Camshaft Gear Must Be Off (Misaligned) Topic is solved

Oka · Post by **Oka** » 14 Aug 2025, 22:19

2001 Volvo XC70

Hello folks. Been a while I parked this car, which is my fav of my Volvos.

When I finished working in the car, towards the end of '21, I put everything together and got so disappointed. Initially, as I had reported, it sounded like a nut or alike fell into the engine at the first start of the engine; I stopped it right away.

The ONLY culprit to my dilemma will be that I messed up with the Camshaft work. I did not remove it, just used the Camshaft Position Sensor Locking Tool to hold it in place. I marked the belt and the gear, when putting things back, I lined the paint marks I had to have the gear teeth to align at their original positions.

Definitely, I did not do it right. That will be the only reason the starting was that bad. The miss aligned gear teeth made the noise I heard when starting.

No doubt fixing this will only be possible by a Volvo specialist. Right? There's a reputable local one in town.

Cheers

Vova585 · Post by **Vova585** » 14 Aug 2025, 22:35

Volvo cam locking tool is $45 on amazon and will help you do this job correctly. YouTube has many videos how to do this job, so after 2-3 videos you will be able to do it. If you have time for it and health permits-try to do it yourself and save at least 750-1000 between towing, 3 hour labor...

Post by **jonesg** » 15 Aug 2025, 04:49

a compression test will show if the valves crashed.
Did you hand rotate the engine before starting it?

Oka · Post by **Oka** » 15 Aug 2025, 17:00

Vova585 wrote: ↑14 Aug 2025, 22:35 Volvo cam locking tool is $45 on amazon and will help you do this job correctly. YouTube has many videos how to do this job, so after 2-3 videos you will be able to do it. If you have time for it and health permits-try to do it yourself and save at least 750-1000 between towing, 3 hour labor...

You're telling me that I can really do this job. I have to tool which I used when working in the car. I had used the videos to see how the tool is to be used.

I'll check on the video link you attached and few others. How I wished I had asked this question earlier right when summer started; we are heading to the Anchorage fall season. I'll see what I can do from now on. Thanks for the encouragement!

I'll report back on my progress. I will need to find a way to move it inside the garage to do the work.

Cheers

Oka · Post by **Oka** » 15 Aug 2025, 17:01

jonesg wrote: ↑15 Aug 2025, 04:49 a compression test will show if the valves crashed.
Did you hand rotate the engine before starting it?

Oh yes I hand turned the engine a good number of times.
Thanks for the question!

Cheers

Oka · Post by **Oka** » 17 Aug 2025, 20:42

I watched the video and two others and I strongly believe it is doable. No doubt, I will give it a shot.
However, this summer has been very 'unstable', with warm, cold, drizzle and wind, with respect of the car parked outside. This job, for me, is a garage-job. The Anchorage evenings are kinda a little nippy. I'll wait for beginning of next summer to haul it into the garage and start working on it.

From the video, I realized I did not use the Crank Locking Tool (attached image) previously. Not using it, could it have misaligned a major component?

: CrankLocingTool.jpg (12.38 KiB) Viewed 353 times

Vova585 · Post by **Vova585** » 18 Aug 2025, 00:50

I decided to skip this step when was doing my timming belt 2 years ago. The most important part is to keep camshafts aligned properly with the tool and to "set" the vvt hub(01-02 have single exhaust vvt. Not exactly sure what MY started to use double vvt design, possibly MY2004)at the end.
However, if I would be in your shoes, I would most likely use it to eliminate any chance of mistake.
In case you will decide to replace camshaft and crankshaft seals in the process, we recently had a thread were member was sharing 3D printable images of those tools. FcP euro also sells them. They make instalation of those sells easy and worry free. (I decided to cheep out on intake camshaft seal tool and used 2inch or 1.5 inch pvc pipe and fittings laying around. Looking back, I would rather spend $50 for that other tool).
In terms of compressor test-until you are 100% sure your timming is set correctly, I would not do it. You can have phases a little off which might effect compression. The best method is to use articulating borescope (they became more affordable recently, around $225) and through the spark plug hole inspect for "contact " points on pistons and valves.
Good luck.

Post by **jonesg** » 19 Aug 2025, 04:52

Oka wrote: ↑17 Aug 2025, 20:42 I watched the video and two others and I strongly believe it is doable. No doubt, I will give it a shot.
However, this summer has been very 'unstable', with warm, cold, drizzle and wind, with respect of the car parked outside. This job, for me, is a garage-job. The Anchorage evenings are kinda a little nippy. I'll wait for beginning of next summer to haul it into the garage and start working on it.

From the video, I realized I did not use the Crank Locking Tool (attached image) previously. Not using it, could it have misaligned a major component?

CrankLocingTool.jpg

I've done it several times with no crank lock, you just have to look and check the crank is in position before installing the belt, the crank isnt as prone to move as the cams are. Its to hold the crank whilst you lock the 32mm nut down to 130 ft lb.
I used an impact gun and blue loctite, that was 3 years ago.
Unless i am changing crank seal or oil pump I skip the whole thing.

Post by **jonesg** » 19 Aug 2025, 04:58

Oka wrote: ↑15 Aug 2025, 17:01
jonesg wrote: ↑15 Aug 2025, 04:49 a compression test will show if the valves crashed.
Did you hand rotate the engine before starting it?
Oh yes I hand turned the engine a good number of times.
Thanks for the question!

Cheers

if there was no interference then the mechanical noise on startup might be a wrench left on top of the engine.
i did that too.