Dual VVT timing belt preparations

[jbeebo]

Have a 2005 S60 2.4L normally aspirated engine with 165k miles. Purchased the car @ 120k miles. First thing I did was check the timing belt, there was evidence it was recently replaced (unfortunately no service records). Gave myself 50% of service life worst case estimate, so it's due now.

I've done plenty of timing belts before on various inline and V engines, but never one with VVT. This particular california car B5244S6 engine has dual VVT. Was originally going to farm it out, but after reading F250's excellent CVVT hub change guide rev2, I'm feeling pretty confident I can pull it off. Looking for advice as I prepare for the job.

I'll do all the regular items: timing belt, tensioner, idler, water pump. I have everything necessary to do the job except the Cam/crank locking tool, which I'll definitely be purchasing.

Have the following questions:
-how do I know VVT hubs are OK, is there a way to check if the hubs are close to failure? There are no codes and engine runs like a top.
-should VVT hubs be replaced as a matter of course at a specific mileage?
-Cam seals are not leaking, should those be replaced while I'm in there based on age and mileage? In prior timing belt jobs I've replaced them, leaking or not.
-If I don't muck with the VVT hubs or cam seals, I should follow Robert's advise and this is a straight up timing belt replacement no different than any other?
-how about the crank front main seal? Also not leaking, replace due to age? In prior jobs I've not replaced the front main seal mostly due to inaccessibility.

TIA for the advice.

[oragex]

We don't do the water pump with the first belt, most volvo dealer don't either. if you still want to, use only aisin or original volvo. belt kit: continental or gates or even volvo not that expensive

the block timing mark at the crank pulley is hidden and tiny, usually needs a small mirror to see it. must match between two small grooves on the pulley dents S60 timing belt marks

we don't remove the crank pulley. cut the old belt out, then remove the 2 bolts and plastic cover near the crank pulley. new belt should slide in with some dexterity and patience.

look up youtube to the tensioner setting. tighten a little the center bolt before adjusting it. if I remember well, before adjusting the tensioner I turned the belt by hand two full turns. when the belt is out, the exhaust can pulley will turn a little, but will get back in place when the new belt is placed over it. place the belt on the intake cam pulley first, then on the xhaust one second.

put a zip tie or two to attache cam pulleys together so they don't move. I didn't do so but I moved my hands with care around not to touch them. a zip tie (or just a wire) is less stressful. when the old belt gets out, the exhaust cam pulley will turn a little clockwise by itself causing the marks to not be aligned. No worries, with the new belt on and tensioned, the cam pulley will spring in place.

don't need to replace seals if not leaking. just test the PCV as youtube make sure it's not clogged.

serpentine belt tensioner is a pain to release without a ratchet extension. while there, you can test the alternator pulley and a/c compress pulley and clutch gap

[F250]

Do the glove test first to check the condition of your PCV system. Better to do it all at the same time if it's plugged, and the only way to know if your engine block oil drain ports are open all the way into the pan is to drop the pan and clean/inspect from both the front of the car and from below the engine - the vertical passage between the pan and the block is a common plug point and cannot be cleaned without dropping the pan. If that is the case, and you do this, don't waste your money on the really expensive Volvo oil pan sealant... get the German Reinzosil sealant which is much more reasonably priced and meets the same anaerobic sealant specifications from Volvo. My daughter has roughly 12-15K miles on her S60 since I used it on her oil pan with absolutely zero weeps/leaks.

The CVVT does not have a particular mileage replacement interval. I chose to replace mine due to a gritty feeling when spinning the hubs by hand with my finger inside the bushing. The new hubs had close to the same amount of axial play as the ones I removed, but spun around my finger with a buttery smoothness. Those puppies are not cheap by any means. If, however, you have radial play in the hub bushing (up and down while on the cam shaft), I would replace them.

Personally, I would replace the cam seals if you're going to pull the hubs. If they are not leaking and you choose to NOT pull the hubs due to smooth rotation and no radial play, you can let them ride. I replaced both intake and exhaust front cam seals on my daughter's '07 at 165K.

Also, if you do not work with the hubs or front seals, it is a simple timing belt job with the only additional complication being in how to need to set your hub positions before installing the new belt.

Also, if you do have to dig into the PCV system, I would plan on taking some time to thoroughly clean the throttle body and intake manifold, as well as the inside of the oil pan. Some earlier versions of the S60 have an oil pickup tube in the oil pan which can also be replaced with an upgraded and newer design while the pan is down. My daughter's '07 already had the newer design. I'm not sure when it changed, so this may or may not be an opportunity for you.

Lastly, you might want to go ahead and proactively replace the oil fill cap rubber seal which gets brittle with age and can become an oil leak point. They're cheap and easy.

[jbeebo]

Thanks oragex & F250.

Water pump is original Volvo, now @ 165k miles, I'll replace it as it's just cheap insurance. Full disclosure: one time I did a timing belt on my Toyota 3.0L 1MZFE and _didn't_ replace the water pump. Bad idea. Pump failed 25k miles later, seized, shredded the timing belt and made a hella mess. Thank goodness not an interference engine. Timing belts are a pain on that engine, wasn't fun to do twice in 3months.

Re: hubs and cam seals. OK gotcha, so check axial and radial play on the hubs, if they're fine and the hubs are smooth then leave them and the cam seals alone. If need to replace the hubs then might as well replace the seals. The CVVT hubs decouple the camshaft from the timing gear. So if I mark the timing in advance and lock the cams from the rear I can spin the hubs to check and then return them back to original timing marks without issue right?

