O.M.F.G. Do not buy anything from FCP without reading the "fitment" guide "hidden" on the tab of the product listing on the site. Both FCP and IPD make a big point of collecting your car's profile these days, but don't bet on it being correct.

My 1998 C70 Coupe has been mine for 2+ years now. With 200k+ miles I'm just getting into the serious "wear parts" such as control arms, ball-joints, cooling system, and bushings in general.

The sticker on the computer box tells me that the timing belt was last changed in 2006 when the car had 172k on the odometer. I'm now at 220k and figure I'm in the orange-red zone on timing belt life.

After the head gasket ordeal, I ordered an OEM volvo timing belt from FCP and have had it in the trunk for a nearly a month now. Today, I went to the trouble of cutting, drilling, and grinding 1/8" flat steel stock to make a counterhold for the crankshaft so I could replace my belt. Upon removing the original belt, I realized that the FCP-approved replacement belt is about 2" too long. Some investigation reveals that the 850 and *very* early 70-series use the belt I have, but the later 70s 40s, and 90s use a different belt. I've clearly got the later type and since I didn't know the serial number on my engine, FCP sold me the wrong belt.

Strictly speaking, this is my fault. but it's also my fault for trusting the sellers on my first go-around for this repair. So now I get to order yet another timing belt and return the one I have. I've lost at least another week of repair time on a rapidly dwindling repair season.

Not having any options, I put the original belt back on the car. Here's where my question comes in.

How does one determine the "health" of a timing belt? What signs tell me that a belt is wearing out? Is there any way I can tell that belt needs to be replaced? Mileage-wise, the belt should have ~20k of life left, but after monkeying around with it several times, I've got no sense of how much life is left.

The belt on the car looks pretty good all the way around. There are no nicks, peels, or other obvious problems. The teeth are clean and only have a slightly chamfered edge on one side of the teeth. Pulleys spin smoothly, so I think I'm good, but timing belt paranoia still hang in the back of my brain.


BTW. For anyone replacing the timing belt on a 1998 850/70-series your belt could be volvo part no.

272327
belt is marked as "9 180 954 148-23" which is longer and seems to belong to cars with the pneumatic tensioner.

or in my case, you need part no.
274338
belt is marked as "8 627484 1621 142-123" which is short and belongs to cars using the spring-loaded pulley tensioner.

Your 1998 has the 'older' belt and the hydraulic tensioner. The belts are good for 70K miles, you will notice a bad belt has cracked ribs and serious wear on the edge of the ribs. I doubt that multiple removal and install of the belt hurt it any, so long as you didn't get 'mad' at it :)

You could wait until next Spring for the belt swap. At that time I would also get a new tensioner, just for fun and sleeping at nights. But, most 5 cyl cars die before the tensioner does.

Klaus
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Did you do your Random Act of Kindness today?

That gives me some comfort. I didn't see any wear as you describe.

But I will clarify. My car does *not* have the hydraulic tensioner. It's got the mechanical tensioner.

I took the numbers off the belt when it was out of the car
"073 8 627 484 1624 142-23" This matches belt part no. 274338

This is the kit I need.


I'm wondering if upgrading to that kevlar belt might be a good idea...?

Some time during the late 1998 production, the 5 cyls got the mechanical tensioner. Probably around May, 1998.

I don't know if that makes the belt go 105K like 1999 cars. To be safe, use 70K. But the mechanical tensioner gets replaced with the belt.

A Kevlar belt? So long as it is not too stiff, I guess it would be OK.

Klaus
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Did you do your Random Act of Kindness today?

Jack,

Thanks for the heads-up. I'm about to order a belt kit for the wife's 2005 S80 2.5T, as it has 104,400 miles on it (105K suggested replacement interval) My assumption is that it takes the same kit with springy tensioner that I put on my 2003 V70 2.4 NA, but I'll be real careful when ordering.

BTW - you have about 50,000 on your belt if my math is correct. What's Volvo's suggested replacement interval for that model? Of course, being a rubber part, it could need replacing as a function of time more than miles.

I'm not positive as to what the life on my belt is supposed to be. I've read 50k and 70K. If it's 50K, I'm at the end. If it's 70K, I've got approx. 20K left. FCP says the interval is 75k, so maybe I'm good.

The worry is that the head gasket repair job, and repeatedly mucking with the timing (when the issue was an exhaust leak) might have shortened the life of the belt. I didn't kink it, but sliding it on and off and pulling it tight around the gears might have stressed the belt.

FYI:
This is the kit with the longer belt found on the earlier cars (850s, early 70-series)
http://www.fcpeuro.com/products/volvo-timing-belt-kit-minor-crp-belt-gmb-tensioners-tbkit252

And this is the kit with the shorter belt found on the later cars (my 1998 c70 in particular)
http://www.fcpeuro.com/products/volvo-timing-belt-kit-minor-oem-parts-tbkit331a-oem