Timing Belt Tensioner New Style

[kimokalihi]

This tensioner came off my EJ20G which had 70K miles but it looks like it may have been replaced because it's in pretty good shape.

Retail is $108 on 1stsubaruparts.com

Part # 13033AA042

$55 shipped

[skid542]

That's a good price. Just a quick question if you don't mind - with the new tensioner style, do you need to use that little tiny idler pulley that attached just outboard of the tensioner but still on the tensioner bracket?

Again, a great price and glws.

[kimokalihi]

Not sure which idler you're talking about but here's some pictures of my EJ20G before I took the tensioner off. Same setup as the EJ22T if you were to use this tensioner.

[skid542]

Well that answers that then. There is a DOHC thread on Nasioc about installing a timing belt - Meaty's timing belt - and it shows a little approx. 1" dia. idler just to the right of the tensioner. I've only seen them on the WRX's though.

Thanks for letting me sidetrack you sale thread and for the pictures .

[kimokalihi]

Sort of confused but no problem!

[evolutionmovement]

So that just swaps directly with the old style on the EJ22T? Looks much better than the old style and definitely worth the upgrade.

[EJ KILLA]

i had this on my ej22t, other than the bolt holding the pulley breaking it is a good upgrade.

[SiCkSTi04]

i thought in order to make this work on our cars we would also need the newer redesign Tensioner bracket.

[93forestpearl]

i thought in order to make this work on our cars we would also need the newer redesign Tensioner bracket.

Correct.






Whether or not the newer style is an "upgrade" is debatable.

[evolutionmovement]

Seems to me it has greater leverage against the belt vs. the early style, requiring less force from the tensioner and probably being less prone to failure. And there's the assumption that they would redesign the tensioner as an improvement rather than a retrograde change, but none of that is based on any actual experience.

I'll definitely try it with the next belt change, though. Whenever the hell that will be.

[93forestpearl]

Seems to me it has greater leverage against the belt vs. the early style, requiring less force from the tensioner and probably being less prone to failure. And there's the assumption that they would redesign the tensioner as an improvement rather than a retrograde change, but none of that is based on any actual experience.

I'll definitely try it with the next belt change, though. Whenever the hell that will be.

The newer style is actually more prone to failure, according to several dealer techs I know. They've had cars come in with 40k that need a new one.


Prodrive still uses the old style on their WRC engines.

[evolutionmovement]

Really? I just assumed where the newer engines are interference, they went to a design that would be more robust. Then again, there's also that almost every car makers' interest in making quality cars with some longevity designed in has tanked since the early-mid nineties.

Sorry, Kimo!

[kimokalihi]

lol No worries. I have no idea which is better.

[gijonas]

Looking at todays subarus I see no reason to assume that anything they have been doing should be called an "upgrade".