Subaru - timing belt or chain
- Thread starter M1Accord
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Most (maybe all?) of them have belts.
Subaru are a never ending big ticket. Between t-belt, regular maintenance, wheel bearings, head gaskets, piston slap, and all of the other stupid things that always go bad, I don't know why anyone would be a repeat buyer.
How do I know this? The shop I work at does Subaru as well as Acura. Almost everyday there's a Subaru in the shop with the engine out of the car.
How do I know this? The shop I work at does Subaru as well as Acura. Almost everyday there's a Subaru in the shop with the engine out of the car.
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American made Subarus yes, Japanese made no. We just don't get all the problems here I read about on the worldwide Sube forums. Outback with 126,000kms on it is like new. 12,500km oci's etc. Subaru win the quality survey here every year and seven out of the top ten vehicles in Australia for keeping resale value are Subes. Highest owner satisfaction rating than anything else.
Outstanding reliability overall. My 2000 Forester (bad year?) had zero problems. I sold it running like new at 127,000 miles. Subaru 4 cyl engines have a timing belt with a recommended change at 105,000 miles. ALL Subaru 4 cyl engines are interference engines so change the TB as recommended. The 6 cyl engine has a timing chain with no replacement interval. The latest information I read (2004 or 2005) is that within statistical SD, there is no difference between the Indiana IL plant and the Japanese plants with respect to reliability. Ed
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Dad's 99 Forester at 88K miles.
1. Two head gaskets
2. Two pistons replaced due to severe piston slap
3. New wheel bearings in front
4. New radiator
Total bill was almost 4000 for all of this work. Crazy.
1. Two head gaskets
2. Two pistons replaced due to severe piston slap
3. New wheel bearings in front
4. New radiator
Total bill was almost 4000 for all of this work. Crazy.
2 Japanese makes with no timing belts: Mazda and Nissan. Honda has a mix of chain and belt engines, and I THINK Toyota is 100% chain now that the 3.5 V6 is in production. I'm not sure about their 2.4 I4.
2.4 I4 is chain
I do not know about smaller Toy engines
I do not know about smaller Toy engines
1.8 Toyota is chain.
I guess that leaves Honda and the Koreans to wise up. Speaking for me, after my Mitsu Eclipse disaster, I'll never own another car with a belt.
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I had thought that honda's recent (2003 ) I4 and V6 both used chains... am I wrong?
I believe the 2.4 is chain, the 3.0 is belt on 2003 - 2007 Accords.
OP asked about a Subaru.
The Subaru 2.5L motor uses a belt. 105K change interval, not prone to early failure. The last one I had done cost ~$250.
The Subaru 3.0L six uses a chain.
Ed
The Subaru 2.5L motor uses a belt. 105K change interval, not prone to early failure. The last one I had done cost ~$250.
The Subaru 3.0L six uses a chain.
Ed
7th gen (2003-2008) 2.4 Honda is chain
Originally Posted By: M1Accord
are the 95 4runner using chain as well? i am trying to get a midsize SUV as a family vehicle and don't want anything with a timing belt that needs replacement.
If the Runner has the 2.7L I4 its a chain.. if its the 3.0 or 3.4L V6, its a belt.
are the 95 4runner using chain as well? i am trying to get a midsize SUV as a family vehicle and don't want anything with a timing belt that needs replacement.
If the Runner has the 2.7L I4 its a chain.. if its the 3.0 or 3.4L V6, its a belt.
Originally Posted By: edhackett
OP asked about a Subaru.
The Subaru 2.5L motor uses a belt. 105K change interval, not prone to early failure. The last one I had done cost ~$250.
The Subaru 3.0L six uses a chain.
Ed
Yes, but my 2000 2.5L has bad timing chain tensioner. I know it because it had to be replaced twice under warranty. The timing belt change was quited to me at $600+. I never did it as the car was totaled before it was due. My subaru has several recalls and a lot of warranty repairs. Maintenance cost well above average and very disappointing fuel efficiency. I'm happy to be a Toyota owner now.
OP asked about a Subaru.
The Subaru 2.5L motor uses a belt. 105K change interval, not prone to early failure. The last one I had done cost ~$250.
The Subaru 3.0L six uses a chain.
Ed
Yes, but my 2000 2.5L has bad timing chain tensioner. I know it because it had to be replaced twice under warranty. The timing belt change was quited to me at $600+. I never did it as the car was totaled before it was due. My subaru has several recalls and a lot of warranty repairs. Maintenance cost well above average and very disappointing fuel efficiency. I'm happy to be a Toyota owner now.
SOME SUBARUS USE CHAINS! They were all belts until...what...99-00-01 timeframe?? Then I thought they introduced a chain in the 2.5.
The 2.2L boxer is a closed deck, solid motor that will run hard all day long. The 2.5 is more refined but has less load margin. My knowledge ends around 00. I'm not in touch with them as much now.
There was a honda dealer in Vienna VA that actually told a customer that subarus were slightly ahead in drivetrain/engine reliability, but behind in "quirkiness" reliability back when we lived up there.
Mike
PS. subie T-belts are the easiest I've ever seen to change.
The 2.2L boxer is a closed deck, solid motor that will run hard all day long. The 2.5 is more refined but has less load margin. My knowledge ends around 00. I'm not in touch with them as much now.
There was a honda dealer in Vienna VA that actually told a customer that subarus were slightly ahead in drivetrain/engine reliability, but behind in "quirkiness" reliability back when we lived up there.
Mike
PS. subie T-belts are the easiest I've ever seen to change.
Originally Posted By: blackcherry06
2 Japanese makes with no timing belts: Mazda and Nissan. Honda has a mix of chain and belt engines, and I THINK Toyota is 100% chain now that the 3.5 V6 is in production. I'm not sure about their 2.4 I4.
The new Mitsubishi EVO X also uses a timing chain.
2 Japanese makes with no timing belts: Mazda and Nissan. Honda has a mix of chain and belt engines, and I THINK Toyota is 100% chain now that the 3.5 V6 is in production. I'm not sure about their 2.4 I4.
The new Mitsubishi EVO X also uses a timing chain.
The Subaru 2.5L 4 cyl engine used a timing belt and the belt is tensioned with a belt tensioner and NOT a chain tensioner.
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