1999 S70 Timing Belt Needed?

volvooh · Post by **volvooh** » 20 Apr 2015, 06:21

I am looking at another S70- Its a '99 with about 130,000. Last timing belt change was in 2008 with @ 57,000 mi. Can I get another 25,000 mi or do I need to do a timing belt/ pump change now if I purchase. This will be a daily driving for a 16 year old, mostly to and from school (about 2 mi).

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 20 Apr 2015, 08:21

I believe the book service interval got bumped to 100k miles starting in '99 but personally I still follow the old 70k rule since a failure is so catastrophic. My wife had a Chrylser Concorde years ago that had a 100k interval and it ate a water pump and took out the belt at 101,870. Fortunately that was the version of the engine that was not an interference engine. All of the Volvo 5 cylinder engines are interference engines.

I guess the short answer is that you probably can get by with it but if the car gets driven hard you might not.

...Lee

volvooh · Post by **volvooh** » 20 Apr 2015, 08:38

So is it an issue of miles (70,000 to 100,000) only or is there a time limit (say 10 years) that the belt should be changed as well?

Post by **850 LPT** » 20 Apr 2015, 09:11

Yes, there is a time limit also. It is 70k (or 100k) or 10 years, whichever occurs first.

Post by **abscate** » 21 Apr 2015, 04:33

105k for the 1999 on. Drive it, be happy.

2 mile trips are brutal on PCV. Use synthetically oil and change every 5000 minimum, or try to get the car up to 55 for 30 minutes at least once a week. Thank goodness you have the heated PCV on your 1999, if you are a really good person God will bless you with a turbo and a manual, too.

volvooh · Post by **volvooh** » 21 Apr 2015, 06:29

Abscate- thanks for the head's up. I agree with everything but the manual transmission...don't want to have to teach a 16 year old to drive a stick...especially on a 15 year old car! I'll be replacing the clutch by the end of the year!

Post by **bmdubya1198** » 22 Apr 2015, 12:21

I wouldn't give it more than 10,000 more miles. There may be a higher limit on 1999 and newer, but I would be worried about it snapping. You could probably get more out of it, but that's one of those repairs that you shouldn't push out as long as you can.

Mccjim12 · Post by **Mccjim12** » 20 Feb 2025, 15:32

Old as hell thread but I was digging around as I just had my ‘99 S70’s timing belt, serp belt and all the associated components changed.

I bought the car in ‘19 with 135k miles. Had receipt for TB at 108k…in 2010. Car was off the road from 2015 to 2019. She now has 183k.

So almost 15 years since last change. I am grateful that it hung in there that long. I don’t know what kind of shape the belt was in but had I been more knowledgeable at the time or purchase I probably would have addressed it sooner.

Anyone have any stories good or bad going past the time or mileage intervals? This is getting to be an old car but I love it and hope to get another little while out of it now.

Thanks!

Jim

Post by **scot850** » 20 Feb 2025, 16:11

Going past the interval seldom ends with owners being happy! Many older Volvos end up in the junkyard and have broken timing belts.

Neil.

Post by **abscate** » 21 Feb 2025, 04:00

I ran my T5 to 14 years/140k miles before replacement. I did the next one at a valve job at 256k.

The p2 has the same interval , but if you use the same parts in a PZEVstate, they are warranteed for 15 years/150k miles.

Risk aversion is a personal thing, but there is good evidence that the MTBF is well past 150k miles

Rubber belt…fails on time and miles, especially in ozone states
Idler and tensioner fail on miles, weak association with time

Don’t forget water pump at second belt change, so anything over 150k, do the p80 pump too. I ran mine to 250k, too