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Heard a guy at the scrapyard say never to trust a used timing belt that looks new
Tbh I was about to buy a 1999 Subaru Outback with 150k miles and the seller swore the timing belt was just replaced. But some old dude at the yard said those belts can look perfect and still snap if they're cheap parts or sat too long. He told me a story about a guy who lost a whole engine to a $40 belt that looked brand new. So now I'm wondering, is it worth pulling the cover to check the brand or just budget for a new belt right away?
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john_murphy2d ago
Wait, does the old Subaru Outback actually have a timing belt or a timing chain? I thought some of those 2.5 liter engines from the late 90s had chains, not belts. Maybe I'm mixing it up with a different year. But honestly, even if it is a belt that looks new, that scrapyard guy isn't totally wrong about cheap parts. A lot of those bargain belts use bad rubber that hardens up and cracks way faster than an OEM one. If it was me, I'd just plan on doing the belt and water pump in the next few thousand miles anyway. That peace of mind is worth way more than gambling on a $40 belt that could cost you a whole motor.
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