Timing Belt replacement advice

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 23 Oct 2006, 16:16

There is a very good post over on Volvospeed that goes through the whole process. Amazingly the link still works - for the moment. Get it while the gettin' is good.

http://www.volvospeed.com/Repair/timingbelt.php

...Lee

ferrari9 · Post by **ferrari9** » 23 Oct 2006, 17:26

Good advice, MrReilly - from what I've read so far this is seriously one of the most important factors for being successful. It's important for me to hear this, too, because if something doesn't seem to work I often times leave it alone for fear of breaking or damaging it. This project will take a lot of patience...

Ozark - what a fantastic link! Perfectly enough, the guru's over there at Bay 13 wrote the article with an inexperienced DIYer in mind. I just compiled what I needed from that link and I'll use it as one of my aids.

Thanks again, everyone! I'm getting more and more excited to do this. I know it's not intsalling a new 19T turbo or anything, but I take great pride in being able to fix my speed machine on my own.

sntee · Post by **sntee** » 23 Oct 2006, 17:40

My own little tip..... having just replaced the head gasket on my T5 as a complete newbie to Volvo engine maintenance...... although you'll probably have already picked it up elsewhere......

The pin or drill bit you put into the Tensioner to hold it closed , can be an absolute pig to remove. Basically cos a) it's under tension (surprise surprise) and b) there's not a lot of room to get any leverage behind it.

I used a small allen key instead. The right-angled end gives you something to grip when you come to pull it out.

Oh and if your car has the little plastic horseshoe on top of the tensioner, be prepared to spend half an hour fiddling about trying to push it back on!!!!

bobsnow100 · Post by **bobsnow100** » 24 Oct 2006, 14:04

I like the bent allen wrench tip. I used a 4 finish nail and when I had to pull it out I just put on a pair of small vise grips on the nail and used a real long screwdriver to pry it out , it only took about 5 seconds to get it out. Also that small horseshoe shaped piece of plastic which goes on the tensioner is easy to put on if your laying under the car and reaching up.It will pop right on.It goes on after you release the tensioner. You needed to be under there anyway when you tightend up the 2 -12mm tensioner bolts.

Post by **luketrash** » 26 Oct 2006, 10:09

How important is it to purchase all new parts?

FCP sells the 13 piece kit with cam and crank seals for 331 dollars, but I really don't want to mess with pulling off the crank and cam pulleys...

My car has 108k miles on it (and I assume the original timing belt!)

For now I just want to replace the timing belt. The water pump doesn't appear to be leaking.

Is it stupid to replace only the belt and not the tensioner & idler pulleys?

Do these things give any audible warning when they are on their way out?

Post by **JRL** » 26 Oct 2006, 11:10

luketrash wrote:How important is it to purchase all new parts?

Is it stupid to replace only the belt and not the tensioner & idler pulleys?

Do these things give any audible warning when they are on their way out?

You have to be kidding?
What kind of USED parts would you use?
This is an interference engine, belt or tensioner breaks, you lose the motor.

The cover is off so why would you NOT replace everything while you're in there, the idler pulley is cheap, good insurance and at least one thing you won't have to worry about again (or until 70K miles goes by and you still have the car).
Never hurts to inatall a new cam seal, they can leak, (and do)

Post by **luketrash** » 26 Oct 2006, 11:47

Well, a Gates timing belt costs 23 bucks.

The big kit with water pump is ~300.00

I just paid cash for the car two weeks ago, so I'm not in the mood to spend any more money right now.

The Bay13 tutorial shows them reusing all the parts.

I should add that I don't want to dump a lot of money into the car until I've had it long enough to learn it's intricate details. if the head gasket or something starts going bad right away I'll get rid of the car, glad that I didn't spend a lot of money on preventative maintenance.

My plans right now are:

-new timing belt
-transmission flush
-PCV system cleanout/replacement

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 26 Oct 2006, 18:33

It's new parts (all of them) every other TB change. Otherwise it's just the belt. So, at 70K miles- just the belt. at 140K, all of the parts, plus the TB.
Then at 210K miles, just the timing belt. At 280K miles, all the parts again.
You'll COULD be sorry if you don't.

Most people who unload their Volvo's do so around the 140K mile mark due to the expensive service price they have been quoted. Granted the water pump might go a 3rd belt but most people report them going south between 180K and 200K miles. Why take a chance?

Post by **luketrash** » 26 Oct 2006, 19:02

at 108k miles, I think I'll change the belt for now and wait for warmer weather to put on OEM parts.

The belt I'm buying is made by Gates, which is fine, but I'd rather have the Continental one on there.

Mostly I just don't like the fact that the belt on the car now has 108k miles on it. I've got tomorrow off and it's supposed to get up near 60F this weekend, so I want to get it at least swapped before it gets cold again.

I was just curious how important it is to change out the pulleys.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 26 Oct 2006, 19:53

Luketrash,

I honestly hope that this is not your first timing belt because I think it would have gone by now if it was.

The stuff I read is that you should change the tensioners, water pump, pulleys, etc, every other timing belt change.

My guess is that's overkill but I hate the sound of valves bending in the morning.

My wife's last Chrysler (DOHC Mitsubishi) suggested a timing belt change at 100 k miles. At 101 k it detonated but it was not because of the belt itself but rather the water pump and the idler wheel. Thank God that was a full clearance motor. Ours are not full clearance, they crunch.

...Lee