My 1998 V70 is at 75,000 miles and I am looking at maintenance. I have read here that if the serial number is greater than 1266128 (per tech service bulletin 2210015) that the timing belt does not need to be changed until 100k miles. Is this true? Does anyone have access to this bulletin? I have heard that the manual was not updated for the later serial number cars. My manual says 70k or 75k --cannot remember right now. BTW, my serial number is 1311015.

Should I be planning on changing the serpentine belt (was not done at 60k) and the waterpump (two shops indicated that this would be a wise idea at this time since everything would be pulled apart for the serpentine and timing belt). If I do replace the timing belt, does it make sense to replace all tensioners, pulleys, and idlers at the same time? I see the parts list on this maintenance job adding up quickly. How much time is estimated on replacing the serpentine belt if timing belt is 2.5 hours?


What about cap/rotor? I read somewhere that these should be replaced at 50k. Car was purchased with 51k from Volvo dealer--can I assume it was done? I plan to replace the plugs with NGK platinum -- good or bad idea??

Thank you in advance,
Chuck

Hey Chuck and Others:

My 98 V70 has the higher sreial # and the mechanical tensioner. I replaced the belt at 112,000 km (70K miles) and by the cracks in the belt it was clearly due for replacement. If they did not put it in the manual and no one has seen this phantom TSB, there is a reason. My expereince says you put off scheduled maintaince at your own peril. If you want to gamble, go to Las Vegas; otherwise, replace the belt.

My 98 V70 did not like NGK spark plugs too good, it seems to like OEM plugs the best. I replace my plugs every 20K, and I also replace rotor, cap and plug wires every 60K. When I took my rotor cap off @ 60K it was in pretty bad condition, terminals were very charred, rotor button did not look too good either. It's about $100 for rotor, cap and wires. After you replace all those items along with spark plugs, engine sounds like it's brand new.

As far as timing belt goes, replace at recommended intervals. Having heads rebuild is just waaay to expensive to risk this. Think about it: It can easily cost $2500 to rebuild the heads after the timing belt breaks. That pays for ten timing belt changes (most independents can do it for around $250) By the time you are done with ten timing belt changes your V70 will have 700,000 miles on it (do V70s last that long?) Have them replace the serpentine belt while they are at it, they take it off for timing belt replacement anyway. Good luck with your maintanence projects, have a great 4th of July.

"I have read here that if the serial number is greater than 1266128 (per tech service bulletin 2210015) that the timing belt does not need to be changed until 100k miles. Is this true? Does anyone have access to this bulletin? I have heard that the manual was not updated for the later serial number cars. My manual says 70k or 75k"

Who keeps finding this seemingly "ficticious TSP"?

I'm a dealer tech who has NEVER seen this and yes, I've looked through Volvos current TSBs (SBs and TNNs via VEN, Volvos online source for ALL current info).

I can't find that # SO who's publishing it?

UNTIL I see otherwise FROM VOLVO (no other source anywhere), I wouldn't assume that you're SAFE to go until 105K miles on a belt that if neglected, WILL cause the owner of that car over $3000 for repairs. It's just not worth it.

You're talking about a $40 belt plus labor to replace it (if you don't want to do it yourself) and either way, it's a few bucks vs major hassles and expense.

Worth assuming that you're "safe" to go the extra miles? I wouldn't.

The TSB says if the serial number is higher then 1266128 it has a
mechanical belt and the TSB covers how to adjust it. It does not
say anything about the service interval being higher or changed.

I've seen it on www.alldatadiy.com as:

2210015 990601 Mechanical Camshaft Belt Tensioner - Adjusting

Content of TSB:

Mechanical Camshaft Belt Tensioner - Adjusting
Section2

Group21

No.
0015

Year99

Month06

S70/V70/C70
1998-

Vehicles involved: B52X2/B52X4

Adjusting the mechanical camshaft belt tensioner

Background:

This Service Bulletin describes the adjustment of the mechanical camshaft belt tensioner.

