Volvo RWD 700 Forum

I bought the timing belt and tensioner for my 1986 740 Turbo from IPD today, and then went to take everything apart to get ready for the job. When I went to remove the timing belt tensioner, i couldn't because it is rivited? on. Several posts on this site talk about replacing the tensioner like it is no big deal, so maybe I'm missing something, or don't know how to remove the tensioner properly, because drilling the rivit out seems like a huge deal, and something that I don't want to do. Any information on this would be great. Thanks.

As Randy noted, the tensioner is held on with a post at one end of the spring and another post sticking into the head. Once the spring is compressed and the belt removed, it should pop off.
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See the 700/900 FAQ at the drop-down menu above right.

Your tensioner looks like the one in the image below?

The assembly just pulls off after compressing the spring and inserting something of the correct size to keep the spring compressed.

Just remove the spring and rod after compressing it with a vice or very large adjustable pliers and reinstall that portion on the new tensioner.

Make sure you tap the pin area when installing it so that it fits flush to the front of the engine.

Randy

Thanks for the info. I did manage to get the tensioner off, but I wanted to know what to do about this. http://s608.photobucket.com/albums/tt169/KASarich/
I don't know if the stud was supposed to stay in the head and come out of the tensioner or not, but any info you have would be great. The stud doesnt seem to want to come out of the head, and if it doesn't, and the new tensioner comes with the stud in it, im just going to cut the stud out of the new tensioner and put it on the on that is in the head and make sure that it is flush, because I can get the tensioner back on.

That link goes to photobucket for me but I am unable to view an image.

Randy

When you get to the Photobucket page, on the left side there is a place where it says albums, and one of the albums is titled 1986 Volvo 744 Turbo, click on that and the images should be in there.

That is very odd. Hopefully you will be able to extract the piece and use the new tensioner unaltered.

Randy

I looked also. You are correct that the pin should have remained with the tensioner. If you can't get it out, then you'll have to do what you suggested. Remove the pin on the new one and make sure it will slip over the one that is stuck.
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Post Back. That's whats makes this forum work.

Thanks for the info. Im going to have to wait until the 8th to put the new tensioner on because that is when UPS says it will be here. (shipping is taking forever because of the holiday weekend).

Thanks everyone for all of your input. The 1986 744 Turbo was finished today, and is running good as new. Here are a few photos I uploaded to show the progress of the project and some of the things that I ran into along the way.

http://s608.photobucket.com/albums/tt169/KASarich/1986%20Volvo%20744%20Turbo/

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1986 744 Turbo, 1990 744 GL, 1992 965

I've looked at your photos, and everything looks just like it is supposed to. Just slip the new tensioner roller on the shaft with the spring (that you took off with the old roller), compress the spring like you did to get the old tensioner off, and put the assembly, with the new roller, on where the old one came off. Make sure that the roller is tapped, gently, back so that it is not sticking out (toward the front of the car), make sure the belt aligns with the roller, release the spring, then put the nut back on and tighten it. That is all there is to it. It is a very simple job.
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Scott Cook - 1991 745T, 1985 RX-7 GSL-SE, 1986 Toyota Tercel (Don't laugh, it is reliable, faithful AND gets 41 mpg!)