850 140k Major Maintenance

[Ozark Lee]

The tensioner picture is kinds blurry but I think I can see what you are asking about. Is that your new tensioner? I can't make out if the plastic spacer is all that is holding the tensioner pulley or if the piston is actually contacting the tensioner pulley.

The rear portion (engine side) of the timing belt cover is one piece and you need to remove the camshaft pulleys to get it off. The rubbing belt is typically indicative of either a failed tensioner and thus a loose belt or one of the infamous counterfeit tensioner rollers.

...Lee

[Leadsled850]

The pulley is 1/2 in off the spacer floating freely,that is what concerns me, also whoever changed it las had marks way past 0 on timing marks.the belt does seem tight

[Ozark Lee]

The spacer shouldn't actually contact the tensioner roller, just the piston on the tensioner. The spacer is there to try to be a fail safe should the tensioner fail. I actually had the spacer save my bacon once. If the belt is tight then things are good.

As far as the previous marks go, just ignore them and line up the factory marks. Many a timing belt has been changed without following the correct procedure by people creating their own reference marks. It is dangerous but it can be done.

...Lee

[Leadsled850]

Thanks I appreciate your help,should I break off the piece that's rubbing until I can change the belt?

[Ozark Lee]

Thanks I appreciate your help,should I break off the piece that's rubbing until I can change the belt?

I had a broken one and I was able to use some JB Weld epoxy to glue it back together. If it is interfering with the path of the belt then you would be better off breaking it away before it gets caught in the belt.

...Lee

[moonchild90]

Hi! I'm new to the forum!

I've been driving volvos for decades.

1972-142GL
1974-144DL
1978-244DL
1982-245GL
1985-240 sedan GL
1988-240 wagon turbo
1994-850 2.5 10V
1996-850 2.0 10V

So the 850 models is pretty new to me...

I have a sound coming from the right front in my 850 from 94'. It mostly comes when the motor is cold. It's a kind of slack when speeding up and down.

First I thought it was a ball joint, and I replaced the ball joints in both sides with no luck. I have tested the steering joints, and there's no slack at all..

Any recommendations and tips?

Thanks!


-moonchild90

[stevepcar]

Great instructions, I have looked at several write ups of this job & I am in the process of removing the remainder of my hair. I keep having trouble getting the belt over the tensioner roller. I didn't realise that you have to get the slack out of the run between the crank & the intake sprocket. So that will be my first point of call, using the screwdriver to jam the belt onto the crank teeth. But the big problem for me, is that I have been trying to get the timing right, by making sure that the sprocket timing marks, line up with the centre of the v notch in the timing cover. However, I have seen several pictures showing that as long as the marks are withing the widest part of the v, then this is ok. Is there really that much tolerance in the alignment? If so I could probably have done this job in 2-3 hours, rather than the 2-days it has currently taken me.

[abscate]

There is tolerance of about one tooth width, which is about the same as the width of the timing mark notch.

First of all, you can never damage anything if you always confirm your marks by turning over the engine by hand.

Dont lever the belt on with a screwdriver. Remove yours and inspect it tooth by tooth for damage if you have already done this, and get s new one if you left any marks on it.

For a pre 1999, you have the tensioner compressed with the pin in, right?

I have found with a 30 mm spanner, box end, that makes a great tool to radius the belt and put it on the water pump last. It just slips off the spanner end onto the sprocket. The smooth end of the spanner won't damage the belt.

This isnt strictly kosher Volvo procedure which says put on the tensioner last, but works well for me on 5 different cars, now.

It really helps to have a second pair of hands on this. She can hold the belt tension on the crank while you get the belt firmly seated into the crank pulley, then up onto the intake pulley first, then over to the exhaust, then down to the pump( bypass it) over the tensioner where you take the tension from her. You need her for about 60 seconds.

[stevepcar]

Thanks a lot for your advice

[abscate]

Thanks a lot for your advice

I just saw a picture in another thread of a great idea. Ha;f of a cloths pin works perfectly as a wedge to hold the timing belt up onto the crank pulley