Welcome to the North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club Thursday March 28, 2024
Home Forums Images WikiNASIOC Products Store Modifications Upgrade Garage
NASIOC
Go Back   NASIOC > NASIOC Technical > Factory 2.5L Turbo Powertrain (EJ Series Factory 2.5L Turbo)

Welcome to NASIOC - The world's largest online community for Subaru enthusiasts!
Welcome to the NASIOC.com Subaru forum.

You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, free of charge, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, so please join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.







* As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads. 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-17-2020, 01:29 AM   #1
phillip9933
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 513775
Join Date: Apr 2020
Default EJ257 Timing belt mishap(s) sanity check?

Definitely not the first thread of its kind but I had a few questions. Recently purchased a 2013 STi Hatchback Automatic (GRF) here in Japan. So it is an EJ257 with dual avcs. It has about 124k KMs on it so I decided to do the timing belt change. A few things have happened during the change that have me slightly concerned and could use some help/sanity checking.

1. The crank bolt was severely stuck on where it was bending the 4 point universal crank lock I have. Having an automatic I can't just put it in gear so I hooked up a breaker bar, rested on the frame. Unplugged all the spark plugs and pushed the ignition where it tried turning over for 1-2 seconds. This broke it free and I was able to proceed without any issues. This shouldn't cause any issues, correct?

2. When removing the timing belt all of the marks were correct. My cam lock fell out when the belt was removed and both left side cam spun quickly about 1/4 to 1/2 a turn to the point they were not under spring load. The crank mark was pointed correctly the whole time. Also shouldn't cause any
issues, right?

3. After replacing all of the pulleys, water pump, etc. I was putting the belt back on and notice the crank and cams were out of alignment. So with the crank only showing one tooth off from the mark I rotated the cams(clockwise for intake and counter for exhaust) until they had all the marks pointing in the right direction and locked them in place. I then manually rotated the crank 350ish degrees to put it back into the correct position. There was some slight resistance but nothing too hard to indicate any contact with anything. My question is, would rotating the crank with the cams all in their "timing" positions cause any issues? I only realized after doing it that I should have left the cams in the "unsprung" position before rotation? Basically when the cams are all in time, what is the position of the valves?

4. After putting the belt back on I was hand tightening the dust cover for the exhaust cam and one of the damn cam cap bolts broke off into the pulley. Unable to extract it without messing up the cam I am currently looking to order a new pulley to replace it with. Currently the car is in my driveway with the new belt on until I can get a pulley ordered. But if there is a chance I bent a valve from one of the previous steps I would like to check it out before getting everything reassembled.

Sorry for the long post on a subject that has been discussed many times but most of the other threads were either for SOHC, non-avcs, or single avcs information.
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.
phillip9933 is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.
Old 04-17-2020, 06:58 AM   #2
spoolinsti05
Scooby Guru
 
Member#: 108051
Join Date: Feb 2006
Chapter/Region: AKIC
Location: Oneonta, NY
Vehicle:
2005 WRX STi
WRB

Default

The starter to free crank bolt is ok. After reading the rest I'm gonna say do a Compression test. Good luck.
spoolinsti05 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-18-2020, 11:04 AM   #3
tangsta88
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 513858
Join Date: Apr 2020
Default

If you're cam marks are in time, cylinder 1 and 3 valves should be closed and your piston 1 and 3 should be at the top, the other two cylinders and valves would be at the bottom and be opened. So if you spun your crank it could hit the valves. But if you were mindful about rotating the crank and not felt some resistance you should be fine..
tangsta88 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-19-2020, 09:50 AM   #4
heiche
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 400179
Join Date: Aug 2014
Vehicle:
2009 wrx

Default

can you use a small pick to spin out what is left of that little bolt? it is possible that it is loose.

as far as valves go, yeah maybe you could do a leakdown test. no cranking required. if the numbers look ok, then finish up the install as is
heiche is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2020, 11:23 PM   #5
AliBenn
Scooby Guru
 
Member#: 487
Join Date: Nov 1999
Chapter/Region: TXIC
Location: Houston TX
Vehicle:
1998 /2005 STunIcorn
Acadia Green USDM 22b

