Thanks for the great explanation. My son's 2006 Forester engine (with manual trans) did NOT have the guide installed, so I figured the engine was a replacement that had originally been installed with an automatic. We did install a guide on it, just to be sure. Your video explains the issue perfectly. He never had a problem, but it surely could have been.
Subaru started fitting the cam belt guides in MY98, on manual models only (at least, in European model Subaru's). They changed the design of the oil pump at the same time (for manual and auto models), adding the two bosses that the cam belt guide screws in to. So to fit a cam belt guide to an earlier engine, you'd need to fit the later oil pump. But to fit one to an MT88 or later engine from an auto when being sued in a manual application, you just screw the guide on to the existing pump. Be super careful if taking the crank position sensor out to check for the presence of a cam belt guide. The stainless steel sensors are very probe to corroding the surrounding aluminium, trapping them in the bore. When the screw is removed, the top of the sensor often moves a little bit, encouraging you that it's loose, so just needs prying a little. When the stainless sensor housing is trapped in the casting by corrosion, this movement is not the sensor moving in the casting, but the plastic senser internals moving in the stainless casing. Prying at it, even lightly, can break the top off an otherwise good sensor.
Replaced my timing belt today on a 2012 STI hatch and was wondering what the guides were for. It had them over the crank as well as over the right exhaust cam pulley and left intake cam pulley. I used a thin piece of cardboard to set the gap between belt and guides. Is there a special tool for adjusting the gap?
Thanks for the great explanation. My son's 2006 Forester engine (with manual trans) did NOT have the guide installed, so I figured the engine was a replacement that had originally been installed with an automatic. We did install a guide on it, just to be sure. Your video explains the issue perfectly. He never had a problem, but it surely could have been.
Subaru started fitting the cam belt guides in MY98, on manual models only (at least, in European model Subaru's). They changed the design of the oil pump at the same time (for manual and auto models), adding the two bosses that the cam belt guide screws in to. So to fit a cam belt guide to an earlier engine, you'd need to fit the later oil pump. But to fit one to an MT88 or later engine from an auto when being sued in a manual application, you just screw the guide on to the existing pump.
Be super careful if taking the crank position sensor out to check for the presence of a cam belt guide. The stainless steel sensors are very probe to corroding the surrounding aluminium, trapping them in the bore. When the screw is removed, the top of the sensor often moves a little bit, encouraging you that it's loose, so just needs prying a little. When the stainless sensor housing is trapped in the casting by corrosion, this movement is not the sensor moving in the casting, but the plastic senser internals moving in the stainless casing. Prying at it, even lightly, can break the top off an otherwise good sensor.
The only helpful video I've found about what happened to my engine!!!! Thank you! How do I rectify tho?
Looking forward to meeting you at syncrofest and seeing your trans cooling presentation
Replaced my timing belt today on a 2012 STI hatch and was wondering what the guides were for. It had them over the crank as well as over the right exhaust cam pulley and left intake cam pulley. I used a thin piece of cardboard to set the gap between belt and guides. Is there a special tool for adjusting the gap?