, and PCV valve for my 98 Legacy GT.

 

Where are you ordering parts from? I order a lot of parts from 1stsubaruparts.com. They ask for you VIN as part of the ordering process. So far I have always received the correct parts.

 

Go through the drill down menu and you should get the correct parts for you car.

 

https://www.1stsubaruparts.com/partscat.html

 

Rob

Howdy, I'd also do the crank seal and check and replace hydraulic tensioner also. Then again, I'm a 2.2 guy, know nothing about the 2.5s

 

Have fun.

I work at Pep Boys and was going to order parts through them because I get a pretty decent discount and they are pretty good parts. When I look it up in the computer it asks 'engine code 6- yes or no' I am assuming they meant a # from the VIN...that is what one of the techs told me, but I am not sure and wanted to get some feedback from others.

This may help:

 

http://www.oakos.com/wrx/vin.htm

 

It shows 6 as the 2.5L.

 

It is for a WRX vin, but it should be similar. I have a 6 on mine, which is also a 2.5.

 

Rob

yeah, the 6th number on the VIN is a 6, I just got confused because someone also said it was the 8th number over.

Don't forget if you use 1stsubaru, you have to ask for the discount many of us have been getting for quite some time now. Recently, they stopped showing the discounted price on the website as well. I guess Auburn Subaru sold the 1stsubaru website to someone else. I just bought some parts from 1stsubaru and had to mention it or they would have quoted me retail.

Well, I know I have to do the water pump, it is leaking bad, so I might as well do the timing because I bought my car used and I am not even sure if it has ever been done. So timing belt, water pump, thermostat, gasket...what else should I do?

For your engine, 2.5 DOHC:

 

4 cam seals

1 crank seal

o-ring between oil pump and engine block

thermostat + seal

 

I know you want to order from Pep Boys, but many recommend OEM for the preceding parts.

 

Water pump, T-belt, idler pulley (usually only the toothed one ever needs replacing) can be sourced in the aftermarket.

 

Good luck.

are you sure the water pump is leaking and it's not something else? 98 2.5's have head gasket issues. just checking, hate to see all that work and $ not fix your problem.

 

might want to order in new pulleys too and replace the ones that are noisey and dont' feel "like new". probably the sprocketed one by the oil pump, they seem to be the first to start making noise. being an interference engine and the fact that yo'ure not goign to be in there again for 100,000 miles you want to make sure all your pulley bearings are good. once the bearings seize in a pulley your 100,000 mile timing belt will slide over it and last about 1,000 miles. they are expensive so an alternative to replacing them all is buying them all and returning the ones you don't need.

 

you can also replace the bearings if you have access to a press and buy the bearings.

The VIN breakdown is like this:

 

1 manufacturer

2 manufacturer

3 manufacturer

4 line

5 body type

6 engine type

7 model

8 restraint type

9 check digit

10 model year

11 plant of manufacture and transmission type

12 sequential

13 sequential

14 sequential

15 sequential

16 sequential

17 sequential

 

This is from the factory manual on my 00 OBW; yours may vary.

Well the thing is, yeah I work at Pep Boys, but I can order things through the dealer and get a better price then if I went direct to the dealer, because they are our one of our vendors. I don't know. It's not a cheap job, but it's not too expensive and I shouldn't complain, I have over 153k miles on it so far.

Well, one of my mechanics at the shop took a look at it when I brought it in for an oil change. He knows about the hg issues because I told him from what I have heard about anyway. You can actually see where it is leaking from. I just want to make sure I will be replacing everything that needs to be replaced. I am not sure if the timing has ever been done on this car to begin with, no info what so ever when I purchased it.

 

are you sure the water pump is leaking and it's not something else? 98 2.5's have head gasket issues. just checking, hate to see all that work and $ not fix your problem.

 

might want to order in new pulleys too and replace the ones that are noisey and dont' feel "like new". probably the sprocketed one by the oil pump, they seem to be the first to start making noise. being an interference engine and the fact that yo'ure not goign to be in there again for 100,000 miles you want to make sure all your pulley bearings are good. once the bearings seize in a pulley your 100,000 mile timing belt will slide over it and last about 1,000 miles. they are expensive so an alternative to replacing them all is buying them all and returning the ones you don't need.

 

you can also replace the bearings if you have access to a press and buy the bearings.

well i think if you have a 153000 you should go ahead and change the idler pulley. i know it is really expensive but i have a 97 outback and at 170000 the toothed idler blew up on me on the way ffrom mich to calif. it happend in nebraska where noone knows anything about subarus. i ended up towing to california and having to pull the engine to get my heads rebuilt.

 

just a thought

yeah I figured as much anyway. I found a timing belt component kit for like $120, and with parts and labor I am looking at about $500, then I get a discount if I get it done at work, so it is not that bad. Although the other car, which is a gr. cherokee just blew the water pump tonight. I have no luck with vehicles.

Hey, you may want to give these guys a shout:

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/index.php

 

they are located in CT (should be overnight to you with UPS ground) and give a 25% discount. Web site isn't as detailed as 1stsubaru, but very helpful on the phone.