Default

Hmmmmmm
Responding bc I just finished my freakin 4th T-belt change in last 7 weeks
(Multiple cam seal leaks bc of scored cam to cam seal surfaces)
After new cams installed, AND no oil leaks so far I might be done
Anyway
1-think your good with crank bolt removal
Easier: put car in 5th or 6th gear. Then torque/loosen
I was golden for all 4times
2-no issues with that horrible spinning
Just as long as belt not on when free spin occurred
I heard that sound multiple times during 1st two installments
(One person, without cam lock tool)
2nd & 3rd time with Chinese lock tool for $20
Didn't hold perfectly, L cams spun again
Just as long as marks line up(all 7) your good if L side spins.....un-connected
3-your good here too
My 1st time
Took me 7 time to get right
Make all marks match
String belt along
Make all marks match
Pull tensioner pin
Turn engine by crank bolt
Make sure all marks match
Then torque everything
Try to prove this do some searches on timing belt failures
At hwy speed, belt breaks....your screwed
At hwy speed, belt skips 1-4 teeth bc of failed tensioner but belt still intact
Very good chance you will be good
4-I'm a lil confused here
You were tightening a shield bolt but the cam sprocket (10mm hex) broke in cam???
Lmk which bolt sheered

Hope helps GL
AliBenn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-23-2020, 01:42 AM   #6
phillip9933
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 513775
Join Date: Apr 2020
Default

thanks for all of the replies, I really appreciate the time to respond to my worries!

tangsta88 - Thanks for the information, it was exactly what I was looking for in regards to valve locations corresponding to the timing marks.

Don't have an air compressor so couldn't perform a leakdown test, I just kind of put it all back together and hoped for the best. Fortunately everything worked out and I didn't permanently mess anything up except the pulley the bolt got stuck in.

Unfortunately I couldn't extract the bolt without damaging the threads on the pulley so I just ordered a new cam pulley which was about $140. The bolt I am referring to is the oil/dust cover for the AVCS-type cams. Its a small 8mm bolt and only like 2.5 ft lb of torque.
phillip9933 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-23-2020, 03:26 AM   #7
murrdogg24
Scooby Guru
 
Member#: 50586
Join Date: Dec 2003
Chapter/Region: BAIC
Location: Chiraq
Vehicle:
64 Impala

Default

i thought all the JDM STI had the EJ207 inside...weird...
murrdogg24 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-23-2020, 03:58 AM   #8
phillip9933
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 513775
Join Date: Apr 2020
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by murrdogg24 View Post
i thought all the JDM STI had the EJ207 inside...weird...
Regular STI over here do have the EJ207, the A-Line STI which comes with the EJ257 and 5EAT with blip paddle downshift.
phillip9933 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-07-2020, 03:03 PM   #9
Paterach
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 516492
Join Date: Jul 2020
Default movement prior to aligning

Quote:
Originally Posted by spoolinsti05 View Post
The starter to free crank bolt is ok. After reading the rest I'm gonna say do a Compression test. Good luck.
HI,
I am new to the forum but apparently I can not start a new thread with out replying to an existing thread 3 times, I so thought I would try this.

I was being a knucklehead and tried to use the timing belt to hold the crank while unbolting it... I broke the belt, and the crank was not in TDC when it broke, so now I am trying to make sure that cams are in the right position before putting the belt on. How will I know if I am in TDC and not 180 degrees out? is it apparent what the valve positions are in if I turn them? I dont want to make it worse by moving the shafts around.

any suggestions?

thanks
Paterach is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2020, 09:01 AM   #10
gabo_s13
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 468498
Join Date: May 2017
Chapter/Region: MWSOC
Location: Columbus, OH
Vehicle:
2014 WRX Hatch
WRB

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Paterach View Post
HI,
I am new to the forum but apparently I can not start a new thread with out replying to an existing thread 3 times, I so thought I would try this.

I was being a knucklehead and tried to use the timing belt to hold the crank while unbolting it... I broke the belt, and the crank was not in TDC when it broke, so now I am trying to make sure that cams are in the right position before putting the belt on. How will I know if I am in TDC and not 180 degrees out? is it apparent what the valve positions are in if I turn them? I dont want to make it worse by moving the shafts around.

any suggestions?

thanks
As long as you line up all the timing marks on the cams and have the crank also lined up with the mark on the oil pump housing (all 4 pistons will be halfway down the cylinder bore) you should be fine.
gabo_s13 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2020, 09:10 AM   #11
akritzer
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 511749
Join Date: Feb 2020
Chapter/Region: MAIC
Location: NOVA
Vehicle:
2013 WRX Hatch

Default

Crank rotates twice for every rotation of the cams so if you get the marks lined up you won't be 180 out on the crank. When you put the crank sprocket at the timing service mark it's 90 past TDC so the pistons are in the middle of their stroke and won't make contact with the valves. Just be careful when you're rotating the crank, if you feel a hard stop like a mechanical resistance do not force it. Driver's side cams (or left, or cylinder 2 and 4) will be under tension when you've got the timing lined up correctly.
akritzer is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:12 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Copyright ©1999 - 2019, North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club, Inc.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission
Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.