Engine serial no.:

S70/V70/C70 1266128-

Adjusting the mechanical camshaft belt tensioner

Adjusting the mechanical belt tensioner

1
Adjusting the camshaft belt tensioner and camshaft belt

1 Install timing belt.

2 Ensure that belt is tight between crankshaft and intake pulley, if not reinstall.

3 Tighten the center screw to 5 Nm (4 ft.lb).






4 Holding the center screw stationary, turn the eccentric (A) with a 6 mm allen wrench COUNTER-clockwise until the tension indicator passes the right side of the adjustment window (B).

5 Turn the eccentric (A) back CLOCKWISE until the indicator (C) reaches the correct position based on the temperature of the engine (see illustration).

6 Hold the eccentric secure and tighten the center screw to 20 Nm (15 ft.lb).

Note! When setting the final adjustment the needle (C) must enter the adjustment window (B) from the right. If the needle exits the window to the left, it must be readjusted past the window so that it enters from the right.

7 Press on the timing belt and verify that the indicator moves in response to the pressure.

8 Note! If the bolts holding either cam wheel had been loosened, tighten them at this time to 20 Nm (15 ft.lb).

9 Press the camshaft belt and check that the belt tensioner needle moves freely.

2

Needle position at different temperatures

This adjustment is always carried out on a cold engine.

A suitable temperature is approximately 20°C/68°F.





At higher temperatures, for example with engine at operating temperature or at higher ambient temperature, the indicator is further to the right.

The illustration shows the needle position when adjusting the camshaft belt tensioner at different engine temperatures.

Frank:

I am not fabricating these TSB's. I just saw it in earlier post. My manual says 70k miles. What is the recommended mileage on those with the mechanical tensioner--is it higher (ie the 105k I read about)? If so, would my serial number of 1311015 have mechanical or hydraulic tensioner--and which belt/mileage? I agree that a neglected belt should be replaced. I am not arguing that. I just would like to know when I should look at having it replaced. I will have them both inspected and the serpentine belt replaced, since that should only be 1/2 hour of labor. The question is why replace at 70k miles an item that is intended to go to 100k (just because the manual wasn't updated)

You are correct that the timing belt is around $40 for the parts. The kicker is the labor of 3 hours at $85-90/ hour. And the serpentine belt at $25, and the tensioner at $75, and the idler at $60, and the waterpump at $100 (which "should be replaced as long as you everything apart" is what I was told). You see where I am going with this? If I just need to replace the serpentine belt, I am looking at a maintenance bill of about $100. If I need to replace the timing belt et al, I am looking at several hundred.

Sorry for the vent. I am just looking for the truth about timing belts.

Chuck

The above info from '99 T-belt replacement instructions is from Alldata, NOT VOLVO.
At dealers, we follow info from Volvo and UNTIL I see it written by VOLVO in their current VEN literture (or now VRC2), I won't assume that the interval for ANY '98 is different.
Believe it or not, the newer car t-belts that have 105K replacement t-belts don't look really good to me even at 60K miles, they have visable cracks.
Peace of mind means ALOT to me. When I'm on a trip, far from home the last thing I want to think about is car problems that'd cost me ALOT of money and/or leave me stranded.

Believe what you want but it's your car.

Being that no such TSB currently exists as published by VOLVO, I certainly would not ever post such info online to others. With your own car, if you want to gamble and take the risk that you'll be OK, that's your choice but others who read this stuff and think "great, I can skip or postpone maintenance" and thus end up with a major problem by doing so won't exactly be happy if and when that occurs.

Belt breaks = ~$3,000 US (maybe even a tad more depending on labor rate).


That so-called Volvo TSB does not exist by that # in Volvos current literature and if ALLDATA says it does, I'd say that that is false info UNTIL I'm proven wrong. I won't believe it until I see it in VOLVOs literature and I have full access to it.

Frank,

Thanks for the follow-ups and your concern to stick with this and help
us all do the right thing. Based on your experience I am certainly willing
to heed your advice (you must have seen a lot more timing belts then
anyone here has).

Chuck, I own a late '98 v70(7/98)with the engine SN greater than above.
The concensus on this board is that '98s should change t-belt at 70K miles.

