Timing belt issues...

I have an 86 Subaru GL, 1.8L. The timing belt recently snapped on it (I brought this up before) and my mechanic friend is trying to help me fix it (I'm a novie, as stated before, as well. :D)

However, he hasn't worked that often on Japanese cars. So, his question is that if the timing belt snaps, will the piston hit the valves?

Reply to
Caz Marciniak
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Basically, what I forgot to add, was will there be valve damage if the belt snaps.

Yeah, that's it. :)

Thanks, y'all. You guys have been great. :)

Reply to
Caz Marciniak

Depends. The Gates Rubber company has an exhaustive list of vehicles, time belt change interval and whether they are interference engines. Sorry, I don't have a link for you.

BTW, most Subaru's are non-interference. Virtually all the older ones are non-interference. The only one I know for sure that is inteference is the 2002 WRX. And even in that case the piston doesn't hit the valves, the valves hit each other.

Reply to
Kurt Krueger

the valves hit each other.......

WHATS WRONG WITH THIS STATEMENT........

Reply to
Eric Cartman

I didn't know valves could move that far...

Reply to
BD

While I do not have an exhaustive amount of data memorized, in the case of the OP, she may be OK. Most older soobs, SOHC, are non-interference. Most newer soobs are interference, either piston/valve, and/or valve/valve. Even installing the belt on a soob DOHC engine can be tricky as the cams may try to rotate and cause valve clash. It's the penta-roof design and the angle of valve intrusion that CAN, if you're unlucky, lead to valve clash, even if the piston is untouched.

I'd ask at

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for the int. versus non-int. question, and for general info on what to watch for changing the belt(s) on that engine. also, a decent on-line place for parts is
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the contact there is jamie, she's good and also races soobies!

good luck

Carl

Reply to
Carl 1 Lucky Texan

You didn't damage anything on this engine. Timing mark for the belts is located on the flywheel. Use the center line. After the first belt is installed, rotate the engine one full revolution before installing the second belt. Don't use the ignition timing marks on the flywheel. Not a bad idea to replace the oil pump gasket and camshaft seals at the same time.

Reply to
johninKY

I don't know what the head actually looks like, but I *can* visualize ways that the valves could hit each other or hook under(? trying to describe the head of one being snagged under the other. Only thing is that this could only happen in a DOHC engine. I'm just theorizing, mind you....

Reply to
nobody

sorry for the length of this post - might help someone searching in the future though. the following is from this link;

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>>>>>Heavy Hitters Unfortunately, you can?t make an accurate estimate of the job until you find out whether or not the engine is of the interference variety. If it is, the repair may have to include pulling the heads for the installation of some new valves. Unlike most other Asian engines, Subaru 1.8L and 2.2L engines are freewheeling ? no bent valves if the belt should break. We consider this good engineering practice and the mark of a company that really believes in giving its customers solid, long-lasting products. Of course, even though there won?t be catastrophic internal engine damage, the car will stop dead, perhaps stranding a family in an awkward situation, so replacement at the proper interval is still very important. Meanwhile, it was impossible to accomplish the freewheeling feature given the crowded combustion chamber of the 2.5L boxer and still achieve maximum performance and efficiency. So that motor is indeed ?a hitter,? as we technicians put it. But there?s more to the story. On the 16-valve DOHC version, if the cams are out of synch there?s a good chance the intake and exhaust valves will collide with each other, perhaps bending them. So, turn those sprockets with as little force as possible, and if you feel anything touch, go back the other way. Which brings us to an interesting question: Just because it?s supposed to be a hitter, did it actually hit? And, if so, did this collision do any valve damage? As one exceptional independent Subaru service specialist tells The End Wrench, ?I know you?re supposed to immediately do a disassembly and inspection if a 2.5L snaps a belt. But you won?t do any damage if you remove the spark plugs, rotate the crank carefully so that all the pistons are at half-mast, then do a cylinder leak-down test. That?ll tell you if any valves are bent. Sometimes you luck out and the crankshaft stops spinning before any damage is done. That would be good news to the customer.

Reply to
Carl 1 Lucky Texan

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