Crank Pulley Wobble and Timing Job

[WhatIsThisIDontEven]

So my 91 NA wagon has been sitting for a few months after the crank bolt backed out and sent the pulley on a field trip into the timing covers. The pulley is borked with the slot for the key being almost cleanly machined away at the back, and I can't see much key sticking out at all from the crank sprocket, so this isn't looking good from the get go.

On the good news, however, the car does still run and it runs very well. This happened on Christmas day on my way to dinner, and I was a few miles from my destination when the bolt backed out. I took the pulley off, hand tightened the crank bolt, and flew down back roads in a race between the timing falling apart and the battery dying. It's amazing what a man will do for a pretty lady waiting for him to arrive for Christmas.... but I digress

I had the car towed home, and it drove itself onto the flatbed and back off, so I believe the keyway and section of key holding the sprocket on is holding well. Because of this, I am hoping to finally put it back together this weekend and I wanted to run my plans past you guys to see if I'm missing anything obvious.

I'm hoping to do a regular timing job (including seals and oil pump reseal) and replacing the pulley, key, and crank bolt. If the keyway is damaged heavily, my master plan is some metal epoxy carefully placed to fill in the damage and then shaped/filed down.

So far, I have the following parts ordered:

Timing Kit (Belt, pulleys, water pump, cam and crank seals)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/360363246017?it ... 60&vxp=mtr
(I know it's less than ideal quality, but the price difference was great enough that I took the risk)


Harmonic Balancer Kit (Pulley, bolt, and key)
http://www.dormanproducts.com/itemdetai ... me=594-129

OEM Crank Sprocket just in case

Drive belts, oil pump O-ring, and radiator hoses


I also used this as an excuse to buy a decent impact gun and set, since I'll be spending my summer working on this Legacy and my SVX and anything else that comes my way, so I will have that to hopefully help with the cam bolts.



Ok, does my plan of attack sound good? I want to start work Saturday around noon and be driving around blasting Radar Love with the windows down by Monday afternoon, so I have a little time.

Also, to make it better, this is my first timing job ever, so any tips would be great.

Also also, this is my first actual post where I haven't been looking for the occasional parts. Hello everybody! I'll be around a lot more.


Thanks for hanging in through the long post and thanks for any tips or advice anyone may have.

-Randy

[kimokalihi]

When it comes to parts you're really going to rely on, like a water pump, don't buy aftermarket. Subaru uses a cast iron impellor blade on their water pumps that's a totally different design than that stamped steel blade on that ebay pump. I saw a thread about this the other day but don't remember where. You can use it but I wouldn't. Anything vital I use oem every time. If you order from an online dealers website you save some of the markup the parts receive after the dealer gets them.

I see you mentioned an oil pump o ring. Are you talking about the crank seal? If so, yes replace that and the cam seals and they're probably leaking oil. But no need to remove the oil pump if everything is running well.

[WhatIsThisIDontEven]

It was one of those things that I went cheap on because, honestly, I'm not entirely sure I can do it. I'm like 80% sure lol.

But even if I do put it together properly, I expect to have that engine out within a year anyways to do the clutch. If I can fix the crank damage well enough, I have no problem replacing some of the more vital parts with better quality ones while it's on my bench, so I get OEM stuff in the motor and spares in my drawers (spares are nice )

I plan on replacing the crank and cam seals, since oil is flying from the timing covers, but I got the o-ring for the oil pump, bottom passenger side of the pump, just the little one. If I see the oil pump leaking, I'll probably tear it out and reseal it. I'm not solid on any oil pump plan yet, it's more of a call it when I get there thing.

[Legacy777]

Getting the oil seals out can be a bit of a pain. I would recommend picking up an oil seal puller. You can find them at harbor freight or northern tool for pretty cheap. That and the impact gun should save you time.

