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Timing belt & water pump brands?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 12:28 pm
by Monkey
Hi all

At my next service (~May?) I'll be doing my timing belt, water pump, etc - car only has 70,xxx kms but I should do the major service.
However, I'm trying to save some $ by looking at ordering parts in advance.

I understand the Subaru OEM timing belt kit is between $400 - 600 (various prices received), and water pump is ~$150.

Are there other brands which are just as good / better for the same or cheaper price?

I read in another thread that the Gates belts may be known to stretch, although they seem to be recommended at LegacyGT.com (?)
are other brands like Tomei or Dayco better or worse?

I can get this including the water pump for $387US + delivery ($50? - assuming they ship to Oz) at: http://www.fredbeansparts.com/gates-rac ... -belt.html

Or Gates from Ebay for ~$290 delivered: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GATES-Timing ... 232e2bc016

Or the Gates "racing" kit through Ebay for ~$370 delivered: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GATES-Racing ... 58a1bdec22

I came across this for $220 delivered which I think will fit and it says all Japanese parts, but I have no idea about the quality: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/221268655012 ... 1423.l2649

There's also this one for $350 delivered which includes the water pump: http://www.ebay.com/itm/02-07-2-5L-EJ25 ... 337036b9b0

any advice re: brands and cheaper places to source parts for this service would be appreciated.

Re: Timing belt & water pump brands?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 1:02 pm
by KiDo_Tuning
Monkey wrote:Hi all

At my next service (~May?) I'll be doing my timing belt, water pump, etc - car only has 70,xxx kms but I should do the major service.
However, I'm trying to save some $ by looking at ordering parts in advance.

I understand the Subaru OEM timing belt kit is between $400 - 600 (various prices received), and water pump is ~$150.

Are there other brands which are just as good / better for the same or cheaper price?

I read in another thread that the Gates belts may be known to stretch, although they seem to be recommended at LegacyGT.com (?)
are other brands like Tomei or Dayco better or worse?

I can get this including the water pump for $387US + delivery ($50? - assuming they ship to Oz) at: http://www.fredbeansparts.com/gates-rac ... -belt.html

Or Gates from Ebay for ~$290 delivered: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GATES-Timing ... 232e2bc016

Or the Gates "racing" kit through Ebay for ~$370 delivered: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GATES-Racing ... 58a1bdec22

I came across this for $220 delivered which I think will fit and it says all Japanese parts, but I have no idea about the quality: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/221268655012 ... 1423.l2649

There's also this one for $350 delivered which includes the water pump: http://www.ebay.com/itm/02-07-2-5L-EJ25 ... 337036b9b0

any advice re: brands and cheaper places to source parts for this service would be appreciated.


Kris from Rising Sun Subaru would be your best bet, use Genuine!

Re: Timing belt & water pump brands?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 1:11 pm
by sheppo9
KiDo_Tuning wrote:use Genuine!


+1.

Re: Timing belt & water pump brands?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 2:11 pm
by jaydece
OEM for the win...

I have tried gates products before and it was rubbish...

Re: Timing belt & water pump brands?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 2:36 pm
by <GB>
oem is always the best the only other good one id use which probably cost more is a cosworth one and theyre used more for race/high power engines

I would buy the whole kit and replace all the pulleys and idlers can also be good to do the cam seals too if they look like they are leaking

makin and luby is who I use for Subaru stuff

Re: Timing belt & water pump brands?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 3:34 pm
by Adrian2627
Like tyres this is one area you don't want to cheap-out on. There's too much risk. A broken belt can mean a complete engine rebuild. I know there is a chance of a genuine belt breaking but less so than a non genuine. If the genuine one does break prematurely causing major damage there's always a chance, be it a slim one with Subaru Aus, of Subaru helping out. If you use Gates etc you won't even get a looking.

Re: Timing belt & water pump brands?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 5:27 pm
by Monkey
good advice - thanks all.

I wasn't looking for a cheap quality belt - I've had one break in my Honda and it cost me $3k :(
But I know sometimes aftermarket can be the same or better quality at the same or less price.

Same recommendations for water pump - go OEM too?

Re: Timing belt & water pump brands?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 5:45 pm
by jaydece
Monkey wrote:good advice - thanks all.

I wasn't looking for a cheap quality belt - I've had one break in my Honda and it cost me $3k :(
But I know sometimes aftermarket can be the same or better quality at the same or less price.

Same recommendations for water pump - go OEM too?


Subaru timing belt kit + oem pump

Re: Timing belt & water pump brands?

PostPosted: Thu Jan 16, 2014 8:41 pm
by Boostaddict
jaydece wrote:OEM for the win...

I have tried gates products before and it was rubbish...



Are you refering to the standard gates belt or the racing belt??

Re: Timing belt & water pump brands?

PostPosted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 12:25 pm
by jaydece
Boostaddict wrote:
jaydece wrote:OEM for the win...

I have tried gates products before and it was rubbish...



Are you refering to the standard gates belt or the racing belt??


replied to your pm...

I had gates headgaskets....

Re: Timing belt & water pump brands?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 7:44 am
by Manaz
I've heard from two Subaru mechanics I'd trust that they've experienced less belt stretch over the lifetime of the belt on the OEM part than on fancied aftermarket alternatives...

Re: Timing belt & water pump brands?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 9:13 am
by Monkey
Thanks all - much appreciated

Re: Timing belt & water pump brands?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:01 am
by Boostaddict
I have both the OEM Belt and the gates Racing belt at the moment for my engine build.

I have spoken to builder and he said he will look at both and see what one sits better on my motor and use that.

He also said that the gates racing ones are "harder or Stiffer" then the OEM ones that at sustained revs/thrashing they don't want to do anything bad.

But saying that he then did say that he as NEVER had a problem with the OEM belt......

So much of a muchness

Re: Timing belt & water pump brands?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:31 pm
by <GB>
mines done over 10k hard driving on my oem belt kit! the rev limit is 7300 which is above standard

Re: Timing belt & water pump brands?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 10:42 pm
by jarrenowen
Boostaddict wrote:I have both the OEM Belt and the gates Racing belt at the moment for my engine build.

I have spoken to builder and he said he will look at both and see what one sits better on my motor and use that.

He also said that the gates racing ones are "harder or Stiffer" then the OEM ones that at sustained revs/thrashing they don't want to do anything bad.

But saying that he then did say that he as NEVER had a problem with the OEM belt......

So much of a muchness


sorry to rebump an old thread but really interested on the feedback and what option you went for in your belt, being oem belt vs gates racing belt.
pm me if necessary.