To belt or not to belt...that is the question 98 V70 Topic is solved

[SonicAdventure]

You can buy another car for 4-5k and still have to do repairs on it. At least with this car you know what you have and 4-5k still in your pocket.

Yeah true. but if I do all the work on this one and wreck it, I have no way to collect on insurance as its really too old to put collision insurance on. At least on a newer car there is something to protect, from an insurance standpoint. And I'm sure we've all heard stories about someone dumping money into an older car that they did have full coverage on, and then it is wrecked, vandalized or stolen and they have really lost it all.

[101]

Timing belt = car remains serviceable, resale value preserved.

No timing belt = you're walking to the car lot to purchase another questionable used car and the value on your Volvo is scrap value (~300).

[polskamafia mjl]

What is the "catch can" you mention? If there is a cheap work around for PCV I'm interested, and maybe I can find a way to get some help on the timing belt.

Should have taken advantage of Robert's East Coast Tour last year. There is a 'helper section" on the forum where you can ask for help from local forum members. There are write ups on the forum explaining how to change the belt. If this is your first time working on the car though I would hesitate to make this your first project. With that said though, the timing belt isn't difficult it just has a few important steps you need to pay attention to.

A catch can is literally a small canister to catch the oil from blow by. You empty the can periodically instead of having the oil drain back into the block on its own like the stock PCV system. I don't remember the PCV parts being expensive and its not a very hard job. I would say cut your teeth on the PCV system and then give replacing the timing belt a shot.

How to install a catch can:

(A word of caution, MCM is the most addicting channel on youtube. )

[bmdubya1198]

Are there ever any symptoms of a dying timing belt?

No, since often times its the tensioner that fails not the belt itself.

I would sell this car on the cheap to an enthusiast and let them bring some life back to it.

^This. If you want to keep the car, do the necessary repairs. Otherwise, sell it to someone who will. No reason to waste a perfectly good Volvo, even if it isn't a turbo!

[SonicAdventure]

I found someone with Volvo experience who might be willing to help me with the repair. What is the best kit combination out there?

I'm going to pull the timing cover and get a good light in there and inspect the belt, pulley and water pump for any signs of wear, grease or leaking coolant.

If I decide to trying doing it with a helper I will likely purchase a kit and try to do it ASAP or else I probably will just cash in my chips and get something else. It's stupid to run a car into the ground that is otherwise OK, if the parts and online help is readily available.

What's the best kit out there for a non turbo V series from 1998? I can post the engine serial # if that helps

[oragex]

I'm going to pull the timing cover and get a good light in there and inspect the belt

this is easy to do, just make sure to inspect all closely it's length by cranking a bit the engine. I had a single crack, the rest of the belt looked great

[polskamafia mjl]

For these parts its generally important to go with OEM. Many people go to the dealer and buy them there knowing they are getting genuine blue box Volvo. Other people order the OEM parts from places like FCP and it looks like for the belt, rollers, and tensioner that comes out to around $400. Where you source the parts is your call.

Hopefully someone with more experience can chime in because I'm not as familiar with the 98+ cars but I believe some of them may use a mechanical tensioner and that some require a different length belt. Again I'm not sure on that so someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

No reason to waste a perfectly good Volvo, even if it isn't a turbo!

My feelings exactly. Save the Volvo's!

[erikv11]

... What's the best kit out there for a non turbo V series from 1998? I can post the engine serial # if that helps

This is your best bet. As mentioned, 98 is a split year, with either a hydraulic or mechanical tensioner. the belt is different depending on the tensioner. Engines up to 1266127 have the hydraulic, beyond that number the mechanical. Or post a photo of the tensioner they are visually different.

[bmdubya1198]

If you look behind the cover, you can see if your car has the mechanical or hydraulic tensioner. The hydraulic tensioner has a piston below the tensioner pulley (to the right of the water pump).
You can get the parts in a kit from FCP Euro. The cheapest way to do so with OEM parts would be to buy the Continental timing belt kit with the INA tensioner and idler. Those go for around $112 from them. RockAuto sells the same kit for ~$94. Go with the Aisin water pump from FCP. No sense in getting the Conti kit with the pump, it's ridiculously over priced. This is all assuming you have a mechanical tensioner, though. The hydraulic kit will go for a little more.

[MadeInJapan]

FCP was running a deal on their TB kits...I would get it- all genuine Volvo parts and buy an Aisin WP separately if you need one. As already indicated, if you can find these genuine parts somewhere else cheaper go for it! My '98 has the piston type hydraulic tensioner. It is not too bad....you can use a C-clamp and compress yours and even if it's still good, I wouldn't chance it... If you have the newer mechanical tensioner, it for sure needs to be replaced at every TB change. INA evidently is the OEM maker for these, but not the older piston type hydraulic- for sure, get the Volvo branded one of these if that's what your car uses. Seems there was another way of knowing what you have- hmmm, let's see. Do you have a rotor and button ignition or ignition packs for your spark plugs? Seems the change-over mid-year occurred with these components being changed too and if you have the canister type (metal) oil filter or you have the cardboard insert, newer type...I can't remember exactly- it's been awhile since I've checked into these differences...