1999 V70 First timing belt install-mechanical tensioner

[paredown]

If it is off by that much then chances are that the belt is hung up at the notch below the crankshaft pulley. When installing the new belt it needs to be turned to a vertical orientation, ribbed side toward the block, to slide on below the harmonic balancer. Once it clears the notch the belt can be flipped back to the horizontal position.

The tensioner will be in the default state when it has nothing holding it back at the center locking bolt - when the bolt is loose.

...Lee

Lee FTW! Had to get my nose right up under it to see and have now got the belt tight to the crankshaft pulley

I was able to get the belt fully in place once. (If I do this again, I will take of the crankshaft pully (in fact I tried to, but my little air wrench couldn't budge the main nut...I think with these 98/99/2000 with the hard gas line in the way, the procedure for the newer cars, removing the cp pulley might be easier....)

But now my exhaust cam has moved off the mark (OK on crank and intake), so I've taken the belt off, moved the cam a hair back into position and will try again.

I do have another question though--the instructions for setting the mechanical tensioner stress getting the belt "tight" from crankshaft pully to intake cam.

For the life of me, even with wedging the bottom of the belt on the crankshaft, I cannot get the belt very tight from cp pulley to the idler, although it seems reasonably tight from idler to intake cam.

How tight is tight?

[Ozark Lee]

How tight is tight?

Not flopping around. With the hydraulic tensioner engines that is more of a big deal than it is with the mechanical tensioner. I often rock the intake camshaft back just a fuzz to catch a tooth that tightens things up. Once the belt is threaded on everywhere you can tighten the tensioner a bit and then see if things move. They will move a little bit but the marks should be less than 1/2 tooth off of the marks once things are tightened and the engine is hand cranked through a couple of revolutions.

If you do wind up off a tooth then you aren't going to hurt anything hand cranking the engine, the valves won't hit the pistons at one tooth off.

...Lee

[cn90]

This is a useful video to watch:

[paredown]

Well I've had the belt on and off a few times, but now it is on, the timing marks all line up, I have turned it over by hand through several sets by hand, and readjusted the mechanical tensioner.

Belt looks good, tension probably needs one more adjustment, but now I have new wrinkle--the tabs that point to the block on the tensioner have bent, leaving the window over to the right. I noticed it was bent before reinstalling it this morning, so I realigned it in a vice and put it in, but it moved over when I set the tension this morning. As with the thread cited below, I did hear a 'snap' sound as I tried to adjust it yesterday....

It is an INA tensioner that came as part of the FCP kit, green box, marked made in Slovakia and distributed by 'Schaeffer Group' in California.

It looks just like this one (from a previous thread https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=21848)

Should I ask for a replacement as the other person did, or is it OK to use?

[paredown]

This is a useful video to watch:

...

Thanks--I actually found that yesterday morning--that's where I got the idea that taking off the CP pulley would be a better way to go. Got to upgrade my tools though...or rent, as in thread in the stickies where they were doing the later model with the hard line in the way--thread here:
https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=20812

The bad thing about getting old is that I read that thread in the beginning and forgot about it.

[paredown]

Decided not to use the tensioner--heading to FCP @ crack of dawn tomorrow to pick up replacement.

They very decently said they would upgrade me to the OEM Volvo blue box tensioner (although it is also INA).

[Ozark Lee]

If you can straighten it back out to a point where the tabs fit between the bump on the block it is fine. The tabs hold it in place as you adjust the tension but after the bolt is torqued down they really don't do anything anymore.

...Lee

[paredown]

Good to know--but I was panicking yesterday and arranged the exchange.

The good thing about taking it on and off, is that I am getting better at it.

It's a lovely morning for a drive, and in the time the trip takes everything will dry out from last night's rain. I'll pick up a few other things while I'm there too.

Only small complication I have now--I was trying to fit the small bottom splash shield, decided to pull it back out, and I heard the sound of one of the bolts falling out--and for the life of me I cannot find it.

When I get the TB back on, I will check the back of the pulley carefully to make sure it hasn't somehow fallen into the back of the pulley, but really--where could it go???? (Rhetorical question, I know--but I'm remembering dealing with similar issues with my Dad back in the day, and now remember why all good mechanics have the little magnetic picker-upper and a dentist-style mirror...)

Thanks again for all the helpful advice.

Dean

[paredown]

OK--got it all back together--even found my lost splash shield bolt where it had tipped over into a web on the front of the block.

Did a full two times by hand, then checked the tensioner and readjusted it a second time--I had absolutely no problems with the Volvo one, although it looked identical to the aftermarket INA, except for the Volvo stamping on it.

I then finished putting things back, and started it up. It runs!!!!! Final assemble, off the jackstand and I took the front cover off again and checked the tensioner after it had run briefly, and moved per the procedure back to the middle of the scale.

I may be a little paranoid, but at idle I can hear something that sounds like a rubbing sound--I checked the cover, and serpentine belt, took the top cover off the timing belt and had a look with the engine running, but could not see anything actually out of place.

So the idiot's question--will I hear more belt noise with brand new serpentine and timing belts?

Or should I be taking things apart to have another look????

Dean

[Ozark Lee]

Hooray!

You are probably just being paranoid - I tend to hear things after a timing belt job as well and I've done 7 or 8 of them. It can't hurt to take the timing belt cover off and have a look while the engine is running just to satisfy your curiosity.

...Lee