Here are the factory manual instructions for the timing belt. They should help if you haven't looked over them.

http://main.experiencetherave.com/subar ... _belt1.jpg
http://main.experiencetherave.com/subar ... _belt2.jpg
http://main.experiencetherave.com/subar ... _belt3.jpg
http://main.experiencetherave.com/subar ... _belt4.jpg
http://main.experiencetherave.com/subar ... _belt5.jpg
http://main.experiencetherave.com/subar ... _belt6.jpg
http://main.experiencetherave.com/subar ... _belt7.jpg
http://main.experiencetherave.com/subar ... _belt8.jpg

[kimokalihi]

I almost forgot! Make sure to torque your crank pully bolt to 125 lbs ft. Or it will come loose again. The manual says 90 I think and it came loose on me and many others at 90. I've already been in that exact situation you're in. New woodruff key and oem wrx pulley replacement.

[WhatIsThisIDontEven]

After this fiasco, I can never forget the size of the crank bolt and the proper torque spec lol.

As for the torque specs for the idlers and such, are those all accurate as far as we know?

[kimokalihi]

Should be. I don't think they require much. I just hand tighten them but I've got a good idea of how much they need.

[Legacy777]

Yeah, the idler torque is correct.

Be careful not to overtorque the water pump bolts. use a 1/4" drive for them. I had one snap off on me before.

[James614]

^+1.

I used a 3/8" drive on my old EJ22T and I inadvertently twisted like 3 of the bolt heads. Luckily none snapped off, so it still held on fine. I'm just glad it never had to come back off.

[kimokalihi]

And that's why I do it by feel. Too many torque wrenches have stripped threads and snapped bolts. You only need to torque internals and head bolts and flywheel/any rotating parts.

[Legacy777]

I agree with Kimo. Most of the time I do it by feel unless it's something related to big suspension bolts or critical engine components.

But it helps to have wrenched for a while to get the feel for when things are good. Plus you need to be using the appropriate sized socket wrench or wrench.

[WhatIsThisIDontEven]

I have the cam seals done, water pump is off, but I can't get the crank sprocket off. The key seems a little bent, so I'll try to file that down tonight.

So far, I've tried wiggling the sprocket with screwdrivers and soft hammer blows, but it's not budging, even after several PB blaster baths.

Once I file the key away, if it keeps giving me issues, I'll tap the holes and use a puller to get it out. If that doesn't work, does anyone have any ideas?

And I do have another sprocket, so I don't care what condition this one comes out in.

Thanks for the help so far. She should be back on the road by the end of the week.

[kimokalihi]

I'm sure its rusted on. Harbor freight probably has some puller kits that'll get it off. I was going to suggest torching the pulley but its a harmonic balancer and the outer ring is held together with rubber and you might damage it. So the puller sounds like your best bet.

[WhatIsThisIDontEven]

The pulley wasn't the problem. The problem is the timing sprocket behind it that won't come out.

[kimokalihi]

Oh then hit that sprocket with a torch! Expand it and it'll come off I bet.

[91Beater]

Mine wobbles a bit too. I wonder if it has to do with having a hammer used on it to remove it before I bought it.

I think the key to pull something out on a close fitting part is to pull it out very straight. I've had an electric motor that I couldn't pry open, but when I lifted very evenly while gently tapping, it slipped right off. Apply any force at an angle and it just wedges in place.

[kimokalihi]

It shouldn't wobble. Its either loose or the rubber between the rings is worn and the outer ring has shifted and it needs to be replaced.

[WhatIsThisIDontEven]

FIXED

I needed a tap set, broke a screwdriver and two pullers, but I got that crank sprocket off. The keyway on the crank actually looked immaculate, so I popped the new key in and finished the job. Now she runs better than ever!

As for the non OEM parts, I also realized that rust will probably kill this car before those parts become a problem. The rear driver side jacking point is completely missing, and the driver side pinch weld is all kinds of rusty. I found that when a jack started breaking through I'll do my best to save her, but it's a losing battle.