The EJ25 in the WRX and STI uses a timing belt that has to be changed on schedule. Here's the interval, what a full job should include and what owners paid.
Subaru's EJ engines use a rubber timing belt, not a chain. On the turbo EJ25 in the WRX and STI it's an interference engine, so if the belt lets go, the valves can hit the pistons. This is a scheduled job you don't want to stretch.
When to do it
Check your owner's manual. For a lot of these cars Subaru's schedule calls for it around 105,000 miles, and there's also a time limit, so a low-mile older car still needs it. Rubber ages whether you drive it or not, and Colorado heat swings don't help.
What a full job should include
A "timing belt" quote on a Subaru should almost always be a kit:
- Timing belt
- Tensioner (the hydraulic one is a known weak spot)
- Idler pulleys
- Water pump (it's right there and driven by the belt)
- Usually the cam and crank seals if they're seeping
- Coolant, since the pump comes off
A cheap quote that's "belt only" usually isn't a bargain. If an old idler bearing seizes later, the new belt goes too.
Why prices are all over the place
Our reports run from about $460 (owner bought the Gates kit and paid a shop to install) to the $1,000 to $1,200 range for full shop jobs. The biggest differences are kit brand (Aisin, Gates, genuine Subaru) and whether parts are customer supplied. All five reports are from 2013, so today's prices will be higher. Send us yours.
Ask the shop
- Which kit brand?
- Is the water pump and thermostat included?
- Any cam or crank seal leaks while it's open?
- Will they put a sticker under the hood with the date and mileage?