Advice on timing belt service needed

1999S70 · Post by **1999S70** » 16 Nov 2009, 17:32

I have a 1999 S70, non-turbo. I bought it in 2004 at 104000 and I do not know the service history before that. I had the timing belt replaced at a prominent independent workshop in Ann Arbor MI. I was told that the tensioner did not need replacement.

5 years later today at 142900 miles, I decided to get the timing belt AND tensioner replaced as I'm moving down South and don't want the timing belt to give way during the journey. This time I went to an authorized Volvo dealer and got it done.

However, I just read some articles on the internet about the failure of the idler pulley and water pump having the same effect as a tensioner failure. The service manager told me that they don't usually replace the water pump or idler pulley unless the customer requests it, and timing belt failures usually involve the tensioner and not the idler pulley. I contacted another authorized Volvo dealer and was told that the idler pulley ==> tensioner. I'm really confused now and would like some advice on what to do.

Post by **polskamafia mjl** » 16 Nov 2009, 19:00

Welcome to MVS, reading through OzarkLee's post it seems that the idler pulley is not the same as the hydraulic tensioner, but I could be mistaken...he uses slightly different terms.

-> https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... 31&start=0

1999S70 · Post by **1999S70** » 16 Nov 2009, 19:15

Mine uses a mechanical tensioner. I believe the idler pulley is a separate part. The dilemma I'm in right now is I just got the belt and tensioner replaced today and don't really want to pay the 4 hours of labor again unnecessarily.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 16 Nov 2009, 20:30

My rule of thumb is to replace everything on every other timing belt change. With your mechanical tensioner you are on a different timing belt change interval and you are essentially "short pitting" but the labor to change it all out isn't that much more.

The only thing I would even consider not changing is perhaps the water pump but I have had some scares in that area at only the 140k mile interval. The good thing about the water pumps is that they normally telegraph that they are failing due to a leak, in my case one of mine was not leaking but the impeller was chewing into the housing and was clearly not long for the world.

...Lee