PCI timing belt after 50 miles.
 

I don't wanna point any fingers, but attached is a pic of the Preferred Components Inc. SVX timing belt I got from ebay for $35 plus shipping after about 50 miles of use. When the car quit on the freeway and wouldn't start, I suspected timing, but wasn't expecting to find THIS when I popped the timing cover off. After I found this, I suspected something major had seized to cause such a mess, but I found nothing save one wobbly smooth idler pulley to the left of the crank that I'd failed to tighten the bolt on sufficiently. Either that was the problem, or you get what you pay for when you buy a cheap timing belt! Either way, I wouldn't recommend PCI timing belts, friends. Thank heaven for non-interference engines!

Re: PCI timing belt after 50 miles.
 

EEK!:eek:
With the labor involved a timing belt is not something you want to save a few bucks on.
Did you change the tensioner while you were in there?

Re: PCI timing belt after 50 miles.
 

I'm on the brink of purchasing a kit...

I believe a lot of people ran the PCI kit with no problems at all?

Re: PCI timing belt after 50 miles.
 

I have used several PCI belts and idlers, and never had an issue. That looks like a rare occurrence. Yes, thank goodness for non interference engines. Good luck.

Re: PCI timing belt after 50 miles.
 

Whoah.

I put a PCI timing kit on my car a year ago. I drive the SVX very few miles, but it's been great. I bought a full kit with new idlers, and I replaced the tensioner (not included in the kit) as well. The engine is silent and smooth with that kit on it. New lease on life, you might say.

Re: PCI timing belt after 50 miles.
 

I go for subaru genuine parts on parts that is so important for the engine.:)

Re: PCI timing belt after 50 miles.
 

I just want to point out that the wobbly pulley could have been the cause of this and not the belt.

Re: PCI timing belt after 50 miles.
 

That's what I was thinking.

Re: PCI timing belt after 50 miles.
 

I'm going to revise my hypothesis a little... A few months before I changed the timing belt the crank pulley came loose over time and destroyed the keyway on the pulley and the crankshaft. I'm wondering if there was collateral damage to the idler pulley directly to the left of the crankshaft caused by the same forces that ruined the crank pulley, etc. The bolt hole threads for that pulley are now well stripped out so I've had to order a Helicoil kit to repair them. I'm sure I tightened that pulley sufficiently when I replaced the timing belt while repairing the damage caused by the crank bolt being loose.

The moral of the story is: everyone check your crank bolt torque regularly!

Re: PCI timing belt after 50 miles.
 

..and buy genuine Subaru timing belts.