Accessory Belt Tensioner - Pulley or Assembly?

[vtl]

Yes, I broke that way 2 such tensioners and 1 on my P2.

[cn90]

- You could have used the center bolt (on the pulley itself) to tension the belt.

- But anyway, I usually change the pulley ONLY, so not an issue for me.

[vtl]

T2 - yes, absolutely. Not on T12.

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It also sits very close to the chassis, there's maybe one inch or less if I remember correctly. P3 is absolutely designed with no planned repairs in mind. Modern Volvos are junk.

[cn90]

This is the way I see serp belt in any car...

- Lifespan for belt is ~ 120K.
- Pulley ball bearings dry around 80K-100K, in theory, you can gently remove the seal and
add HD grease in that small space. It may give you another 50K of service if money is tight.
- When I buy a used P2 at ~ 100K, belt still serviceable, pully makes noise when spun by hand.
- So, I usually replace the serp belt + pulley at 100K-120K range.
- I keep the old belt and pulley in the trunk just in case (I usually grease old pulley before putting it in the trunk).

- If I ever get to 200K, then I'd replace the entire assembly.

- If you read reviews at FCPEuro, most ppl get > 200K on the original tensioner. But agian at >200K, replace the entire tensioner.
On the issue of broken Torx hole, some ppl mentioned using a strap or whatever to tension the belt for installation.
If the tensioner is good otherwise, why throw it away when only the Torx hole is broken?

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/volvo- ... us#reviews

[cn90]

In the video below, the youtuber said the serp belt tensioner became "crooked", i.e., not aligned straight.
How many people here have this issue (crooked tensioner but the pulley is otherwise good), and if so, at how many miles?