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.