disclaimer: sorry, this is really intended for other Subaru dealer techs, and anyone else who's gotten up close and personal with the '08's

ok, so we're doing pre-delivery inspections on all the '08 Impreza's, and we start to notice: the alternator/power steering belt uses the alternator as the tensioner, but the A/C belt doesn't have one. not at all. it goes from the crank pulley, up around the A/C pulley (compressor bolted solidly to the block), and back to the crank. how the %#*@ do you replace it? not a huge issue now, and I'm sure there is a way, but we haven't found it...lol. anybody else noticed this or know the solution?

~Erik~

Look long and hard. There has to be a tensioner for the A/C belt!

Maby you can move the A/C pump and that is how you tension it?

ok, just looked it up...there is NO tensioner, and you do not move the A/C compressor. The official instructions for taking the belt off are Step 1: cut it off. There is a set of dealer tools for installing a new one, there's a belt-holder-dealy that holds it, you loop it over the compressor, pinch it in the holder, then rotate the crank pulley around and it flips the belt up onto the pulley grooves. No tensioner, no adjustments. wow...that's really a first, distinct step AWAY from user-servicability for Subaru... *sigh*

~Erik~

What is the replacement interval for that belt? I think it's 105k miles, so if the timing belt interval is still 105k miles too then maybe they figure those items will be done at the same time.

 

There must be other automakers that have gone to this style too? Though most vehicles now use the serpentine style like the H6 probably?