so, i'm going to be getting a timing belt job. what are some other "while they're in there" things i should ask about for a 120k mile legacy ej22?

Cam seals,valve cover gaskets,check your water pump and (most important) check your tensioner and pulleys.I have seen plenty of peoples horror pictures of tensioners gone bad!Also may want to check your front crank seal.

first - what year? if it's your 1996 EJ22, then it's non-interference so the answers diff. for an inteference EJ22 (1997 and newer) i'd say replace tensioners (or bearings/grease) and water pump.

 

but if yours is the 1996 listed in your profile then it's a non-interference engine and you could put those off. you risk some reliability since it's not that abnormal for a water pump or tensioner to fail between 120,000 - 180,000 (your next change). i personally replace these items (water pump and tensioners) every other timing belt change on 60,000 mile belts. personal preference there though, since there's no way to garauntee when they will or will not fail. if the small change of a belt breaking or pump failing isn't a big deal, then just replace the belt and don't worry about the tensioners and water pump. if someone is driving that would never notice a car overheating...i'd like to replace the pump for that reason as well so the motor doesn't get toasted.

 

cam seals, oil pump seals, thermostat while you're in there for sure.

first - what year? if it's your 1996 EJ22, then it's non-interference so the answers diff. for an inteference EJ22 (1997 and newer) i'd say replace tensioners (or bearings/grease) and water pump.

 

but if yours is the 1996 listed in your profile then it's a non-interference engine and you could put those off. you risk some reliability since it's not that abnormal for a water pump or tensioner to fail between 120,000 - 180,000 (your next change). i personally replace these items (water pump and tensioners) every other timing belt change on 60,000 mile belts. personal preference there though, since there's no way to garauntee when they will or will not fail. if the small change of a belt breaking or pump failing isn't a big deal, then just replace the belt and don't worry about the tensioners and water pump. if someone is driving that would never notice a car overheating...i'd like to replace the pump for that reason as well so the motor doesn't get toasted.

 

cam seals, oil pump seals, thermostat while you're in there for sure.

 

it is the 96 and it's the early 96 so it's non-interference. to my knowledge, the timing belt has never been replaced. i bought it from it's first owner at about 63k miles, and i know i've never done it.

 

i did just have the thermostat replaced around 85k.

Don't forget your cam cap/retainer o-rings. Also oil pump rear case screws might have had a tendancy to back out on this engine?

it sounds like this is turning into a "spend more than it's worth" scenario

Maybe.....but as an owner of a 125K mile 1996 EJ22 engine that cooked a headgasket due to a failed waterpump, I stand solidly behind the advice already provided above.

 

Changing the waterpump and all the seals makes sense if you are that far in there with a new timing belt and the parts are original. All the labor required to change the waterpump AFTER the timing belt is replaced will result in DOUBLE the cost to you.

 

Otherwise even after your timing belt change and the waterpump lets go, your next service will look like this.

Don't forget your cam cap/retainer o-rings. Also oil pump rear case screws might have had a tendancy to back out on this engine?

 

what are cam cap o-rings and are they on a 96 2.5 DOHC?

it sounds like this is turning into a "spend more than it's worth" scenario

nah, the parts aren't that expensive and they're all "right there" behind the timing belt, so shouldn't cost that much more. most shops replace timing belts and occassionally the water pump with it, that's it. so if that sounds good to you, roll with it.