2001 V70 XC rough idle

Post by **precopster** » 17 Dec 2016, 04:34

Jimmy57 is the resident expert on explaining this to people however I've recently done about 7 or 8 timing belt replacements on 2000-2002 model Volvos and the trick is to get the timing belt on both intake and exhaust pulleys while having it very tightly stretched from the crank and up toward the right side of the engine toward the idler pulley. The exhaust pulley will always want to walk just past the timing mark and slip well past as it is teetering on a cam lobe that will make it "fall" anti clockwise. When this happens you need to start again and turn the exhaust pulley anti-clockwise about 30 degrees and then turn it clockwise again until the resistance is felt and it lines up again to the cam mark.

The next trick is to juggle all this while having the timing belt tensioner bolt in very loosely and having the timing tensioner's metal arm go anti clockwise past the 2 block notches so you can achieve a slip-on around the tensioner's pulley and the water pump. I usually get it right after 2 or 3 attempts but it is hard work for one person.

Watch this vid for a fuller understanding of where you may have slipped up.

I hope your valves are intact and you can simply re-time it.

BradGranath · Post by **BradGranath** » 17 Dec 2016, 17:18

Yikes, exhaust cam nearly a full face behind. OK. So I snug the VVT down so that when I turn the spring the marks line up right. Then I use the timing belt to hold it 'sprung'.

Post by **precopster** » 17 Dec 2016, 18:53

Re-time it and try again. Perhaps valves are OK. Good luck!!

BradGranath · Post by **BradGranath** » 17 Dec 2016, 20:56

It's really easy for the belt to slip a notch down at the oil pump if you don't keep the slack lined up and tight. But I got her done. Gonna put the plugs and coils back on and try starting again. Did a compression test first. Getting above 100psi in all cylinders now. The Force is with me, and I am One with The Force...

BradGranath · Post by **BradGranath** » 17 Dec 2016, 23:00

It caught for a moment, but then sputtered and died. Further cranks are unsuccessful. Tried a little starting fluid in the brake booster port on the intake. No go. Lined up the timing marks... they all still line up fine.

EDIT: Spent some more time cranking. If the pedal is held in the middle of its range (not at rest, not to the floor) The engine will start to catch, but it does not rev up above 1000 rpm and it seems to run really rough. All the intake pipes are fairly snug. I even got a new airbox tube for it from a V70 in a yard.

With the key turned to ON, as the cluster flashes all of its blinkenlights, and the different computers do their POSTs, I can hear the ETM doing... something, a faint buzzing, for about 5 or 10 seconds. But then a distinctive "click-thwump" sound that sure sounds like the throttle closing, and no more buzzing.

No leaks I can see. It took a gallon of pure coolant, plus a quart or so of distilled water. I'll top it off with more water once it warms up. I put in five quarts plus a bit more 10W-30 full synthetic and a new filter and ring. Was blowing a bit of smoke, but it certainly wasn't steam or clouds of oil. And it's 10C outside. Will do another compression check just to verify I didn't torque the head wrong and blow the head gasket or bent-a-valve-a-little-bit-but-then-it-stuck-and-now-it's-really-bent or something.

I haven't put the stabilizer/mount or the wheel back on yet. It's still on the stands. It should still start without those right?

Post by **abscate** » 18 Dec 2016, 05:20

Yeah, it's time to spin up the compression test and make sure top end is ok.

The 8 second whine and then click thump of the ETm is good, that means that is working well and that you have good observing skills!

Are you sure the intake manifold is on well? A leak in the gasket may show up in the compression test. Song chased a leaky gasket for several weeks on a no-start

BradGranath · Post by **BradGranath** » 19 Dec 2016, 16:40

Compression still bouncing above 100. Battery is starting to get a little tired. I'm not totally sure that I'm lining up the correct marks with the the oil pump. Maybe that's not a boss, and it's a smudge and I'm still a tooth off. Maybe time to pull the starter motor and line it up with the little dooblydoo.

BradGranath · Post by **BradGranath** » 22 Dec 2016, 02:54

Lined it up. Really having trouble getting the belt tight on the intake cam. Finally found this thread. It has pictures. I've been lining up the timing marks on here wrong:

BradGranath · Post by **BradGranath** » 22 Dec 2016, 04:50

It starts! It's misfiring and surging, and not running right at all, though. May still be off a tooth. Gonna call it a night and keep trying tomorrow.

Post by **abscate** » 22 Dec 2016, 05:10

Sounds like top end is ok. Good news!!