1998 S70 Timing belt tensioner Topic is solved

[anbran]

Can the mechanical tensioner be replaced with a hydraulic one? Are there predrilled holes in the block??

[LamboSE5]

Thanks for the input, b4miata.

People with engine #1266128 and above need to know that they should take their cars to the dealer for T-belt changes so the tensioner will get changed also.

When the tensioner fails and the belt jumps tooth, the pistons are going to slap the valves resulting in about $4000 damage. Volvo should have red flagged this in the owners manual.

Sorry for your misfortune.

Oh no,
So this sounds like what I had happen to me just yesterday then. And I'm guessing the damage will be even more serious than I thought so far.
Serial Number on TB Cover is 134770 - making it the mechanical tension, right?

Here is a link to the thread I started: www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=43248

So, lets say worst case scenario if the pistons slapped the valves, or I have bend rods/damaged stems/valves, is this all damage to the head and other parts - what I'm asking I guess is would the block be damaged? Could the cylinder walls be damaged or what?

How should I go about testing, seeing what's going on tomorrow after I take the TB cover off. I guess what happened in actuality (correct if wrong) is that the tensioner went bad and the belt lost tension, and the slack allowed it to jump teeth and start to walk off the ... cogs, and start cutting through the TB cover?

Would new timing related components (water pump, belts, tensioners etc), possible valves and that stuff, then a resurfaced/machined head fix this for sure, or might there also be damage to the Block?

Thanks a lot guys.

[LamboSE5]

I had my tensioner pulley on my '98 S70 SE5 (T5) go on the highway and ruin life...

Anyway, I'm about to buy another used 98 S70 tomorrow, it has 220k and had the timing belt done at 180k but I think that's all that was done. I don't know why garages don't know and maybe suggest that everything should be done at the one time (maybe they do), maybe the are expecting that return business for the $4000.00 worth of damage for not doing it all.

I'm verrry worried about driving it because I've had nothing but bad luck this past year.
My question is how much am I looking at to get just the tensioner pulley done at a dealer, versus an indy shop do you think?
And what do you think the cost would be to go ahead and just get everything done? Pulleys, roller(s?), water pump etc.?

Thanks for any suggestions.

-J

EDIT: Oh, and is it true it should be done at a dealer (the tensioner pulley) due to some temperature adjustment?! I don't like the sounds of that. And what about the several tutorials I've seen around for timing belt and related (even here on MVS)... they didn't seem to bother with anything temperature related if I remember correctly.

I have to drive the car home from Quebec to Nova Scotia ... ... Any tips or suggestions are very welcome. This is going down tomorrow..well saturday - the 14th.

Thanks a lot everyone.

[cn90]

...The earlier tensioners were hydraulic and very reliable. The conventional wisdom is to change them at 140k....

Bringing back an old thread...

My 1998 V70 is now at 120K miles.

In 2004 @ 60K, I changed only 2 items: TB and the Hydraulic Tensioner (Aisin OEM brand).

I am doing the TB soon (plus Front cam Seals which are leaking etc.), and just want to confirm with the gurus here that the Hydraulic Tensioner lasts about 140k or so. If so, I will keep my Hydraulic Tensioner for now because it only has 60K on it.

Thanks!

[madspeed50]

just check to be sure its not leaking. my original lasted through the last tb change at 210k!

Sent from my rooted, rommed Galaxy Nexus....

[louty]

if your doing the work, adn can do the work, and dont mind going back in in a few thousand miles, than let it go if its not leaking, but how do you kow when it does start to leak or loose pressure ??? like at 70mph , 3 hours form home ?
if your paying someone to twist wrenches, then I would have everything redone if it has over 150k on it. thats just me, my thoughts. even though I enjoy working on cars, I dont want to go back in in a few k, shoot, im 60+ now, and that car in a few k, who knows what shape Ill be in for twisting wrenches
in defence of indy wrench people, often a person will be told, we can do yoru timing belt for xxx dollars, we can replace everything thats in there for +++ dollars, what do you want to do.
90% of the time the owner will go cheap. then bitch 10k later when something fails or in the case of these cars, say no dont do the water pump, adn a few k down the road, need a waterpump adn complain that you suggest you need to pull the timing belt to do it , and tell them the cost....oh we are such crooked mechanics

from new, zero miles, I like to suggest replace everything every other belt change
hey its only a 5k motor repair when the belt slips, or ....., so why not spend the extra 200 while its apart. Thats internal stuff, and too me a timing belt is internal.
external stuff like serp belts, mafs, plugs, filters, you know the things you can see and are easy to get to, ill push em to the limit, and go cheap when I can

[cn90]

FYI,

A hydraulic tensioner is conceptually very similar to the FRONT strut suspension system.
- It has a strong spring to push upward.
- It has oil in there with tiny channel. The role of oil is to prevent "rapid" change in the Spring length.

- In 99% of the time, the spring does the job of keeping the TB tight.
This is why the hydraulic tensioner lasts a long time because the spring does most of the heavy lifting.

The patent for this invention by Aisin is listed on the US Goverment Patent Website.
You can search for it.

I am attaching the diagram of a typical hydraulic tensioner so people can see in internal anatomy:

hydrtensioner.jpg (96.93 KiB) Viewed 2094 times

[rspi]

If you can afford it, change everything. I have only changed 2 tensioners. They were leaking when I compressed them. Compress them slowly and if you see any fluid, change them. I usually have all parts on deck and only replace the worn ones. The belt I did 10,000 miles ago, I only replaced the belt and idler at 205,000. I have no idea what was done at 130,000 but the car was owned by an older guy so I assume that everything was replaced.

So, for me, if the pump is not leaking, I pass, if the roller is tight, I pass, if the tensioner is not leaking, I pass. It's only a 2 hour job, I'll go back if I have to. I did have to go back once on a 960 I had. Changed the belt only at 60k and at 87k the ilder was almost seized, the water pump was leaking, the tensioner was leaking and the tensioner roller was loose. I think the bad idler messed up the other items.

[theWIFES_S70]

It seems that we have a 1998 S70 with a mechanical tensioner! This after spending hours watching Robert Spinner's video on installing a timing belt with a hydraulic tensioner!!!

I can't seem to find any videos on how to perform this timing belt change on Youtube, aside from one video where Mr. Spinner explains how the mechanical tensioner works. See: Volvo timing belt mechanical tensioner installation, adjustment. - VOTD. Good to know how these mechanical tensioners work...

There is a great write up (with pictures!) of how to do this... But still, no video!
Timing belt weekend: '99 S70 non-turbo. Part 1.
Timing belt weekend: '99 S70 non-turbo. Part 2.