Warning Dayco Timing tensioner failure!

[Junior]

Just ran into a serious issue that I want to give you guys the heads up on before it costs you a big headache. The last two Subaru timing belt jobs we did used Dayco kit, the tensioner bearing failed. The first one was after 39 miles, the second one only lasted 19 miles. These were sourced through Advance. Looks like the second one may have cost the engine.

 

I'm waiting to hear back on what happened in the manufacturing process that caused the failure. We have installed tons of these kits with no troubles and have two failures in a row now, something has gone sour.

 

Save yourself the headache, skip the tensioner or install OE on this one. Will post back with more details once I get an answer.

Edited May 18, 2015 by Junior

[Junior]

On this note, does anyone know for certain how many degrees the camshaft can be out before valve to piston contact on an EJ253 engine?

[alfredauto]

The SOHC 2.5 rarely bends valves. Its listed as an interference engine but I've put about 7 or 8 timing kits In cars that snapped the belt on the highway and they ran fine.

[xrac]

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[Gary A]

Use OE and you wont have these problems. Worldpac has Aisin which is OE aftermarket

 

 

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[mmotley]

Never had a problem with Aisin kits and I've used a ton of them. In fact, I use them so often I keep them in stock

[CARMandP]

Used Dayco hydraulic tensioner on a Pilot timing belt a few years ago and it failed within about 20k. Won't use them again. I'll stick with Gates or Aisin.

[Junior]

Spent a bunch of time with Dayco rep and engineers on the phone yesterday. They claim an NTN tensioner in the box, which is OE, got a new tensioner from Subaru, it is NTN, so is the Dayco one, but they are clearly different parts, different castings and everything. I can only assume NTN changed something in production or they make a different part for aftermarket. The other pulleys that come in the kit are GMB and they are identical to OE. We put OE tensioners on in place of failed ones and all is well, we got lucky with the motor that went out of time, thankfully Subaru's can be out quite a bit before interference.

 

I have mixed feelings about the product now, this is the only timing component failure we've seen. We switched over to Dayco from Gates only about a year ago. I'm not ready to say I won't use Dayco timing kits but I will certainly scrutinize kit components before install.

[lmcca]

never used dayco, always gates, have not had any issues with gates so no need to switch

[ATSAutomotive]

I never had good luck with Dayco when I first started my shop. Use mostly Gates for most vehicles. Continental for some specific makes/models or have a few others I use for very specific make/models.

[alfredauto]

Now that i think of it, The last dayco timing kit I bought from AZ the tensioner wouldn't expand after the pin was pulled. It was stuck in the retracted position. I used the old one because it worked better. I rarely do timing belts though because of the liability.

[ATLAuto]

We installed a dayco belt on a VW beetle two weeks ago. Would not stop setting cam codes, regardless of how we adjusted the cam/crank. Turned out the belt was 1/2 tooth too small, which was just enough to throw the timing off and set a CEL. We threw an OEM VW belt on, and all was good.