2000 S70 Timing Belt + Water Pump questions

[Mn10]

Hi all,

I'm planning to attempt to replace my water pump and timing belt this weekend. I've never attempted this before but the procedure seems simple enough. I just have to be very careful since it is an interference engine.

I've been watching the following videos to get a better idea of the task at hand.

(00-07 Volvo)
(Volvo 850)
(01-07 V70)

I've also had a read up of this on MVS: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=20812 (Both parts 1 & 2)

I'm gonna write a list of steps here and I was hoping if you guys could check and correct me if I am wrong somewhere, or have missed something.

1. Jack car up and drain coolant through radiator
2. Remove power steering tank and coolant expansion tank out of the way
3. Undo top engine cover
4. Undo timing cover
5. Note timing points on the gear, draw some reference lines as well to make the job easier
6. Take plenty of photos
7. Remove front driver side wheel and undo cowl
8. Remove crank harmonic balancer using 30mm tool. (Is this step necessary?)
9. Remove old belt
10. Remove water pump
11. Use a tiny bit of gasket sealant to "glue" gasket on to water pump
12. Install new water pump
13. Remove and replace old tensioner and roller
14. Set 'temperature' on new tensioner
15. Re-install new belt from top to bottom making sure not to change timing. Make sure belt is reinstalled in the same set up as the old belt.
16. Double check everything
17. Turn the crank 2 full revolutions making sure everything is still lined up
18. Put timing belt and engine covers back on
11. Replace crank harmonic balancer
12. Replace cowl
13. Reinstall wheel
14. Refill coolant and go through bleeding procedure

I've got a couple of questions as well

- First, I'm not sure if my car has VVT, how do I check and my understanding is that even if it is a VVT, the procedure doesn't change if I don't move anything and get the car out of 'timing'. How true is this?, and how do I check if my S70 is a VVT one.

- Second, is removing the harmonic balancer necessary? This has been answered elsewhere but with varying opinions. My fear here is that if I don't remove it and try. shimmying the belt off, I may rotate things out of timing.

- Third, Is there a way for me to check if I have everything lined up correctly besides the marks on the pulleys? For example, checking if the cylinder is at TDC?

- Fourth, I'm open to any other tips and tricks you may want to share.

My car is a late 1999 (2000) Volvo S70.

Thanks

[foggydogg]

When you take off the front cover you will either be looking at one or 2 variable hubs shown in that first vid, or bare naked sprockets.
Removing the balancer just makes it easier to see the little pin that makes life difficult getting the belt in place.
The timing marks are King; the engine is not at TDC for the procedure. Once the stuff is out of the way, clean up the mark on the hub - if need be -to make it easier to see it once the new belt is in place.
Use a Volvo gasket for the water pump.

[jmartin919]

Ideally you would install a camshaft locking tool before removing the old belt but not critical as long as you mark where the cams should be. If it does have VVT there is a step where you rotate the engine backwards. This is what I have in my notes: "unload VVT by rotating crank 90 degrees past timing marks and then back, this will keep the VVT hub from springing back and having to fight it back when reinstalling belt". If you don't do this you will notice that the camshaft with the VVT is off it's mark when you go to put the new belt on.

[scot850]

Depending on where you get your water pump from, check and see if it comes with new bolts. Reason for saying this is Aisin pumps don't come with new bolts. The newer pumps have thinner casings than the older ones. You may need shorter bolts. If I recall the old bolts were 30mm long and the new ones (Volvo sells the new ones) are about 25mm long.

I am going to tackle this in the next few weeks once my Volvo mechanic friend returns from a trip. I have done the older non-CVVT versions with both the Hydraulic tensioner and the manual tensioner but not a CVVT. As a 1999 car it will likely have a CVVT. Turbo engine on the exhaust side only and non-turbo/NA on the inlet side. I did have a late build 1998 which had a the manual tensioner but no CVVT.

Good Luck!

Neil.

[Twarr12000]

I didn’t watch it but the splash screen in the first video shows VVT on both the intake (right or ‘front’ side) and exhaust (left or aft side).


Your 2000 will almost certainly have it on at least the exhaust side.

The marks on the crankshaft pulley are almost microscopic- tiny notches in the end of 2 teeth/cogs

Here is a thread specifically for 2000 S70 -

viewtopic.php?t=51602

And I found this thread very helpful in dealing with the VVT -

viewtopic.php?t=34642

[Mn10]

Thanks all for your reply. Twarr those links and pictures were super helpful, it's very much appreciated. I will be tackling this tomorrow at the crack of dawn.

[Mn10]

I have not yet had the chance to get this done (Don't worry the car is parked and is not being driven )

Saying this though, I've actually got to thinking over the past week or so, if I am taking the serpentine belt off to do the timing belt, should I be changing the serpentine belt as well?, and if so, is there anything else that needs to be changed with it (tensioner etc)?

All the videos and instructions that I have seen so far has no mention of changing the serpentine belt as well.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks

[abscate]

If the AUS market follows the NOrth America market a 2000 S70 will have VVT on the exhaust side for a turbo, andVVT on the intake side if it is an Naturally aspirated motor.

Either way, you reinstall the belt with the VVT units clocked counterclockwise by turning the engine backwards to position the hubs correctly.

Don’t worry about the interference side, just don’t turn the key until you have turned the engine by hand a couple of times and confirmed line up. Much easier with plugs out.

You will need to remove the balancer in a2000. The 850 guys forget the RN engine (1999 2000) have a lug at the bottom of the case that makes it really difficult to pop off the belt on the bottom.

30 seconds of propane, 30 mm impact, before you remove the timing belt, and the big nut comes off. Recheck timing marks!

[Mn10]

Thanks for that Abscate. Yeah I’ve got everything ready to finally tackle the job later this week. I’ve even made myself an instruction manual with all the reading I’ve done so far.

Just one last thing though, should I swap out the serpentine belt while I’m at it too? It doesn’t look very worn out at all. Also if I am to change it, is there anything else which should be changed with the serpentine belt? (Excluding the stuff already being changed with the timing belt).

Thanks

[foggydogg]

The accessory drive belt is easy to monitor and if it doesn't exhibit obvious signs of distress I let it roll on.