Im doing a tbelt job on a 92 legacy 2.2L manual awd and was wondering if the bearings wear repackable on the idlers ?

Im doing a tbelt job on a 92 legacy 2.2L manual awd and was wondering if the bearings wear repackable on the idlers ?

If you are very careful you can remove the seals, clean out the old grease and re-pack them and then replace the seals. I know it can be done, but the last timing belt job I did, I just replaced them with new. Somehow, I didn't trust the re-packing thing.

Re packing doesnt really do anything for wear. your better to bite the bullit and just replace them.

 

nipper

easiest way is to replace the pulleys with new. a cheaper alternative is to have a shop press in new bearings.

 

the cheapest alternative is to repack the bearings, which i have documented here: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=50430

i would not do this on an inteference engine so i typically don't post this link in the newer generation thread. the interference engines are newer and worth new stuff anyway.

 

as for not being any benefit to this, that couldn't be further from the truth . if you've done the process i've demonstrated above, the bearings feel brand new after you're done. i'm no bearing expert but with greasing at every t-belt change i feel the bearings will last the life of the vehicle. they loose grease and the grease gets old/dirty. regreasing helps tremendously. now...that it's done properly and doesn't all blow out or bust the seal...this is all assuming it's done right of course. i have never attempted to remove the seals as edrach posted, didn't know that was possible, from the disassembly that i've done of the pulleys i wouldn't attempt any more than you have to. they are robust and well built, just give them fresh grease and move on.

i have never attempted to remove the seals as edrach posted, didn't know that was possible, from the disassembly that i've done of the pulleys i wouldn't attempt any more than you have to. they are robust and well built, just give them fresh grease and move on.

It's easier to remove the seal -- I found that using a needle would tear the inner sealing lip and allow more grease to leak out. You can remove the seal entirely by prying lightly and evenly around the edge of the outside circumference of the seal with a small standard screwdriver -- the inside rubber lip is left intact. Be careful not to bend seal in the process as it is a very thin rubber coated metal disc. You can use your hand to to reinstall the seal or an appropriate socket -- then with rubber gloves on, use your thubmnail to work the inside lip of the seal around the fulcrum of the idler pulley.

 

I agree that these pulleys fail only when they run out of grease so this is a worthwhile thing to do.

It's easier to remove the seal -- I found that using a needle would tear the inner sealing lip and allow more grease to leak out. .

Yep, been there done that, have grease spray to prove it.

 

If the bearings already loose, greasing it won't help much.

It's easier to remove the seal .

can you post pictures, i didn't see an easy way to get the seal off and feel comfortable getting it back in tight enough that it wouldn't come off. what retains it once you remove and reinstall? it's just pressed on? i'll give this a try, i have enough extras to play with that's for sure!

I am currently away from home and won't be back until the end of this month, but I can certainly send you some pictures via email at that point -- don't know how to attach pictures to my posts. I will say that I was surprised to see how easily they come out and by the appearance of the seal itself. I expected a seal more similar to the cam or crank seals, but it's just a thin, rubber-coated metal disc with a small lip along the inside circumference.

 

I replaced the cogged idler when I performed the timing belt service, and it all made much more sense to me after I removed the seal from the old one.

 

Yes, the seals are just pressed on -- but you could apply some silcone to the outer circumference of the seal for added security.

I just bit the bullet and ordered all new pulleys and crank + Tbelt from a outfit in Yakima Wa that specializes in T-belts and stuff.

Shipped to my door . Tbelt 4 pulleys/cogs and crank bolt , shipping = $88.90:banana:

oh yeah, that's a smoking deal. can't do that with an XT6......