# 1994 Subaru 2.2L valves clatter after timing belt change **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** valves, timing-belts, subaru\ **Created:** [July 5, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-subaru-2-2l-valves-clatter-after-timing-belt-change/1313 "2007-07-05T17:34:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fbizaoui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/977dab/32.png) [@fbizaoui](https://community.cartalk.com/u/fbizaoui)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-subaru-2-2l-valves-clatter-after-timing-belt-change/1313/1 "2007-07-05T17:34:55Z")
Subaru Legacy SW 2.2L: 20 miles past a timing belt change (along with oil seal change) by a local shop the valves are clattering. The valves clatter most when iddling and quiet down when reving up. Is there any possible connection between the timing belt change and the valve noise? ---
**Author:** ![tcw1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@tcw1982](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tcw1982)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-subaru-2-2l-valves-clatter-after-timing-belt-change/1313/2 "2007-07-05T17:42:57Z")
I’m not too familiar with timing belt cars, but it sounds like the pulleys where the belt goes were turned slightly and are now out of sync. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 5:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-subaru-2-2l-valves-clatter-after-timing-belt-change/1313/3 "2007-07-05T17:44:47Z")
The engine shouldn’t sound any different with a new timing belt than it did with the old timing belt. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 5:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-subaru-2-2l-valves-clatter-after-timing-belt-change/1313/4 "2007-07-05T17:48:44Z")
The 2.2 is not an interference engine, so even if the cam timing is off, the valves won’t hit anything, and I think you’d notice a performance difference if that were the case. I seem to remember that this engine has hydraulic lifters. Perhaps you have a sticky lifter, and that’s what’s making the noise. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 5:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-subaru-2-2l-valves-clatter-after-timing-belt-change/1313/5 "2007-07-05T17:56:46Z")
Question first. Is the clatter present all of the time; even at an idle? If the clatter is present only on acceleration when the engine is hot then I might suspect the ignition timing is advanced too far due to improper reinstallation of the distributor. If this is the case, then it must be remedied quickly as this can cause engine damage. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-subaru-2-2l-valves-clatter-after-timing-belt-change/1313/6 "2007-07-05T18:00:11Z")
Take it back and have it rechecked. It sounds like the valve timing may be off. ---
**Author:** ![fbizaoui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/977dab/32.png) [@fbizaoui](https://community.cartalk.com/u/fbizaoui)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 6:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-subaru-2-2l-valves-clatter-after-timing-belt-change/1313/7 "2007-07-05T18:14:08Z")
The clatter clearly there all the time under idle but will quiet down when revving up. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 10:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-subaru-2-2l-valves-clatter-after-timing-belt-change/1313/8 "2007-07-07T22:44:14Z")
I’ve rebuilt a few subies and the clatter may be 1 of two things that I could think of 1, the belt is out of sync, is the power the same or better than before the belt was changed? is the noise louder on one side? 2, dose it sound more like a rattle? the cover and bolts are tricky to get in right due to the rubber seal wich distorts with time.