Hello,
I am changing the timing belt on my 1991 240 volvo and the rear part of the timing belt cover just crumbled on dissassembly. My question is (I am of course doing all front seals too)is there any other way to find the correct position for the cam sprocket without having the mark on the cover as TDC reference? As I am typing this I am realizing that I will be replacing that rear cam cover anyway. Also, there is always the old pull spark plug#1 and rotate until piston is at TDC.

Thanks, Pittroj

I got mine from FCP,....com

I got mine from FCP,....com

If you are going to have the valve cover (cam cover) off, when the #1 cam lobes are pointing to ten o'clock and two o'clock that is where you want the camshaft to be for #1 cylinder TDC of the compression stroke. Otherwise just remove the oil filler cap and observe the cam through the opening.

Just remember these three things and you will always be able to get your crankshaft, camshaft and intermediate shaft in sync, even if the belt is off and any of the shafts might have been rotated from there correct position.

Camshaft oriented as explained above.

Crankshaft at 0 degrees. Use the timing mark on the crankshaft pulley and the +/- index used when setting the ignition timing.

The intermediate shaft can be correctly oriented by removing the distributor cap and making sure the rotor is at the #1 firing position.

The new timing belt will have marks that correspond to the marks on the pulleys. If one is off by a tooth simply adjust that pulley.


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'79 242, '84 DL 2 door, '80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon, '15 XC70 T6 AWD

Thanks for the replies. I have done this job before and got things out of sync.
Forgot to mention that I have to replace the 3 front seals. So, all 3 pulleys have to come off, which makes the odds higher of moving one of the pulleys a tooth while removing the old belt. I ordered a new rear belt cover.

I wrote up how I always do it and it was included in the FAQ's while those were still being updated. I use fingernail polish to mark the pulleys and the belt. You have to be careful to duplicate the marks exactly when you transfer them to the new belt.

Indexing the Timing Belt Markings. [Tip from Randy] Lets assume the belt that is currently on there is correct. All you want to do is replace it with a new belt- you want all the orientations to remain the same. Mark the current belt in some permanent way in relation to the gear. If the timing marks on the gears match up with an individual cog on the belt that will be perfect- if they don't you might have to make your own marks on the gear (fingernail polish comes to mind). The point is once you have the belt indexed to the gear arrangement you can easily remove it and you could put it right back on and be confident of getting it correct because you have the index marks on both the belt and the gears. So all you have to do is take the indexed belt off and carefully transfer your index marks on the old belt to the new one. Do this very carefully and be sure you match cog for cog as you move around the belt and mark the new belt exactly like the old one. BE CAREFUL to double-check the markings before going back to put it on. You might want to mark the front of the belt for reference in relation to the front of new belt. Some belts are already marked when new, but I always mark my own.
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Any twenty minute job is just a broken bolt away from a three day ordeal