remove main pulley

Some actually hold the pulley bolt with a breaker and then have a buddy turn the ignition.......I don't think I'd recommend that.:)

However, you ought to be able to remove the belt without removing the crank pulley. You ought to be able to remove the belt tensioner and a timing belt guide or two to release tension and then just take the belt off.

If you have a manual tranny, pretty sure there is a port you can stick a big screw driver or something in. There is also a VERY SCARY way to loosen it. Also, be aware that some books have too low number for the tightening torque when reinstalling. If someone does not respond here with details, I strongly suggest you do a search or ask over at

Carl

I've done it a number of times and it isn't as bad as it sounds. You don't hold the breaker bar though - you rest it against the ground. But

- you will need a way to hold the crank pulley steady when you put it back on and torque it down.

The subaru tool or a home-made one like it is the way to go. Strap wrenches can damage the rubber dampener in the crank pulley if you use them to hold the pulley in place while torqueing on the bolt - causing it to weaken and separate prematurely.

Yes.

Think (non-existent)"harmonic balancer", that's not really there, that's there.

It may have the rubber strictly to reduce NVH without actually having the mass, durometer,etc calculations/engineering designed into for 'harmonic balancing'.

Carl

That is most likely what it is for. The FSM states it is not a harmonic balancer but it is a dampener. Regardless of it is for, I have had 2 separate and know of many other owners that have had them fail.