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Belt Tensioner Bearing Failed - How Critical is Replacement? 850 1994

posted by  supreme on  Sat Mar 29 04:46 CST 2003
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Hi,
I wrote in about a high-pitched squealing noise I had while highway driving that didn't reappear, and the response was: "Sounds like a/c compressor locking up,alternator bearings failing,or belt tensioner bearing failed.
Of the three,tensioner is most likely." My question is, my timing belt was replaced at 68,500. My Volvo has 136,425 on it now - and the aux. belt has never been replaced. Technically, the timing belt is due for replacement at 138,500, and is when I was going to have the aux. belt done as well. If in fact this noise I heard was a belt tensioner bearing, does the replacement of both belts and both belt tensioners (upwards of $500) seem indicated immediately, or can I drive it as is for another 2000K and deal with this repair then? I guess I'm trying to find out: if a belt tensioner bearing fails, does it render the tensioner inaffective, and will the belt then slip or break - or is a failed bearing not that critical? How many bearings do these tensioners have? Thanks for any input - I don't want to be unsafe, but if it's not a big deal, I don't want to have to shell out 5 bills.








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    Belt Tensioner Bearing Failed - How Critical is Replacement? 850 1994

    posted by  benglar on  Sat Mar 29 15:12 CST 2003
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    last visit: Mon Jul 5 09:23 CST 2010
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    Replace the timing belt, timing tensioner pully, and the timing belt idler pully right away! Don't drive the car until these are replaced! The 850 has an interference engine: the intake/exhaust valves descend below the upper limit of piston travel. If the timing belt fails because a pully overheated then you will bend valves and wreck your engine. A rebuilt Volvo engine lists for over $5000.

    Got your attention? Good.

    If you are at all handy with tools -- or willing to learn -- you can replace these parts yourself for under $150 (aftermarket: check IPD or FCPGroton). The Bay13 guy at volvospeed.com has really great instructions for doing this. Takes an afternoon the first time, under 2 hours the next. And working on your own car is good for the soul.
    --
    -- Bruce / '82 244 (315k miles!), '86 745, '87 760Ti, '94 854








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    Belt Tensioner Bearing Failed - How Critical is Replacement? 850 1994

    posted by  Jim Holst on  Sat Mar 29 11:12 CST 2003
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    last visit: Tue Jan 4 11:05 CST 2011
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    I'm just a 240 guy lurking on this forum to learn more about the FWD Volvos but I do have experience with a tensioner bearing going bad. The timing belt in my son's 240 broke recently. When we took the t-belt cover off we could see that the slight drag of the tensioner on the T-belt created enough heat to make the belt brittle and cracked. The heating effect on the outside of the belt was easy to see. I don't know the 850 engine arrangement but, if you can pull back the T-belt cover enough to get a look at the belt(s), you might be able to tell if the belts are being damaged. Just a thought, the loss of the T-belt in your engine is a lot more destructive than in our 240s.








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    Belt Tensioner Bearing Failed - How Critical is Replacement? 850 1994

    posted by  someone claiming to be RLK-STL-USA on  Sat Mar 29 06:27 CST 2003 [RELATED]

    my indy replaces the serpentine belt the same time as the timing belt. At 70k miles the tensioner bearings were starting to go so he replaced that to.not cheap.

    WD-40 is not a lubricate it is a water displacer even though we all use it as a lubricate.more like a dessicant.








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    Belt Tensioner Bearing Failed - How Critical is Replacement? 850 1994

    posted by  someone claiming to be Frank on  Sat Mar 29 06:03 CST 2003 [RELATED]

    Have you tryed spraying something like WD-40 on the aux belt tensioner and if so, did that seem to help? It usually will help quiet it down for a while but probably not for long. I have yet to see an aux belt tensioner pulley sieze so I'm sure it'll last another 2K miles until you decide to replace both belts. Now, if the aux belt breaks, they have been known to quickly wear a hole through the t-belt cover (probably in seconds), take out the t-belt and thus cause valves to collide with pistons SO I'd say that's pretty critical IF that was to ever occur.
    Your Aux belt has to have been replaced as they simply don't last THAT long. They're suppose to be replaced every 60K miles and on 850s, they don't look bad at 60K miles in normal time intervals (time's a factor too). An old car where it's rarely driven might need the belts replaced at lower mileage intervals.
    Normally, if the aux belt isn't replaced at 60K, by 70K miles it'll have visable cracks.







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