UkLegacyT

ok, so just been quoted these prices by a subaru specialist, not a dealer...

all genuine subaru parts:

cambelt tensioner £181 inc vat (early type)
sti V4 gasket kit inc the metal headgaskets £282 inc vat
mains and big end bearings £368 inc vat

questions:

cambelt tensioner, the car has done 71000 miles, does it need replacing, are there any checks i can do?
was told that when it extends to its full length (like now), it wont hold the tension again, or is he just trying it on?

gasket kit, i can get the metal headgaskets for £106, so where the hell does all the other cost come from! i know the crank seals are expensive, but bloody hell!
then he tells me the rocker cover gaskets are different, so i'll have to buy those seperate, only cost £2 each PROBABLY he says...... my ar*e!

as for the bearings, WTF! [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

now, he says these come from a subaru dealer, so he's gotta be adding a little bit on, so im waiting for a phone call today from the local dealer with prices...

any comments?

thanks
ian

Pavlo

go to midland impreza, for gaskets and so on their prices are very good. Also bearings, they use subaru for the mains, but aftermarket ones for the BE.

I think they are trying to rip you off good and proper, spend your money elsewhere.

The belt tensioner shouldn't need replacing at all. The only thing to be wary of is compressing them, you need to so it very slowly, with something like 200N (about 20kg) of force, putting them in a vice can damage them.

Afterall, do you think they replace the tensioner with every belt change???

Paul

UkLegacyT

thats exactly what i thought about the tensioner. i'll just press it by hand against something then, and slot an allen key in there

will try midland for bits, although i only want to use the genuine bearings.


ian

Pavlo

Graham at midland impreza said they just use the after market big ends, but he didn't way which, even so I am sure they can get suabru ones if you prefer (have you ever heard of a non-subaru bearing go?!?!).

The graham goode page gives a good breakdown of part costs at what are basically main dealer prices.

The ravensblade-impreza site has a new tech doc on doing the belt on a quad cam engine, see there for details.

I have heard mixed things about Midland Impreza, but for rubber gaskets and so on I don't see the point in going anywhere else.

You don't always get what you pay for, especially when buying car spares at inflated prices.

Paul

UkLegacyT

ok mate, just rang graham:

big ends (genuine subaru), £80 + vat
Mains (genuine subaru), £45 + vat
Genuine STi V4 gasket kit (metal head gaskets), £195 + vat

bit different to the other prices, look at the bearings

ian

dowser

But do GGR sell them separately? I once ordered a front wheel bearing kit from them, at what seemed like a great price....I just assumed that 'kit' meant both front wheel bearing assemblies.....it didn't, lol

Richard

ustolemyname??stevieturbo

iTrader: (1)

wheel bearings are only ever sold , per wheel.
Midland's prices do seem to be very good. As for the tensioner, if you are able to push it in by hand, the you are one strong motherf**ker. I just squeeze mine in a vice, and lock it with something. The old tensioners like yours rarely give trouble. The new ones, MY99- seem to be pretty crap. Once the tension has been released from them, they seem to lose their tension. Ive seen about 6 so far that are knackered. ( thats 6 out of about 8 cars Ive done ) Even breakers yards, my local, I tried to get replacements, but they too were stuffed. I just converted to the old style tensioner, a much better job IMHO