I took my car to the dealer for a t-belt change at 78K miles. The service manager informed me that after removing the cover, my v70 has the new t-belt design with the mechanical tensioner vs the old hydraulic tensioner, and the recommended interval is 105K miles.

If I were you have your dealer or indie shop removed the t-belt cover. If belt shows small cracks, replace. If on the other hand, the belt looks good and has the mechanical tensioner then replace at 105K miles.

Th serpentine needs replacement now. The water pump I wouldn't replace until the 105K miles service.
--
'88 240, '92 740, '98 v70 GLT John in Tampa Bay

How long should it take a mechanic to replace serpentine belt? Timing belt is 2.5-3.0 hours from what I have heard.

Chuck, I've replaced 3 serpentine belts and can do it in 15 minutes
(two Volvos in the garage and I do have a special tool for this sold
by www.ipdusa.com). Serpentine belt replacement is pretty easy on
your 98. There is also a newer routing that may or may not have been
applied to your car depending on when it was built (newer serpentine
belts are a bit longer for the newer routing).

The timing belt is a 2.5 hour job (shop rate) and the serpentine
belt comes off and goes back on as part of that procedure.

The timing belt cover comes off with a single 12mm bolt. You pull
up on the coolant tank to move it out of the way (unplug the electrical
connection and then lay it over the top of the engine). Taking off
the cover only a few minutes. The mechanicl tensioner (new design)
should probably be left to a pro. The older design is a do-it-yourself
project if you are handy with tools.

serpentine belt interval is 60K miles. A do it yourself 30 min job with guidance from Bay 13.

check this awsome site www.volvospeed.com for repairs/maintenace on 850/70 series volvos.
--
'88 240, '92 740, '98 v70 GLT John in Tampa Bay

Is the procedure the same for my 1998?

Proceedure IS the same for a '99 IF you have the later "manual tensioner" type as all '99s do.

Hi Chuck,

I don't have any answers to your questions, just a related question, from someone new to Volvos, for you and anyone else who responds to your post. Am I right that some of the work you mention as being recommended at certain mileages is not part of the standard recommended service at those intervals? I assume this is because these are parts that fail with some frequency around that time? I'm asking because I want to know whether I can just go with the service recommended in the owner's manual and/or by my dealer (which, unlike some, has a service dept. with a great reputation), or whether I need to find out at various stages what else should be done. Why not wait till/if something fails rather than replace it prophylactically? (Of course I'm not referring here to the timing belt!)

Thanks,
Mark
--
Mark 2002 V70 8k

You can safely go with the owners manual with a couple of
exceptions (that will generate some debate):

Oil changes might be best if more frequent.

The manual says you do not need to flush the automatic transmission
fluid. A lot of people and dealers will do it at 30K. I can say it
made a big difference in the way ours shifted when done at 50K.

The manual lists brake fluid flush as optional at 30K. I think it
is a good idea (so keep an eye on anything listed as optional since
they may have tagged it "optional" to reduce the computed maintenance
costs that some consumer magazines publish).

The timing belt question here is actually the opposite of what
you may think: 94 thru 98's have a timing belt service interval
of 70K miles. In 99 model year it goes to 105K miles becuase the
timing belt tensioner was redesigned. It turns out this redesign
was actually introduced earlier then 99 in some of the 98 models.
All 98 owners manuals say the timing belt change interval is 70K
(even if you have the newer design) but the new designs can probably
safely go to 105K.

I myself always have the maintenance item's done on my car early.. for instance, the synthetic oil and OEM filter is changed every 2500 miles, bot air and cabin filters are changed every 10K,....but this is because most of my driving is in NYC...like a lot of short trips, and sitting in traffic.

Like yourself, I also have a OUTSTANDING dealer service dept I use here in Bergen County NJ.....so what I would do if I was you is, just ask the service manager (not service writer) what he thinks...tell him how and in what conditions you drive the car.....and let him tell you what things (in addition to whats called for) should be done at a particular service interval. He will know what to look for, change, adjust, etc.
--
Steve F. in Hoboken, NJ