Does my 2012 Subaru Forester have a timing belt or timing chain?
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Asked by John
I have a 2012 turbo-diesel Subaru Forester with a six-speed manual transmission. How can I confirm if this vehicle has a timing belt or timing chain?
Answered by CarsGuide
18 Oct 2022Subaru's EE20 diel engine is an interesting one as it was claimed to be the world's first turbo-diesel engine with Subaru's trademark boxer layout (where the cylinders run in pairs, opposed to each other (like an air-cooled Volkswagen).
The brand has switched from timing belts to timing chains and back at various points in its engineering history, but the EE20 in your car is from the point in history where timing chains were in vogue at Subaru. As such, the timing chain should last the life of the engine and not require periodic replacement as a timing belt does.
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