# Timing belts: defective or improperly installed

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/timing-belts-defective-or-improperly-installed/17966>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** belts, timing-belts\
**Created:** [August 10, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/timing-belts-defective-or-improperly-installed/17966 "2008-08-10T21:11:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mamacat24211](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@mamacat24211](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mamacat24211)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/timing-belts-defective-or-improperly-installed/17966/1 "2008-08-10T21:11:25Z")

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I have an '03 Suburu Forester that I just had a local mechanic change the timing belt on since it was coming up on 115,000 miles. About 3 days later as I was out driving, the engine quit and wouldn’t restart. Well, it took the mechanic 3 days to find the problem. He said the timing belt had a “rough spot” on it that he thinks was on it when he installed it, causing some lifter caps? to tear up. I find it strange that he didn’t notice that “rough spot” when he installed it. Has anybody had any similar experience, either with a defective timing belt or improper installation?

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**Author:** ![vwfueldoor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e95f7d/32.png) [@vwfueldoor](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vwfueldoor)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/timing-belts-defective-or-improperly-installed/17966/2 "2008-08-10T23:12:41Z")

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junk T-belts rock.

go OEM or dont bother.

not his fault you went cheap,get what you pay for.

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**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/timing-belts-defective-or-improperly-installed/17966/3 "2008-08-11T01:54:06Z")

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This sounds like a mechanic screwup and he’s laying some BS on you to cover his rear end. What that screwup could be is debateable; left something loose, bad tensioner or idler pulley, etc.  
If the mechanic replaced the belt only and did not also replace the tensioners, etc. then he did a halfway job and is not to be trusted.

The rough spot statement is just an excuse. The odds of an installation problem are astronomical as compared to the odds of a defective timing belt. The latter is about as sure as winning the lottery.

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**Author:** ![vwfueldoor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e95f7d/32.png) [@vwfueldoor](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vwfueldoor)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/timing-belts-defective-or-improperly-installed/17966/4 "2008-08-11T02:01:31Z")

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cheap belt,forgot that junior.

autozone parts blow.

you must request good parts ,not junk.

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**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 2:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/timing-belts-defective-or-improperly-installed/17966/5 "2008-08-11T02:15:00Z")

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How do you know what parts were used?

Sounds like a mechanic screw up to me.