bluehawkeye

Brilliant, just what I needed thanks for your help :-).

Yes your correct the pic on the cover is a blob eye! I just checked the service booklet, had not noticed it in there before as its on the last page. this says except 3.0l, but it also says 84 months and 66K for replacement. However in small print it says Malta Maintenance schedule. Looks like mine was an EU import so I guess that is why they are different, as it doesnt get as cold over there!. I assume yours says UK. Don't suppose you could scan it and post a link to the schedule? I think I should be following the UK schedule as thats where the car is! Glad I checked now rather than just following the owners manual.

Hi, did you get to the bottom of this? I have a similar noise too. Ticking under load that increases with RPM, but disappears over 3Krpm. I read on some US forums it can be the belt tensioner?

Interesting ,my manual does not have a year on the front, but on the back it was issued August 2005 A, code A1900GE. The drawings of the car inside are for the hawkeye model. I need to get to the bottom of this as reached 5 years this month, don't want to go past the recommended date, but then don't want to replace it 2 years early either!

Where did you get this information from? I have a 2006 hawkeye WRX 2.5, and in the Impreza Owners Manual, the maintenance schedule for europe states that the camshaft drive belt is replaced at 66000 miles or 84 months ( 7 years ). It does not state anything for specific models though. Are the differences due to year/engine code etc?