ej22t timing belt issue

[Hks_bc5]

recently torn apart my ej22t to replace all seals including head gaskets etc. issue now is that my timing belt won't go back on for some reason, literally refuses to go back on. I've even bought a new belt (even though my old one was in great shape) but just thought maybe the belt just wasn't pliant enough anymore but regardless the new belt is having the same issue. I've removed and installed my timing belt previous while replacing the water pump with awesome success. If someone has any valuable information please feel free to share with me. thank you all in advance

[speezly]

I replaced my timing belt a couple times. Get a new pulley set and a tensioner off rock auto. I got all the parts including day I pulleys and belt, bc I was riding with 300k pulleys and one seized.

[Alphius]

Are you leaving the bottom left small pulley off while you slip the belt on? That's the best way to do it.

[Hks_bc5]

speezly: all my hardware is brand new from my local subaru dealership so ill rule this out for now

alphius: no I am leaving all my idler pulley on since as I've said in my original post I've removed and installed my belt before without having to this but i will do this in my next attempt thanks for everyones else so far

[jamal]

Yeah I always take off the lower smooth idler.

And, uh, the tensioner is compressed with the pin installed, right?

[wtdash]

Yeah to be clear you must compress the tensioner (correctly!!!) b4 you even try to install the T-belt.
If you were able to get it on b4 something was NOT right.

[Hks_bc5]

just to answer politely yes the tensioner is of course compressed..........as far as doing it "correctly" the tensioner is compressed and locked with the stopper pin.

[wtdash]

correctly means compressed as described in the FSM. If it's compressed too fast it'll break it.

The belt isn't 'pliant'--by doing as suggested above w/the lower left pulley, it'll go on properly. Ensure the belt has no slack between any of the upper pulleys and the cams are turned to take up any slack to make the bottom portion of the belt as loose as possible.

I like to use a short extension w/a socket to start the bolt, while threading the pulley in....careful not to cross-thread.

I'm not being a jerk, just some don't read the FSM and miss some of the overlooked steps.

GL,
TD

[Hks_bc5]

i understand and i appreciate the help but I'm still having the same issue is there anyway the dealership could have given me the wrong idler pulleys and the are diameter wise the wrong size? maybe?? they've been known to give me 94 and up parts

[wtdash]

AFAIK, the T-belt kit was the same '90-'97 for the EJ18 and EJ22/T, then they changed the tensioner style. The EJ22T has a different water pump but the pulley is the same design.


Maybe a pic of what you're working on would help?

And I know this was already discussed....but:
Were you able to previously install the timing belt w/ALL the pulleys installed and just pulling the pin on the tensioner once belt was on?


Td

[Hks_bc5]

ill take some pics and upload them tonight but yes I've been able to install the timing belt and pull the pin to release before without a problem when the car needed a water pump so I'm pretty sure I'm doing it correctly the only difference this time is that i replaced all of the idler pulleys including the belt tensioner one. i was even originally going to reuse my old t belt which is the exact one that i previously installed without a problem before but i can't even get the belt to go back on at all let alone without pulling the pin from the tensioner, so i thought that maybe my old belt from sitting for a couple years in the trunk of my car in my garage it somehow shrunk?! so i bought a new one and I'm still having the same issue. and i suppose the only other difference that could be relevant from the first time i had to install the t belt to now is that the head gaskets were replaced this time around

[wtdash]

A clue!

What HG did you use? if they were thicker than b4 that WOULD cause issues.....hard to believe the belt wouldn't fit, but still....

Td

[Hks_bc5]

as far as the head gaskets I'm guilty to say that i don't know their thickness but I'm pretty confident in that they are correct seeing as how i had to go back three times to the dealership to get the correct ones since i kept getting ones that had coolant and oil passages that didnt match up i have part numbers if anyone knows the number to the ones that come on my 1993 subaru legacy sport ej22t single cam

[wtdash]

EJ22T headgaskets - 11044AA282

[cj91legss]

I would like to see some pictures of what is going on if you haven't solved your problem.

[Hks_bc5]

I apologize I have not gotten back to you guys in a while but I just started school again and it's kept from posting. But problem was solved over the weekend and I essentially never had an existing problem since the belt on one of my many attempts finally went back on without a problem with the help of my father and I've checked my head gaskets to the part number provided and they matched so thanks to everyone who gave input on my topic.