What is the labor involved in changing a timing belt tensioner, is there any risk in putting it off or is this something that needs to be done immediately.

What is the labor involved in changing a timing belt tensioner, is there any risk in putting it off or is this something that needs to be done immediately.

 

You are a little "light" on the details..................

If you, or someone is already in there there should be no additional labour cost, going in there "cold" I would try to sneak it in (being careful, not taking the rad out etc, just unbolt the cover and installing it) maybe 2 hours.

 

Can it wait?

At best it might leave you stranded + towing to get it fixed, at worst: engine out, valve job (this depends on the details).

What is the labor involved in changing a timing belt tensioner, is there any risk in putting it off or is this something that needs to be done immediately.

 

If this making noise, your up against pending doom. This is not something that you want to let go.

 

nipper

What kind of noise does the tensioner make? I just did my belt, and the tensioner looked okay, but I don't know what to look for.

What kind of noise does the tensioner make? I just did my belt, and the tensioner looked okay, but I don't know what to look for.

 

You are still not telling anybody anything.

In the "newer" Subaru cars there are 2 different 4 cylinder engines, the 2.2 and the 2.5, you can "spin" a belt off a 2.2 with no engine damage, it will leave you stranded, but you won't cause ANY engine damage. A 2.5 is a different animal, "spin" the belt off of a 2.5, and you are into replacing bent valves (engine out) at the very least.

The timing belt tensioner is a small spring loaded hydraulic dampened device, it just sits there, it can't make any noise, but it can leak. You can see if it is leaking oil (around the rod) when it is out in your hand. You would replace it if leaking.

Your crankshaft driven timing belt runs around idler pulleys and your water pump. When you change such a belt the first time (roughly 60,000 miles) you would feel the idler pulleys (checking them for wobble and ANY roughness in the bearing(s)), you would also feel the water pump pulley for any similar signs, and change anything that failed inspection.

On your second belt change (roughly 120,000 miles) you would routinely change all the idelers and water pump at the same time you do the belt. Again you would inspect the tensioner and replace it at any sign of leakage.

The remainder of your car engine's belt changing life should be spent in the same order, a "simple" belt change, followed by a "major" belt change.

Just today I rolled up 360,000 miles on my 2.2 Turbo, I do it this way and it seems to work.

it makes a huge difference why you're asking this question. are you having it done, what engine, what mileage, is something already happening??

 

You are still not telling anybody anything.

that wasn't the original poster that posted, he hasn't replied yet.

 

In the "newer" Subaru cars there are 2 different 4 cylinder engines, the 2.2 and the 2.5, you can "spin" a belt off a 2.2 with no engine damage, it will leave you stranded, but you won't cause ANY engine damage.

you should edit this post. the EJ22 from 1997 and up is an interference engine just like the EJ25, and can have valve damage. and also the engine doesn't have to come out to fix the valves, though that is the most popular way to do it.

Gary is correct the 1997 and up 2.2 are interference, this I know because my 97 2.2 got destoryed from the idle pully coming apart.

it makes a huge difference why you're asking this question. are you having it done, what engine, what mileage, is something already happening??

 

that wasn't the original poster that posted, he hasn't replied yet.

 

you should edit this post. the EJ22 from 1997 and up is an interference engine just like the EJ25, and can have valve damage. and also the engine doesn't have to come out to fix the valves, though that is the most popular way to do it.

Subaru sent out a service note on the Timing Belt Tensioner noise. It has the sound of a crank bearing knock when first starting but goes away once the engine has warmed up. Subaru said to look for evidence of the Timing belt rubbing on the Timing Belt Cover. This is evidence enough to replace the tensioner as there maybe no other indications. I got this info off of Alldata.

 

Hope this helps, Ted