i bought my outback 3 months ago. the odometer says 1100 miles. the car dealer says the gages were bad and they had to replace them. they told me the odometer was at 98000 before they replaced it.how often do the timing belts need to be replaced on a 1999 legacy outback? i know on my gl they have to be changed every 60000. also since it's at 99000 is it possible it would be running on the original timing belts? i wonder if the owner replaced the timing belts before the dealer got it.i have a 400 mile trip(each way) to go one in two weeks and i wondering if it is safe to take the outback.

I don't see why not. There are no signs saying that the belt is going to go soon so I don't think 800 miles of highway driving is going to kill it anymore than 800 miles of typical driving would do.

T belt interval for a '99 Outback is 105K miles.

i bought my outback 3 months ago. the odometer says 1100 miles. the car dealer says the gages were bad and they had to replace them. they told me the odometer was at 98000 before they replaced it.[...]

There are several points to consider:

1) How trustworthy is the dealer; was the reading really 98,000?

2) Was the odometer replaced precisely at the time of the malfunction, or were there miles racked up that 98,000 didn't include?

3) You're about 6,000 miles away from the recommended change point, assuming the dealer and the mileage reading are accurate.

 

While the t-belt isn't very likely to break at precisely 105,000 miles, since you don't know the service history or the accuracy of the mileage reading, why take a chance? Sure, the odds are that an additional 800 miles isn't going to be the final straw, but remember that the 2.5 is an interference engine, and a broken t-belt can result in a lot more expense than one that's replaced as preventive maintenance.

i trust the dealer. they gave me paperwork to show it.it was driven to the dealers repair shop after it broke (100 miles or less).so i think it should be fine for my trip. thanks guys:burnout:

The belt could easily last well beyond 105k miles but it becomes increasingly risky that it will break. Also, heat is a big enemy of the timing belt, so if you're in a warm/hot climate I wouldn't try to extend it too far. Also the interval is 105 months or 105k miles, so you're nearing or at the age limit of the belt too (since an MY99 was probably built in 1998).

 

This is an interference engine. When you do replace the belt there is a list of things that it is wise to replace at the same time.

risk management. take the risk: %5 change of failure. 95% chance of success. change the belt - %99.5 chance of success. noone will agree on how to manage risk, so inform yourself and make your decisions.

 

i'll say it again... unlike your previous GL engine this new engine is an interference design. if the timing belt does break, pistons and valves collide and you'll be needing a new engine or a very costly rebuild. it does happen, saw a forester this week actually.

i live in lake tahoe.its about 80 here. i'm going to the bay area and it's about 98 there.i will take the trip then replace it as i don't want engine probs. thanks guys