Greetings,
It's time to change the timing belt. I have read the instruction on Bay 13 and believe that I can do the job. My question is about the rollers and hydraulic tension mechanism. The car has just over 225,000 miles. Should I change any of the rollers and the hydraulic tension device? I don't know if they have ever been changes, but I know the timing betl has been changed on schedule. How do I check to tell if they need changing, or should I just plan to change everything due to the high mileage? I also might change the water pump since I will already be in the area (I assume that the water pump is changeable while the timing belt is out)

Thanks,
Stuart

Definitely change the water pump, cheap insurance.
You should also plan to change the tensioner and idler pulleys,
especially if they spin very easily which usually means the grease
has been consumed and or if you can detect any axial play in the
bearing. The tensioner should be OK as long as it is difficult to
compress (you should need a vise to compress it).

I get most of my volvo parts at eeuroparts.com

If not then I just did mine at 54K:

As a rule:
- TB good for 60-70K (although you can push the limit, I'd not do it, not worth the risk)

NOTE: Trick is:
1. after lining things up, in addition to the marks from factory on the cams and crank, I make one additional make on each cam and the crank (using white liquid paper) somewhere easy to see, jus double insurance!

I mark the cams at 12 o'clock position and on the plastic cover at corresponding locations.
I mark the CRANKSHAFT at 9 o'clock position.

2. When installing the NEW TB, use Bay 13 bungy cord trick; loop the new belt around:
- WP pulley and tensioner pulley
- crankshaft, now left hand holding the other side of the belt tight, righ hand pulls the belt so it is snugged with CRANKSHAFT
- then loop around right cam (intake cam)...then loop around the RIGHT hand pulley (fixed in place), keep tension on the TB with LEFT hand.
- then loop around left camshaft.

3. IMPORTANT TRICK: install the tensioner (I used a new one). If you use the old one then compress it VERY SLOWLY per Bay 13, insert the pin. Here is the trick: INSTALL the tensioner with pin in and white plastic collar.
DO NOT release the pin until you have TURNED the engine clockwise 2 revolutions.

(I learned this from mistake, things did not line, I ended up removing the brand new tensioner and compress them again, it is a PAIN!)

4. ONLY AFTER 2 revolutions and things line up fine then release the pin.
AFTER relasing the pin so the tensioner now tensions the TB, remove the bungee cord.
Turn the CRANK 2 more revolutions and CHECK the marks again before you start the engine!
Better be safe than sorry.


- any tensioner anywhere between 70-120K depending on luck. I changed mine at 54K, just want to sleep well at night and do not have 3-4K to fix an engine head should the tensioner fails.

- WP...mine is OK at 54K but from what I gather average life is 100-120K miles.
In your case makes sense to change it.
Also if you drain coolant to do the WP, makes sense to change the thermostat as well.

http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/

http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/tstat.php

- While you are there consider changing the seals (2 cam seals and 1 Crankshaft seal) after 225K they start to leak oil and can damage the belt.
- pulleys (2 of them) check for play, but I do not trust any pulleys after 120K miles. If they go, a good TB will go as well.

-Also serpentine drive belt, it goes (not trustworthy) at 60-70K. Check drive belt pulley too.


Bought my parts at FCP Groton great service.

Good Luck. It will be roughly 8 hours of labor (including the 3 seals) but worth it because of the mileage of your car.


cn
1998 V70 54K

cn,

Regarding step three in your advice: I also replaced my TB recently, and had the same problem, having to recompress a new hydraulic tensioner (twice) before getting everything lined up correctly. But, I question your advice about not release the pin in the tensioner until you have already turned the crank two revolutions - isn't it very likely that the belt will slip over one of the cams without the proper tension? Not sure - I didn't try it.

Also, one more tip - I found that loosening all five spark plugs makes turning the crank much easier, as there is then no compressed air in the cylinders to fight against.

-Daire

Yes, per my Volvo expert and Bay 13, when the tensioner is in WITH THE WHITE PLASTIC COLLAR, it is safe to turn the crank BY HAND because now there is enough tension on the TB. What you do NOT want to do is crank the engine by battery.

Turning the crank by is "forgiving" because you turn very slowly, and plus if the TB is missed by one or 2 teeth, no big deal because this is not enough to cause the collision between piston head and valves.


Removing the sp. plugs, you are correct that it makes it easier but why spend another 30 minutes whne you do not have to. It is just a bit harder with the sp plugs in.

cn

In the previous post:

Section 2.

"then loop around right cam (intake cam)...then loop around the RIGHT hand pulley (fixed in place), keep tension on the TB with LEFT hand."


SHOULD BE:

" loop around the RIGHT hand pulley (fixed in place), keep tension on the TB with LEFT hand...then loop around right cam (intake cam)"


SORRY FOR THIS TYPO.

CN
1998 v70