Timing Belt Change in 1994 940 & Tune Up & Tranny Se

[steven.gowin]

TIMING BELT
We have 94 940 that just turned 100K. I'm finding lots of conflicting info. on timing belts. The big non-dealer Volvo shop in San Francisco says it wants a timing belt every 50K. Other info. I've read indicates it can go 100K (I think it depends on replacement belts). Does anyone know the story on the old belts? Was it really 50K?

Also, do the valves warp if the belt breaks? I don't intend to let the car break a timing belt, but I'd like to know.

TUNE UP
We've put 30K on the car since we bought it. It had had a major service when we bought it, so I'm sure it needs a tune-up.

With times as tough as they are, though I don't want to pay for hinge oilings and wiper blades. I can also pop an air filter in, so a that filter change at the big shop would be ridiculous to let someone else do.

Would the following be a reasonable start:
- Plugs
- Rotor check - rotor if needed
- Spark plug wire check - wires if needed
- Fuel filters
- Belt check (I'll look at belts too and make a decision)

Any other musts?

TRANNY SERVICE
Again, the big service place is suggesting a tranny service. How much should this cost, how necessary is it? Can it wait another 15K?

Thanks

[760ti]

You're list sounds lika a good start. I'd recommend changing the anti-freeze and all the hoses & thermostat (don't forget the ones from the block to the heater core, either) And 60k is the limit for t-belts on later cars. 92 and earlier use a different design, and the limit for them is about 40,000. They're conservative estimates, but breaking timing belts suck. And over 100,000 miles, while the front of the engine is apart for the belt, you may as well replace the 3 seals (crank, cam, and intermediaste shaft) and the timing belt tensioner. It sounds like a lot, but it're really not that bad. The seals are only$3 or $4 a piece, and the tensioner is $30. The extra work for these is negligible, since you've already got the motor apart. This is all assuming the motor is a B230F of B230FT.... Both of these motors will be OK if the belt breaks. The engines w/ problems are the 16 valves and V6 varieties...