Timing Belts, Luxury and Tears...

[Eddystone]

Luxury. After many decades, I finally have a garage, and it's even a 2-car garage.

Tears. Or at least sympathy. I need them. Cry for me. I'm suffering from TBD, also known as Timing Belt Dysfunction. They say it catches up with all of us sooner or later. I can't get the new timing belt onto my 99 S70 T5. Just can't get it on, you know?

Okay, so this is the third time I've done a timing belt on a Volvo modular engine: a 2000 S40, a 1998 V70 and now a 1999 T5. I know what I'm doing. Basically. The variable valve timing is not an issue because I'm using a locking block. I have the correct parts, all OEM manufacturers. I just can't get the belt back on, and I would SWEAR it is too short. Now, I could have sworn the last two I did had belts that were too short, but they finally went on. But this one has me stumped. I guess I'll have to check (again) for slack around the crank sprocket...

Luxury. Being able to just walk away from the job, run the garage door down and forget about it for a while. Before last year, I was always working in parking lots and had to keep the car mobile.

If you have any suggestions, I'd be happy to hear them, but what I really want is sympathy and someone to tell me the damned belt will, indeed, go on in the end.

Oh. I forgot to tell you. At first the belt was WAY too LONG, and I was stymied by that until I realized I was installing the serpentine belt where the timing belt should go. Maybe I'm just too old for Volvos.

By the way, I just bought a 1964 Corvair Monza with 40K original miles. Unconventional, but I think my granddaughter could take it apart and put it back together.

[volvolugnut]

Have you compared the old belt and the new belt side by side? It is possible to get the wrong belt.
Congratulations on getting the garage. As you say, it a great relief to be able to close the door and rethink your
plan.
volvolugnut

[abscate]

Abscate s official 1999 timing belt install tips

Loosen the m8 screws on the tensioner idler pulley until it’s floppy

Make surethe belts is seated inthe crank pulley and keep tension up after seating

install on the cams, idler, and tensioner

Install on water pump last. I use a 30mm box end to push the belt down and then slip it into the water pump

[Eddystone]

Abscate s official 1999 timing belt install tips

Loosen the m8 screws on the tensioner until it’s floppy

Make surethe belts is seated inthe crank pulley and keep tension up after seating

install on the cams, idler, and tensioner

Install on water pump last. I use a 30mm box end to push the belt down and then slip it into the water pump

Well, I confirmed that it is a Continental belt from FCP with the correct numbers on both the box and the belt. Checked sites other than FCP.

All I can think of is that I'm contacting both sides of the crank sprocket but have some slack on the bottom that needs to be found. It's all finger feeling down there. I have the 1-bolt tensioner which I have loosened up so that I can turn the excentric with the allen wrench and also rotate it beyond where the tab at the top is supposed to be. I'm sure I just need to fiddle with it, but I wore myself out cleaning things up for the water pump and getting that in. I couldn't find a mirror, so I used a compact disc to see up under where you can't see. Such a pain.

[454cid]

...I couldn't find a mirror, so I used a compact disc to see up under where you can't see. Such a pain.

Wow, and I thought my process was kind of a pain. I would shove my phone down there and take random pictures until I saw what I needed to see. I was glad I was able to do that though because I did have a bit of old gasket still stuck.

[abscate]

Sorry. It’s the idler m8 bolts thst you need to loosen so that the idler is floppy. That gives you a lot more slack to get onto the water pump. Neither the idler nor tensioner are notched so they can be loose

[Sveedy]

Agreed. I put the belt over / around everything before slipping it over the lose idler pulley last, and then pushed the pulley with belt into position.

[abscate]

After my flank angle fiasco, and finally getting the VVT timing procedure right, I could take the belt off and put back in in 8 minutes

Book time

Labor Information Skill Level Mfg. Warranty Standard
Timing Belt

Replace
B 1.1 2.7
NOTE

To R&R Camshaft Seal, Add
B 0.0 0.8
To R&R Idler Pulley, Add
B 0.1 0.2
To R&R Tensioner, Add
B 0.1 0.2
To R&R Water Pump, Add
B 0.6 0.7

[Eddystone]

The first time I did this was on an S40, and I had no idea that the car had variable valve timing and that the exhaust cam would move when the belt came off. I was working on a friends car in a barn miles from anywhere with only the tools I brought with me in may car. This was before I owned any P80s. I had that belt on and off so many times wedging the sprocket with blocks or wood I found in the barn. It was a horrible nightmare that has scarred me for life.

Eight minutes, huh? Being an MVS Moderator, I'm surprised that you would ignore forum rules regarding bragging and inflicting mental anguish of fellow posters.

[Eddystone]

...I couldn't find a mirror, so I used a compact disc to see up under where you can't see. Such a pain.

Wow, and I thought my process was kind of a pain. I would shove my phone down there and take random pictures until I saw what I needed to see. I was glad I was able to do that though because I did have a bit of old gasket still stuck.

Sometimes it seems as if they shoehorned a 454 in there when you have your arms down in that damned narrow space using every possible combination of short and long sockets with mini extensions and universal joints to clear the water pump gear and still be able to fit the wrench between the engine and the fender wall. You know you will eventually get it done, but it takes a lot of patience. I got up to the point where I needed to clean the gasket surfaces for the water pump and took a break leaving the car in the garage. It took me three days to get back out there because I knew what a pain it would be to get the old gasket off.