maintenance questions

Jan 01, 2004 5 Replies

Is the 2.2 engine zero tolerance? What would be the damage if the timing belt broke while at speed? I have a 92 Legacy and I've heard both that it is and isn't zero tolerance. Right now I have it down for maintenance for the belt but it'll be a project just to get to it. I'm just curious. thanks


I think you mean interference vs. non-interference engine - in the former, if the piston were at it's highest position, it would hit the valves if they were open - in a non-interference engine, they would not - so if you have a non-interference engine, and the timing belt snaps, the car just coasts to a stop - install a new belt and you are good to go. In an interference engine, however, if the timing belt snaps, the pistons will hit the valves - this will generally result in a bunch of bent valves, along with potentially damaging one or both of the heads as well (not good).

for the Subaru 2.2L, this website

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says the 2.2L isnon-interference

Ths SOHC 2.2l engine is usually refered to as non-interference. Emily at

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claims there are soob engines that hit piston-valve. Not sure which ones they are. From what I've read, ALL the DOHC engines can hit valve-valve.(due to the angle at which they protrude.)Carl

1 Lucky Texan

David & Carol> I think you mean interference vs. non-interference engine - in the former,

That's incorrect. The DOHC 2.5 available in 1998 was definitely INTERFERENCE. However, the SOHC 2.5 available in 1999 was definitely NON-INTERFERENCE.

Stu

Edward Hayes wrote:

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