The Subaru SVX World Network - Timing Belt Notes

Thanks to all of the helpful prior threads on this forum, Ryan MacDonald's website, and a subscription to Alldata DIY, I was able to complete my timing belt project with only a few hold ups.

I fabricated a tool to hold the crank pulley in place out of one-half inch plywood and M8 50 mm bolts. It worked, but was destroyed in the process of removing the pulley bolt -- I'll definitely have to get out my welder and fabricate a replacement from metal.

As for the cam sprockets, I used the appropriately named Channellock "BigAzz" pliers to hold each sprocket in place, with the old timing belt draped over the sprocket to protect it from damage from the pliers. Still a bit of a struggle (I had to use a long cheater pipe on my breaker bar to free each sprocket bolt), but it worked.

I borrowed an adjustable 3-arm gear puller from my local AutoZone to remove the crank sprocket, which worked well. I also borrowed a ball joint press from AutoZone to compress the timing belt tensioner prior to installing the new belt, as I did not have a C clamp or a vise big enough to do the job.

No oil leaks from any of the seals, but I changed them anyway using Beav's "drill and pick" method. I struggled for the better part of a day to install replacement seals, until deruvian kindly advised me that I had been shipped the wrong size seals. Once I had the correct replacement seals in hand, they were a snap to install using a short (2 to 3 inch) length of PVC pipe to tap them in.

Oil pump was leaking at the bottom, so I replaced the o-ring in the pump -- we'll see whether it stops the leak. Reinstalled the pump using Hylomar sealant, per Beav's prior recommendation.

Attended to some other odds and ends while I was at it -- new water pump, some new hoses, new o-ring on the leaking power steering pump. We'll see how it all holds up.

This forum is an amazing resource -- I could never have completed this job without it!

Joe Fillip
'95 L AWD ("The Wayback Machine")
Swarthmore, PA