Re: setting hub positions before installing the new belt, if I understand you correctly F250, you mean steps 37 thru 50 in guide rev2, which covers how to tension the belt and set the fine adjustment bolts between the hub and gear?

Timing belt tensioner looks somewhat tricky. I understand from Robert's vid different engines required different clocking of the tensioner before setting the temperature indicator in the window?

Other items mentioned:
I have a serpentine belt tool which makes R&R easy. I've been in there before to inspect the timing belt components. Will replace the serpentine belt components as I noticed the idler bearing is getting sloppy and tensioner is on the way out too.

Did already replace the entire PCV system @ 130k miles, including the ridiculous rubber hose that goes up into the valve cover. It had failed, engine was under considerable vacuum, enough to cause whistling/warbling sound from air leaking past some seals, and low/rough idle. Haven't done the glove test lately but car does consume a lot of oil; no leaks, it's eating it. It's not valve guides as there's no puff on startup and there's no fluid crossover, so it must be piston rings... PS: looking for advice on this issue too

Have not dropped the oil pan. While doing the PCV I did check and confirm the PCV engine block holes were open by blowing air and pouring oil thru them, but only checked from the front. It sounds like internal oil pickup seal replacement is wise. Good tip on the sealant and upgraded pickup design, thanks.

Oil fill cap seal was replaced already.

[F250]

...

So if I mark the timing in advance and lock the cams from the rear I can spin the hubs to check and then return them back to original timing marks without issue right?

Re: setting hub positions before installing the new belt, if I understand you correctly F250, you mean steps 37 thru 50 in guide rev2, which covers how to tension the belt and set the fine adjustment bolts between the hub and gear?

Timing belt tensioner looks somewhat tricky. I understand from Robert's vid different engines required different clocking of the tensioner before setting the temperature indicator in the window?

...

Did already replace the entire PCV system @ 130k miles, including the ridiculous rubber hose that goes up into the valve cover. It had failed, engine was under considerable vacuum, enough to cause whistling/warbling sound from air leaking past some seals, and low/rough idle. Haven't done the glove test lately but car does consume a lot of oil; no leaks, it's eating it. It's not valve guides as there's no puff on startup and there's no fluid crossover, so it must be piston rings... PS: looking for advice on this issue too

....

You can only spin the hubs by about 7-10 degrees while on the cam shaft, and that may not give you a good enough "feel" for their smoothness, but you'll certainly be able to see if there is any radial play up and down. I did not even think about checking mine while on the shafts because I had already planned on replacing the seals and had them off. It's easy in your hands, though. Just hold the hub with one hand, hub resting on only one finger, and carefully spin it on the bushing and if it feels rough or gritty, I would replace that hub. You may do OK with just checking it on the shaft.

You are correct about steps 37-52... that should guide you well.

IPD-USA also has a timing belt Youtube video which shows how to set your timing belt tensioner. Just another point of view which may help. I, too, sort of just fumbled my way through the process.

On the oil burning, my daughter has the same scenario, but I'm hoping it's not the rings and is just the turbo center cartridge which is weeping externally.

Hope this helps.

[oragex]

Don't get scared by the tensioner adjusting thing. It seems complicated and easy to mess with but it really is not. Play with it a few times - adjusting, then releasing the tension, with the belt on it, you'll see it gets logical.

Here's my video
There is also this video

I'm not very found on Robert's video, because at the end the needle in his video doesn't stay at the right position.

[FREEBUSINESSES]

I have an XC90 2.5T and I had done a valve job after water pump froze and toasted the valves. Long story short, got it back together, ran great, but kept throwing cam sensor codes and fuel pressure sensor code, but would only throw code when starting, if I reset codes and went on long non stop trip, no codes, strange.


Researching it, seems if you are one tooth off on cam belt timing, this can cause these codes. Don't know if that is true, but I put it off, drove thousands of miles, no issues. So I rechecked timing, looked like it was a half tooth off, so I made it more accurate and put it back together, now it won't start, can being off a tooth or so cause a no start situation? The timing looks right on, although it is difficult to see block tab, but I can see crank pulley mark fine. I set CVVT to the clockwise position on both intake and exhaust, double checked everything, but won't start, any ideas, did I miss a tooth in timing possibly>

Thanks

[cn90]

- At 165K, I'd replace the WP (use only Aisin brand).

- I wrote a detailed DIY for my 2005 XC90 2.5T below:

DIY: 2005 Volvo XC90 2.5T Timing Belt, Water Pump, Serpentine Belt
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=83521

- As long as you leave the VVT hubs alone, then doing the TB is no different than the Volvo 850 etc.
Very simple.

- On the other hand, if you replace the VVT hubs ($250/each), then READ the threads below:

Large oil leak after replacing exhaust camshaft (cvvt) seal - help needed!
https://volvoforums.com/forum/volvo-xc9 ... ded-81251/

PS: Personally, I'd leave the VVT hubs alone b/c when they fail (wobble or oil leak), you have time to fix it.
The oil leak is not catastrophic. Also, leave the cosmetic cover out (the cover for spark plugs), this way you can quickly access the UPPER TB Cover to look at the VVT Hubs.

[shiloh51933]

If your going to remove sprocket hubs, get rear camshaft/crankshaft locking tools.